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ALLEN COUNT-i PUBLIC LIBRARY

11 II I I II I I II I i ill GENEALOGY

lili'1l|;l'll''ll:l'j|i!illiillllli 977.201

3 1833 02322 2976 F29H

HISTORY

FAYETTE COUNTY

INDIANA

HER PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS

FREDERIC IRVING BARROWS

Editor-in-Chief

With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and
Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families

ILLUSTRATED

1917

B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc.
Indianapolis, Indiana

1139177

DEDICATION.
This work i> respect fulK' dedicated to

} long since departed. May the memory of those who laitl down tiieir burdens

> by the wa\ side ever be fragrant as tiie breatli <if summer

flowers, for their toils and sacrifices have made

Fayette County a garden
shine and delights

FOREWORD

Titles are usually iiidicati\e of la1)or and responsibilit}', but imt always.
The editor-in-chief of this book respectfully disclaims any just ri,L;ht l<> the
responsibilities and labors naturally implied by his title.

There was a time when, with full appreciation of the interest and charm
to he found in the histiiry oi Fayette county, he accepted a commissiDii to
write a ^tor_\- of its founding" and progress, to comprise approximately (Hie
hundred and fifty tliousanil words. The pressure tif business with the pub-
lisher led to some two and one-half years of delay before it was absolutely
positive that the work in full would be needed. In the meantime the mills
had turnetl so fast, and responsibilities had gathered so rapidly, that the
undertaking just mentioned was manifestly impossible. A conference took
l)lace with the publishers and it was agreed that the association of the work
with the name announced as editor-in-chief had gone so far that it wnuld be
lietter for the work not to change this association. Consequently, the pub-
lisher proposed, and it was agreed, that a historian of high ability should
perform the work and that the duties of etlit(.»r-in-chief should be reduced to
mere consultation and to the reading of so much proof only as was de\T)ted to
the general discussion of the county and its institutions, and not including
any examination or labor in connection with the biographical department of
the work.

The specious ]jhilosophy of Alexander Pope declares "whatever is, is
right," and so it sometimes proves. Had the writer of this preface really
carried out his original plan and written a history of the county which has
for so many years been his home, it woukl have been a far different work
from the careful and detailed labor of Dr. Ernest V. Shockley. 'Idie county
history is valuable, as it gives detailed and specific facts and definite positive
items from which the reader shall construct his own picture of days gone by.
Such a w'jrk Doctor Shockley, by reason rif his learning and his association
with the liistorical faculty of Indiana University, was amply qualified to ])ro-
duce.

The immense labor of searching little items of detail from the records
of the state offices at Indianapolis, from the county records of Franklin

county and of Fayette county, from papers and manuscripts, deeds, wills and
mortgages, now well nigh effaced by the obliterating finger of time, were a
joy to Doctor Shockley and his assistants, but would have been beyond the
possibilities of a man absorbed in other things.

Some day, using Doctor Shockley's data, someone will draw sketches
of the typical scenes of our county. He will picture the period of the dogged
retreat of the Indian ; of the rugged pioneer on the edge of civilization ; of the
stately days just before the war, and of the grim determination of Fayette
county that the Union should be preserved. Some one will picture the story
of the old canal, when Market street and the site of the Big Four freight
depot and yards was a great pond, in which canal boats stood at their moor-
ings, discharging the cargoes to be distributed throughout all eastern Indiana.

Someone who sees the historic old buildings at the comer of Fifth and
Third streets and Central avenue, and who beholds the wide doors from
second- and third-story windows, will learn that these were the headquarters
of merchant princes handling a quarter of a million dollars a year in mer-
chandise— a sum quite equivalent to twenty times that amount under our
present conditions.

Someone will some day picture the great herds of cattle, swine and
turkeys being driven in from the north and west through Connersville, often
miring by the hundred in the ford which was back of where Roots Foundry
now stands, in a long pilgrimage to the Cincinnati market. Someone will
picture the rattling stage coaches drawing up behind the stately elms which
beautified the grounds of the United States Hotel, standing where the Roots
building on Central avenue now stands ; he may even step within that hostelry
and see in conversation the conspicuous figiu'cs of that day — Senator Smith and
the Hon. Sam. Parker, Caleb B. Smith, and not improbably Judge Oliver P.
Morton, from the neighboring village of Centerville.

There is also another picture of the days long gone by of which very
little actual historic record remains, but legend has it that the great French-
man, the Marquis de Lafayette, thought it worth his while to visit the home
of John Conner on his way to the New Harmony settlement — and when one
reads the striking accounts given by the circuit riders as to the amount of
silver plate displayed in the home of the one-time Indian trader, Conner, one
can scarcely doubt that the reception of the great Frenchman was such as
he little expected in the remote country village of Connersville.

In the hustle of today's industrial activity, when the keyword is, doing
the most in the best and quickest way, the stateliness of another day has
jjassed away. Connersville and Fayette county are fair standards of
industrial, commercial auf! agricultural efficiency, but those of us who are in

tlie thick of the commercial fray of today still love occasionally to think of
such reminders of -another period as we can recall.

\Miile I am proud of the productix ity of our farms and tlie efficiency
of our factories, I still love once in a while to recall the one stately figure I
chanced to see in my boyhood — tiie ?Ionorable Benjamin I*". Clavpool. a .gen-
tleman of the old school, a dignified, learned, aristocratic old man, daily
marching between his law office and his Central avenue mansion, a heavy,
silver-haired figure, with the brow and dignity nf a Roman senator, though
withal clothed in the more modern garb.

Had I written this history, it no doubt would ha\e l)een \ery interesting
to me. for it would put in words my admiration for the great men w ho have
builded this community. It could not possibly have contained the fund of
exact information which Doctor Shockley has secured, and which, in a way,
is a monument to the great pioneers like John Conner, the great journalists
and radical agitators like Matthew Robinson Hull, the great lawyers like
Judge Jeremiah M. Wilson, James C. Mcintosh and Reuljen Conner, great
manufacturers like William Newkirk, John B. McFarlan and Edward W.
Ansted, and the great men in every other line of activity who have been in
our midst.

I sincerely congratulate the authors of this work upon their success, and
entirely disclaim any credit for having obtained or checked anv of the informa-
tion herein.

I wish to bear witness also to the patient persistence of the late Mr. C.
M. Cyrus, w-ithout whose efforts to lay the foundation, the publishers would
not have been able to bring out so large and creditable a work. I trust that
in some other decade some one may take up Doctor Shockley's work where
it has been left off and. supplementing it and bringing it down to date, add
to this valuable contribution to the local history of our great state.

FREDERIC IRVIXG BARROWS.
Connersville, May, 191 7.

PUBLISHERS' PREFACE

All life and achievement is evolution: present wisdom comes from past
experience, and present commercial prosi^erity has come only from past exer-
tion and sacrifice. The deeds and motives of the men who have gone before
ha\e been instrumental in shaping the destinies of later communities and
states. The development of a new country was at once a task and a privi-
lege. It required great courage, sacrifice and privation, ronijiarc the pres-
ent conditions of the people of I'ayette county. Indiana, with what the\- were
a century ago. From a trackless wilderness and virgin land, the county has
come to be a center of prosperity and cixilization, with millions of wealth,
systeius of railways, educational and religious institutions, varied industries
and immense agricultural and dair\' interests. Can any thinking person be
insensible to the fascination of the study which discloses the aspirations and
efforts of the early pioneers who so strongly laid the foundation upon which
has been reared the magnificent prosperity of later days? To perpetuate the
story of these ]ieople and to trace and record the social, religious, educational.
I'olitical and industrial progress of the community fr(jni its first inception, is
the function of the local historian. .\ sincere purpose to preserve facts and
personal memoirs that are deserving of perpetuation, and which unite the
present to the past, is the motive for the present publication. The publishers
desire to extend their thanks to those who have so faithfully labored to this
end. Thanks are also due to the citizens of Fayette county, for the unifonu
kindness with which they have regarded this undertaking, and for their many
services rendered in the gaining of necessary information.

In placing the "FTistory of Fayette County, Indiana," before the citizens,
the publishers can conscientiously claim that they have carried out the plan
as outlined in the prospectus, livery biographical sketch in the work has
been submitted to the party interested, for correction, and therefore any
error of fact, if there be any, is solel\' due to the person for whom the sketch
was prepared. Confident that our effort to please will fully meet the appro-
bation of the public, we are.

Respectfully,

THE PUBLISHERS.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I— A SHORT HISTORY OF IXUI.WA : 33

First White Men in Xorthwest Territory — Disputed Claims to tlic Terri-
tory— Battle of Fallen Timbers — Territory Xorthwest of the Ohio. 1670-
175-1 — French and Indian War, 1754-63 — Pontiac's Conspiracy — Xorthwest
Territory and Quebec Act — Revolutionary Period — Capture of Vincennes —
Vincennes, the Oldest Settlement of Indiana — First Survej'S and Early
Settlers — Ordinance of 1787 — First Stage of Government Under the Ordi-
nance— Second Stage of Government Under the Ordinance — Indian Strug-
gles, 1787-1803 — Organization of the Northwest Territory — Representative
Stage of Government — First Counties — First Territorial Legislature of
Xorthwest Territory — Division of 1800 — Census of Xorthwest Territory in
1800 — First Stage of Territorial Government — Changes in Boundary Lines
of Indiana — Second Stage of Territorial Government — Congressional Dele-
gates of Indiana Territory — Eflforts to Establish Slavery in Indiana — The
Indian Lands — Organization of Counties — Changes in the Constitution of
Indiana — Capitals of Xorthwest Territory and of Indiana — Military History
— Political History — Governors of Indiana — A Century of Grow-th— Xatural
Resources — Educational System — Public Institutions.

CHAPTER II— GEOLOGY 69

Area of Fayette County — White Water River and Other Streams — Drift
Formations — Soils and Their Areas.

CHAPTER III— HEIXEMANN'S RESEARCHES 76

Difficulty in Tracing History of County Prior to Its Organization — John
Conner, the First White Settler in Connersville— The Twelve Mile Pur-
chase— An Inviting Field to the Whites — Financial Side of the Transaction
— William Henry Harrison — Hack-ing-poms-kon and the Prophet — Kik-
tha-we-nund, or Anderson — Petch-e-ke-ka-pon, Little Turtle and the Beaver
— Our Original Pioneer — Proceedings of the Treaty — Verbatim Copy of the
Journal — Mr. Heinemann's Third Monograph — The Indian Trail Down the
White Water Valley — Indians Loth to Leave — Last Representative of the
Aborigines — A Story of Old Ben Davis — Proper Xames of the Aboriginals
— Topography of the White Water Country — John Conner Clings to the
Frontier — Xew Sites Higher Up — First Attempt to Make Wagon Road —
Cincinnati as a Supply Station — Ancient Landmarks Persist — Presence of
French Traders — Probable Route of the Trail — War Clouds Begin to Lower
— Where was Conner's Post — Early Location of Conner's Saw-mill — Cradle
of Connersville's Industries — Conner's First Frame House — Probable Site
of Conner!s Post — Crisis in Indian .Affairs — Several Definite Traditions —
Minor Changes from Original Trail— Origin of Elephant Hill's Xamc — Site
of Old Indian Camp — Location of the Old Block-house — Whole I'rontier in
a Tremor — Connersville a Military Station — Business Grouped .\bout the
Trail — 'Only a Memory of a Long Past.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV— JOHN CONNER 143

Obscurity Surrounding His Career — His Indian Wife — His Second Mar-
riage— Sketch of Conner by O. H. Smith — Sketch by Mrs. Sarah Conner
Christian — Further Light on the Pioneer — Diary of David Zeisberger —
Sketch of Conner by Baynard R. Hall— An Interesting Old Letter.

CHAPTER V— COUNTY ORGANIZATION 155

First Mention of Fayette County by Name — Motives Back of the Organiza-
tion of the County — First Limits of the County — County Government and
Early Proceedings — Tavern Rates — Early Finances of the County — Dona-
tion Fund — Tax Assessment for 1831 and 1861 — County Receipts and Dis-
bursements in .1916 — First Things in the County Records — First Court
House — Present Court House — Jails — Benevolent Institutions — Centennial
Memorial Hospital — Fayette Sanitarium Association — Population Statistics
— Naturalization of Foreigners.

CHAPTER VI— OFFICIAL ROSTER OF FAYETTE COUNTY 186

Difficulty in Determining Accuracy of List of Officers — The List, by Years
up to 1852 — Clerks of Circuit Court — Treasurers — Recorders — Surveyors —
Auditors — Assessors — Sheriffs — Coroners — County Commissioners — Fayette
County in the General Assembly — Congressmen from Fayette County.

CHAPTER VII— TOWNSHIPS OF FAYETTE COUNTY 214

Columbia Township — Boundaries — Land Entries — An Old Residence — Mills
and Distilleries — Early Schools — Villages of Columbia, Nulltown, Alpine
and Berlin — Connersville Township — Boundaries — Land Entries — John Con-
ner and Other Early Settlers — Early Schools — Industries — Longvv'ood and
East Connersville — Fairview Township — Boundaries — Land Entries — Early
Settlers — First School House — Villages of Fairview and Falmouth — Harrison
Township — Boundaries — Land Entries — Early Settlers and Industries —
Early Schools — Villages of Harrisburg and Hawkins — Redville, Redtown
or Stumptown — Jackson Township — Land Entries — Settlement — Early In-
dustries and Schools — Villages of Everton and Bcntle.v — Jennings Town-
ship— Boundaries — Land Entries — Settlement — Early Schools and Industries
— Villages of Alquina and Lyonsville — Orange Township — Boundaries — Land
Entries — Settlement — Early Schools and Industries — Villages of Orange
and Glenwood — Posey Township — Boundaries — Land Entries — Settlement —
Poll-book of Election of 1826 — Some First Events — Early Schools — Village
of Bentonville — Waterloo Township — Boundaries — Land Entries — Voters in
1825 — Early Schools — Villages of Waterloo and Springersville.

CHAPTER VIII— TRANSPORTATION 273

The Old Indian Trail — Character of First Roads — Legislative Acts to En-
courage Road-Making — The Era of Toll Roads— Roads Under the Three-
Mile Law — Bridges — The 'White Water Canal — Opposition to Its Construc-
tion, Serious Financial Difficulties, and Its Final Disposition — Present Use
of the Canal in Fayette County — Railroads and Electric Lines.

CHAPTER IX— AGRICULTURE 283

Fertility of the Soil of the White Water V^alley — Radical Changes in Meth-
ods of Farming — Scientific Agriculture — Farming Conditions in the Twen-
ties and Implements Used by the Pioneers — Striking Contrast to Present
Methods — Cattle — Horses — Hogs — Sheep — Report of County Assessor for
1916— Registered Farm Names — County Agent — Agricultural Societies and
and Fairs — The Free Fair.

CHAPTER X— MILITARY HISTORY 298

The Military Period of 1816-1846— Muster Day— Mexican War- The Civil
War — Relief Funds — Volunteers — Commands With Which Fayette County
Men Served — Morgan's Raid — Drafts — Relief and Bounties — End of the
War — Assassination of President Lincoln — Spanish-American War — Mis-
cellaneous Naval and Military Notes — Military Organizations — Daughters
of tlie American Revolution — Grand Army of the Republic — Sons of Vet-
erans.

CHAPTER XI— THE BENCH AND THE BAR 323

The First Lawyer in History — Ever-present Need of Lawyers — Pre-eminent
Lawyers of the County — Lawyers in Congress — Lawyer and Poet^Lawyers
of Fayette County for One Hundred Years — Court History of Fayette
County — Associate and Probate Judges — Separate Probate Court — Changes
Under the New Constitution — Reorganization of the State Judiciary — Circuit
Court Judges — Prosecuting Attorneys.

CHAPTER XII— THE MEDICAL PROFESSION 334

Character of Early Physicians — Account Book of Dr. Wilson Thompson —
Early Physicians of Fayette County — A Root Doctor — Diplomas Easily
Acquired — Practitioners in 1846 — Fayette County Medical Society — Dentist
Made His Own Tools — Roster of Fayette County Physicians.

CHAPTER XIII— BANKS AND BANKING 344

Early Banking History in Connersville Enveloped in More or Less Obscur-
ity— The State Bank of 1852 — Development of Banking^-A Brief History
of the Various Banks, Trust Companies and Building and Loan Associa-
tions of the County.

CHAPTER XIV— EDUCATIONAL HISTORY 351

The First Schools and Teachers — Description of an Early School House^
Establishment of Free Public Schools — County Superintendents of Schools
— Enumeration Statistics — Connersville Township — Interesting Notes of "A
Rambler" — Decrease in Enumeration — The Schools of Waterloo, Jennings,
Orange, Jackson, Posey, Fairview, Columbia and Harrison Townships —
Fayette County Schools in 1916-17 — Teachers, by Townships — Fayette
County Seminary — Connersville Public Schools — Early Academy for
Females — First Free Public School — Graduates of Connersville High School
— City School Buildings — School Publications — Schools in 1916-17 — Present
High-school Enrollment — Hawkins Playground — Marguerite Thiebaud
Scholarship — City School Superintendents — High School Principals — Board
of Education — Connersville School Directory, 1916-17 — Elmhurst School for
Girls.

CHAPTER XV— LITTERATEURS AND ARTISTS IN FAYETTE COUNTY. 386
Indiana's Wide Reputation as a Literary Center — Fayette County's Writ-
ers— Volumes That Deserve Mention — Tlie Poets of Fayette County — Mis-
cellaneous Writers — A Few Samples of Local Poetry — Some Artists of Fay-
ette County.

CHAPTER XVI— CHURCHES OF FAYETTE COUNTY 398

First Religious Movements in the County — Methodist Episcopal Churches
— Baptist Churches — Christian Churches — Presbyterian Churches — United
Brethren Churches — Lutheran Churches — Union Evangelical Church — Uni-
versalist Churches — Seventh-day Adventists — Friends Societies — Episcopal
Church— Church of Christ (Scientist)— Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene
— Colored Churches — Catholicity in Fayette County.

CHAPTER XVII— THE PRESS OF FAYETTE COUNTY 463

Difficulty in Tracing the Early History of Fayette County Newspapers —
The First Papers, and Others Which Followed — Conncrsvillc Papers and
Some Well-known Editors.

CHAPTER XVIII— FRATERNAL AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES 482

Free and Accepted Masons — Royal Arch Masons — Royal and Select
Masters — Knights Templar — Order of the Eastern Star — Scottish-Rite
Masons — Nobles of the Mystic Shrine — Independent Order of Odd Fellows
— Daughters of Rebekah — Knights of Pythias — Pythian Sisters — Fraternal
Order of Eagles — Loyal Order of Moose — Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks — Improved Order of Red Men — Haymakers Association — Degree
of Pocahontas — Modern Woodmen of America — Royal Neighbors of America
— Knights of Columbus — Daughters of Isabelle — Patriotic Order of the Sons
of America.

CHAPTER XIX— LITERARY, MUSICAL AND SOCIAL CLUBS 504

Simplicity of Society in Early Days — A Striking Picture of Club Life in
1917 — The Cary Club — The Sesame Club — A Dozen of LTs — The Coterie —
The Clio Club— Wednesday Literary Club— The Culture Club— Adelaide
Procter Club — The Tri-Kappa Sorority — The Camerata — The Wayside
Gleaners — The Merry-go-Round Club — The Labyrinth Club — The Review
Club.

CHAPTER XX— THE CITY OF CONNERSVILLE 517

Location and Picturesque Situation — The Original Plat — Additions — The
Early Village — An Attorney Without Money — Tavern License Granted —
The First Newspaper and the First Library — Regimental Orders — Some
Notable Connersville Men — Connersville in 1833 — The Succeeding Decade,
1833-43— Connersville Directory in 1858-9— Connersville in 1861— Some
Interesting Statistics — Renaming the Streets — Created a City — The Town
Hall — Public Utilities — Fire Department — Waterworks — Public Lighting —
Gas and Electricity — Sewerage System — Street Paving — Police Department
— Telephones — Cemeteries — Industries — The Romance of Figures — Con-
nersville's Peculiar Qualifications — Early Industries of the City — Beginning
of the Furniture Industry and Other Well-known Concerns — The Ansted
Industries and Other Local Enterprises — Business Directory — The Con-
nersville of Today — Evidences of Public Enterprise — Church and School
Expansion — The Postoftice — Public Library — Commercial Club — Commer-
cial Club Boys' Band — ".\ Little Journey to Connersville"— Business Men's
Credit Exchange — Some Historic Landmarks.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXI— FAYETTE COUNTY MEN OF A PAST GENERATION'. . 583
Men Who Have, in Cine Way or Another, Contribnted to the Growth of
the County — Oliver Hampton Smith — Caleb Blood Smith — Samuel W.
Parker — William Watson Wick — Jonathan McCarty — Minor Meeker —
James C. Mcintosh — Col. James C. Rea — Abram B. ConwcU — Francis M.
Roots — Lieut. Samuel J. Shipley — Louis T. Michcner.

CHAPTER XXII— GLIMPSES OF FAYETTE COUNTY 597

"Early Indiana Trials and Sketches", by Oliver H. Smith — Arrival in Con-
nersville — A Political Preacher in a Fix — A Political Jury — The Story of
Betty Frazier — A Divinely Commissioned Thief Catcher — John McCormick
— Reminiscences — Pioneer Days in Fayette County — Early Connersville
Business Men — The Old Singing School — Independence Day, 1831 — Indus-
tries of Fayette County in Early Days— The Wawassa Paper-mill — ^Relics of
Fayette County in Indiana University — A Trio of Catastrophes in Conners-
ville— Mrs. Nancy Hawkins Hackleman — Connersville as a Show Town —
Bunker Hill — Origin of Rural Free Delivery — Loaning Surplus Revenue
Fund — Fayette County's Vote on Constitutional Conventions — An Adver-
tisement of 1839 — The First German Family — First Things — First Map of
the County — Manifestations of Liberal Spirit — Centennial Celebration of
1916.

HISTORICAL INDEX

Aboriginals. Proper Names of 112

Aborigines, Last Representative of- 110

Academy for Females 371

Advertisement of 1839 623

African M. E. Church 447

Agriculture 283

Alpine 221. 413. 429. 433

Alquina —

Additions 254

Churches 400. 406

Industries, Early 254

Lodges 493. 497, 499

Merchants, First 254

Origin 254

Physicians, Early 338

Postoffice 255

Ansted, E. W. 181

Ansted Interests 557, 581

Area of County 69

Artists of the County 396

Assessors, County 202

Associate Judges 186, 328

Asylum for the Poor 175

Auditors, County 202

Banks and Banking 344

Baptist Churches . 411

Bar. Members of the 325

Ben Davis, Story of 111

Bench and Bar 323

Benevolent and Protective Order of

Elks 495

Benevolent Institutions 174

Benevolent Societies 482

Bentley 249

Bentonville —

Altitude 114

Business Interests 266

Bentonville, Con.—

Churches 429, 433

Location 266

Merchants, Early 266

Name 266

Platted 266

Postoffice 266

Berlin 221

Betty Frazier, Story of 599

Block-house, Old, Location of 136

Boundary Lines of State, Changes

in 47

Bridges 275

Brownsville Township 158

Bunker Hill 407, 619

Canal, White Water 276, 527

Capitals of Territory and State 59

Care for the Poor 175

Catastrophes, A Trio of 615

Catholic Churches 448

Cattle 288

Census of Northwest Territory. 1800 45

Centennial Celebration 628

Centennial Memorial Hospital 177

Christian Churches 421

Church of Christ, Scientist 446

Churches of Fayette County 398

Circuit Court 327

Circuit Judges 331

Civil War 301

Clark. Gen. George Rogers 37

Claypool, Benjamin F 210, 324

Claypool, Newton 161, 199, 210, f 7t

211, 519, 523

Clerks of the Court 186, 198

Clubs 504

Colored Baptists 447

Columbia 218, 404

HISTORICAL INDEX.

Columbia Township —

Boundaries 214

Chuches 432, 440

Creation of 158

Distilleries -- 217

Enumeration 355

Land Entries 214

Mills 217, 221

Officials, First 158

Physicians, Early 338

Population 183

Residence, An Old 216

Schools 217, 365

Settlement - 216

Soil 71, 75

Streams 70

Teachers 368

Commissioners, County 158, 205

Congressional Delegates, Territor-
ial 52

Congressmen 212

Conner, John . 76, 86, 104, 107, 115,

118, 124, 127, 129, 143, 161, 186,

203, 224, 240, 548, 580, 605 609

Conner, Reuben 325

Conner's Post 115, 117, 118, 124,

125, 130, 139, 141, 519
Connersville —

Additions 518

Altitude 114

Ansted Industries - 557, 581

Automobile Industry 558

Board of Education 382

Boys' Band 577

Buggy Industry 555

Business Interests, 1821 520

Business Interests, 1830 521

Business Interests, 1858 527

Business Interests, 1917 560

Business Men's Exchange 580

Banks 344

Canal 527

Cemeteries 543

Churches 399, 413, 422, 433,

435, 443, 445, 450, 568

City, Made a 531

Clubs 504

Commercial Club 574

Electric Plant 540

Enumeration 355

Connersville, Con. —

Favorite Meeting Place for In-
dians 115

Fifth Street Bridge, Strife 626

Fire Department 533

Furniture Industry 553

Gas Plant 539

Hawkins Playground 378

High School Graduates 374

In 1833 525

In 1861 528

Industries, Early 128, 549

Industries, Present 544

Landmarks, Old 580

Library, First 522

Library History 570

Lighting Service 538

Location 517

Lodges 482, 499

Made County Seat 161

Military Station 138

Mills 549

Newspapers 465, 521

Notable Men 523

Officials, City 532

Original Plat 126

Paving 541

Physicians 336

Plat, Original 517

Police Department 542

Population 183, 184

Population, 1867 531

Postoffice 569

Public Utilities 533

Railroads 280

Roots Interests 566. 575, 581

School Buildings 375

Schools 371, 568

Sewerage System 541

Situation 571

Store, the First 519

Streets, Renaming 531

Superintendents, School 380

Tavern Licenses 520, 521

Teachers z. 383

Telephone 543

Town Hall 532

War Times 301

Water Power 279

Waterworks : 536

Woolen Mills 552

HISTORICAL INDEX.

ConiuTsvillc Township— "

Area ---

Boundaries —

Churches 410. 4J1

Creation of 158

Enumeration -553, J-iS

Industries, Early --8

Land Entries ^2-

Lime 71

Mills -^^8

Officials, First 158

Population 183

Schools ^27. 355

Settlement 223, 325

Soil 75

Streams 09, 70

Teachers 368

Constitutional Convention \'ote — 623
Constitution of Indiana. Changes in 56

Conwell, Abram B. 593

Corn Fair 626

Coroners 186, 204

Counties, Organization of 54

Counties, Territorial 43

County Finances, 1820 162

County Finances, 1916 164

County Government 158

County Medical Society 339

County Officials 186

County Organization 155

County School Superintendents 354

County Seat Located 161

County Seminary 368

Court History 326

Court House History 168

Daughters of Isabelle 502

Daughters of Rebekah 491

Daughters of the American Revo-
lution 319

Deed, First Recorded 168

Deed Recorded, First 625

Disciples Churches 421

Division of 1800, Territorial 44

Doctors 334

Donation Fund 161

Drafts During Civil War 313

Drift Formations 70

liagles, Fraternal Order of 494

I'.ast ConnersviUe —

Churches 403

Enumeration 355

Industries 229

Location 229

I'opulation 184

Schools 358

Teachers 368

Eastern Star, Order of the 488

Editors of Other Days 474

Educational History 351

Educational System of State 66

Electric Lines 282

Elephant Hill, Origin of Name 134

Elks, Order of 495

Elmhurst School for Girls 384

Enlistments from Fayette County 304

Enumeration Statistics 355

Episcopal Church 445

Evangelical Lutheran Cliurcli — '.-- 440
Everton —

Business Interests 249

Churches 400. 409, 442

Incorporation " 248

Location 248

Lodges 492

Merchants. First 248

Name, Changes in 248

Physicians, Early 338

Population 183

Postoffice 249

Fairview 2ii. 489, 497

Fairview Township —

Boundaries 229

Creation of 229

Enumeration 355

Industries, Early 2j2

Land Entries 229

Population 183

Schools Zil. 364

Settlement 231

Soil 75

Teachers 368

Fallen Timbers, Battle of 34, 41

Falmouth 2iX 234, 40^), 497

HISTORICAL INDEX.

Farm Prices, Early 285

Farming Conditions, Early 284

Fayette County Created 155

Fayette County, First Limits of 156

Fayette County Seminary 368

Fayette Sanitarium Association 179

Fifth Street Bridge, Strife Over— 626

Finances, Early County 159

First Surveys of State 39

Fraternal Order of Eagles 494

Fraternal Orders 482

Free Public Schools 353

Freemasonry 482

French and Indian War 35

French Settlements in the West-— 34
French Traders 122

Geology of Fayette County 69

German Baptists 418

German Family, the First 624

German Presbyterians 437

Glenwood 184, 260, 261, 400, 443

Glimpses of Fayette County 597

Governors of Indiana 63

Grand Army of the Republic 320

Hackleman, Mrs. Nancy H 617

Harrison Township —

Boundaries 234

Clubs 516

Creation of 158

Enumeration 355

Industries, Early 237

Land Entries 234

Mills 237

Officials, First 158

Population 183

Schools 239, 366

Settlement 236

Soil 75

Stone Quarries 70

Teachers 368

Harrisburg 240, 338, 429, 433

Harrison, William Henry 80, 82, 87

Hawkins 240

Hawkins Playground 378

Haymakers Association 498

Heinemann's Researches Id

History of Indiana li

Home for Dependent Children 177

Horseless Vehicle, First 625

Hospitals 177

Improved Order of Red Men 496

Independence Day, 1831 612

Independent Order of Odd Fellows- 490

Industries, Early 612

Indian Affairs, A Crisis in 131, 137

Indian Camp, Old 135

Indian Farming Efforts 119

Indian Lands 56

Indian Struggles, 1787-1803 | 41

Indian Trail Down the White Water

Valley 104, 106, 132, 135, 140, 273

Indian Treaties 78

Indian Tribes 80

Indiana, History of 33

Indiana in 1800 (map) 44

Indiana in 1801 (map) 48

Indiana in 1805 (map) 50

Indiana in 1809 (map) 53

Indiana in 1815 (map) 57

Indiana in 1818 (map) 55

Indiana's Natural Resources 66

Indians Resist White Encroachment, 33
Infirmary Farm 176

Jackson Township —

Boundaries 242

Churches 407, 411. 439. 442, 444

Creation of 158

Enumeration 355

Industries, Early 246

Land Entries 243

Mills 246

Population 183

Schools 247, 361

Settlement 244

Soil 71, 75

Streams 70

Teachers 368

Jail History . 172

Jennings Township —

Boundaries 250

Enumeration 355

HISTORICAL INDEX.

Jennings Township, Con.— ^

Industries, Early 253

Land Entries 250

Mills 253

Name 249

Officials. First 158

Population 183

Schools 253, 359

Settlement 251

Soil 75

Streams 69

Teachers 368

Journal of Proceedings of the

Treaty of Ft. Wayne. 1809 87

Justices of the Peace 186

Knights of Columbus 502

Knights of Pythias 492

Knights Templar 487

Landmarks. Ancient 121

Lawyers of the County 323

Lincoln, President, Assassination of. 316

Literary Clubs 504

Litterateurs of the County 386

Lodges 482

Longwood 228, 229. 443

Loyal Order of Moose 494

Lutheran Churches 449

Lyonsville - 255. 419. 440

McCarty, Jonathan 161, 187. 189,

198, 200, 212, 523, 588

McCormick, John 602

Mcintosh, James C. 591

Map of Fayette County, First 626

Margaret Thiebaud Scholarship 379

Marriage License, the First 168, 625

Masonic Order 482

Medical History 334

Medical Society 339

Meeker, Minor 590

Memorial Hospital 177

Men of a Past Generation 583

Methodist Episcopal Churches 399

Mexican War 300

Michener, Louis T. 596

Military History of County 298

Military History of State 00

Military Notes 317

Military Organizations 318

Modern Woodmen of America 501

Moose, Loyal Order of 494

Morgan's Raid 61, 311

Musical Clubs 504

Musical Congress 626

Muster Day 299

Mystic Shrine 489

Natural Drainage 69

Naturalization Records 184

Naval Notes 317

Newspaper History 465

Northwest Territory, First White

Men in 33

Northwest Territory Organized 42

NuUtowii 220

Odd Fellows, Independent Order of 400

Official Roster of County 186

Orange 260, 400, 406, 429, 433, 497

Orange Township —

Boundaries 256

Churches 410, 431, 436, 440

Enumeration 355

Industries, Early 259

Land Entries 256

Name 256

Orchards 260

Physicians, Early 338

Population 183

Schools 259, 360

Settlement 258

Soil 75

Streams 70

Teachers 368

Order of the Eastern Star 488

Ordinance of 1787 39

HISTORICAL INDEX.

Parker, Samuel W. 587

Patriotic Order of the Sons of

America 503

Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene 447

Physicians --- 334

Pioneer, Our Original 86

Pioneer Days 606

Pioneer Farm Implements 286

Pocahontas, Degree of 498

Poetry by Fayette County Writers- 390

Poets of Fayette County 388

Political History of State 62

Pontiac's Conspiracy 36

Population of County 182

Population of the State 65

Posey Township-
Boundaries 261

Churches 410

Enumeration 355

First Events 265

Land Entries 262

Name 261

Poll-book of 1826 264

Population 183

Schools 265, 363

Settlement 263

Soil 65

Streams - 69

Presbyterian Churches 434

Press of Fayette County 465

Primitive Baptist Church 420

Probate Judges 328

Prosecuting Attorneys 332

Pythian Sisters 493

Quebec Act 36

R
Railroads 280

Rea. Col. James C. 592

Rebekah, Daughters of 491

Recorders 186, 200

Red Men, Improved Order of 496

Redtown 241

Redville 241

Related State History 33

Relics of Fayette County 615

Religious Life 398

Reminiscences 604

Representative Government 42

Representatives 209

Revolutionary Period 36

Rival Claims to Northwest 34

Road. First Attempt to Make 119

Roads, The First 273

Roberts Park 627

Roots, Francis M. 594

Roots Interests 566, 581

Royal and Select Masters 486

Royal Arch Masons 485

Royal Neighbors 501

Rural Free Delivery. Origin of 620

St. Clair. Gen. Arthur 41. 42, 45

Sains Creek 433

Sanitarium Association 179

Savings and Loan Associations 349

Saw-mill, Conner's 127

School Enumeration 355

School HousCj An Early 352

School Superintendents, County 354

Schools 351

Scottish Rite 489

Secret Societies 482

Seminary, County 368

Senators, State 209

Settlements in Indiana Territory,

1800 46

Seventh-Day Adventists 443

Sheriff's Residence 173

Sheriffs 186, 203

Shipley, Lieut. Samuel J. 595

Singing School, an Old 610

Slavery, Efforts to Establish, in

Indiana 52

Smith, Caleb B. 212, 323, 482,"

484, 523, S2S, 585
Smith, Oliver H. .109. 110, 144, 148,
212, 284, 323, 332,
336, 386, 482, 519,

523, 526, 584, 597

Social Clubs 504

Soils 71

Soldiers from Fayette County 304

Sons of Veterans 321

Spanish-American War 62. 316

HISTORICAL INDEX.

Springersville - — 272. 431, 433

State Roads lli

Streams 69

Stumptown 241

Surplus Revenue Fund, Loaning of_- 021
Surveyors. County 201

Tavern Rates, Early 159

Tax Assessment, 1831 163

Tax Assessment. 1861 164

Tax Assessments, Early 160

Territorial General Assemblies 51

Territorial Government 47. 49

Territorial Legislature. First 43

Toll Roads 274

Township History 214

Townships, First 158

Transportation 273

Treasurers, County 199

Treaties with the Indians 78

Twelve Mile Purchase 11, 87

Union Evangelical Church 441

United Brethren Church 439

Universalist Church 442

\'incennes. Capture of Zl

Vincennes, Oldest Settlement in
Indiana 38

War Relief and Bounties 314

Water Tower from Canal 279

Waterloo 270. 338, 439

Waterloo Township —

Boundaries 2(iO

Churches 405

Creation of 266

Enumeration 355

Land Entries 267

Population 183

Schools 269, 358

Settlement 268

Soil 75

Streams 70

Teachers 368

Voters in 1825 269

Wawassa Paper-mill 613

White Water Canal 276. 527

White W'ater Country. Topography

of 114

White Water River 69

Wliite Water Valley. Natural Ad-
vantages of 108

Wick. William Watson 588

Will Recorded, First 168. 625

Writers of Fayette County 388

Z
Zeisberger, David, Diary of 149

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX

Adams, Alanson 940

Ansted, Edward W. 672

Ansted, Frank B. 715

Archey, Charles M. 1051

Baker, David 995

Barker, Virgil J. 738

Barrows, Alvin E. 1056

Barrows, Frederic I. 1096

Basse, William C. 865

Beaver, Hugh E. 1090

Beaver, John M. 1087

Beaver, Raymond S. ^^2,

Beckett, Azariah T. 948

Beeson, Charles 968

Bell, Andrew M. 917

Bilby, Morton L. Hi

Bilby, Palmer T. 951

Blevins, John T. 796

Booher, Irvin E., M. D. 848

Bowen, Gus 842

Bowen, Ralph W, 844

Bower, L. T. 728

Brown, William 853

Brown, William C. 846

Buckley, Michael C. 683

Burger, John J. 835

Byrne, John L. 1011

Cain, William J. 687

Caldwell, Cleve T. 1068

Caldwell, Daniel W. 1089

Caldwell, Scott E. 1060

Carr, Clarence G. 991

Carson, William A. 863

Chrisman, Albert L. 755

Chrisman, Jesse S. 726

Clark, John S. 905

Claypool, Austin B. 1033

Claypool, Jefferson H. 644

Clifton, James A. 663

Cokefair, Lafe 1078

Cole, Benjamin W. 692

Cole, Joseph J. 920

Collyer, Alfred 791

Collyer, Fred P. 823

Connor, John, Descendants of 1002

Cook, James F. 874

Cooper, B. W., M. D. 1145

Cressler, Miss Isabel B. 694

Culbertson, John M. 896

Cummins, Frank 994

Cummins, Millard F. 840

Cummins, Murl D. 1010

Cummins, Noah . 793

DeVaney, William H. 856

Doenges, Fred 81S

Doenges, John L, 1148

Doenges, Henry P. 1137

Doenges, Simon 701

Doniker, Omer 1128

Downs. Capt. Thomas 688

Earl, Morell J. 1038

Eddy, Burl 1134

Edwards, Clarence E. 953

Elliott, Hon. Richard N. 652

Enos, Edward A. 923

Erb, Maynard M. 907

Fearis, J. H. 681

Fiant, Oliver T. 1025

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

Fisher, Fred W. 1127

Fisher, James T. 900

Fitzgerald, Thomas 786

Fletcher, A. J., M. D. 671

Florea, Joseph D. 1064

Fries, George M. 836

Frost, Hyatt L. 679

Gerber, Sam 1022

Goble, Albert E. 967

Goble, George W. 676

Green, George 895

Green, Levi N. 1012

Greenwood, Robert J. 864

Gregg, Vincent H., M. D. 696

Hackleman, Frank D. 650

Hackleman, John W. 788

Hadley, Willard 1029

Hahn, Erwin H. 767

Halladay, Warden 764

Hamilton, James M. 1150

Hanson, Frank M. 886

Harlan, James M. 909

Harry, William T. 925

Hawkins, Edward P. 1104

Hawkins, Edward V. 912

Heinemann, George 784

Helvie, A. P., D. V. S. 1144

Hendrickson, William 698

Henry, Jesse O. 1116

Heron, James 636

Heron, James M. 753

Higgs, John M. 664

Plimelick, E. Ralph 720

Hinchman, Marshal!, Jr. 782

Hinchman, Ulysses G. 928

Holland, James F. 1039

Holter, Josephus W. 935

Hull, Charles C. 832

Hussey, Elwood 1092

Huston, Emery 1120

Huston, James 723

Huston, Joseph E. 1112

Johnson. J. H., M. D. 700

Johnston, Edgar D. 942

Johnston. G. Edwin 667

Jones, William T. 1042

Kennedy, Jasper L. 743

Kensler, Preston H. 760

King, William H. 757

Kline, Leonidas A. 1020

Lake, Ellis R. 960

Lake, Franklin Z. 955

Lake, George W. 982

Lake, Willis R. 1114

Leffingwell, Minor E. 741

Leonard, George C. 776

Lewis, Hayden 975

Little, Melancthon R. 849

Little, Thomas M. 800

Lockhart, John 707

Loudenback, William H. 876

Ludlow, Henry L. 867

Ludlow, James 1016

Ludlow, John 888

Lyons, Abram 1118

McBurney, Thomas C. 933

McConnell, William H. 871

McFarlan, Charles E. J. 712

McFarlan, John B. 1008

McFarlan, John B., Jr. 706

Mcintosh, James M. 963

McKee, David W. 669

McKennan, Roy C. 735

McKennan, Samuel O. 748

McMullen, Richard A. S. 1142

Manlove, George E. 816

Martin, Charles W. 898

Mason, Charles W. 989

Mason, Hon. James K. 985

Massey, J. O. 763

Maurer, Ernest A. 1075

Maurer, Henry 1063

Maze, William 1024

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

McnMuir. Cliarles =. 756

Merrilield, Samuel S. 734

Mesker, Rev. Theodore S. 673

Messersinith, George D. 1138

Michener. Edgar M. 6ol

Moffett. Joseph E. 829

Mofifett, Miles K. 745

Moffett, Otho O. 1046

MofTett, Samuel C. 1044

Moncyhon, Charles 750

Montgomery, Franklin V. 877

Moore. Joseph A. 1140

Moore. Lafayette 984

Mount. James 659

Mountain, Joseph R.. M. D. 736

Moyer, William H. 739

Munger. Warren H. 997

Murphy, Elmer E. 826

Murray, Warren B. 1081

Myers, Oliver P. 1105

Naylor. John C. 811

Neal, Frederick C. 747

Xewkirk, William 731

Nevvland. Charlie 806

O
Oldham. George E. 892

Osborne, H. S., M. D. 828

Perkins, Fred B. 1097

Peters, John J. 759

Phillips, William R.. M. D. 809

Porter, Clarence E. 766

Porter, William R. 819

Post, Samuel M. 891

Powell, Gabriel G. 1131

Powell, John G. 7iO

Prifogle. George W. 838

Pyke, Howell G. 1052

Rees, Hiram E. 710

Reichle, John W. 719

Rich. A. E. 831

Ri,ggs. James S. 880

Rickert. Edward L. 381

Robinson. Willard 1123

Roots. Daniel T. 640

Roots, Francis M. 033

Ross, Major John W. 649

Rowe, Richard H. 1110

S
Saxon, Walter S. 869

Schoenholtz, Frederick 685

Schoenholtz, Adam 7ii

Scott, James W. 957

Scott, John M. 976

Scott, William W. 944

Sherry, William H. 768

Shipley, Hiram 1054

Shipley, Lieut. Samuel J. 656

Shortridge. Sanford 1047

Silvcy. Henry T. 717

Simpkins, Al>salom 1032

Sipe, Richard W., M. D. 813

Smelser, H. W., M. D. 752

Smith, B. R., M. D. 695

Smith. Carl C. 1109

Smith, Harry H. 821

Springer, Hon. Raymond S. 879

Stevens, Elmer E. 858

Stoll, John 722

Stone, Edwin M. 1099

Strong, John A. 1018

Sumner. Miss Caroline L. 792

Sutcliffe. Joseph M, 1014

Sweetland. Dr. A. T., D. C. 703

Tate, Curtis L. 1158

Tate, James H. (First) 1146

Tate, James H. (Second) 1157

Tate, William H. 1091

Tatman. Edwin W. 480

Thiebaud, B. F. 824

Thomas. Scott 655

Thompson, William H. H02

Thrasher. John P. 778

Tingley. Lincoln K. 725

Trusler, Prof. Claude L. 704

Trusler. D. E. 481

Trusler, Edmund B. 903

Trusler, Hon. Milton (i41

Trusler. Milton H. 647

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.

Wainwright, William W. 938

Weaver, Harry E. 979

Weaver, Philip F. 971

Wetherald, Edgar K. 770

White, John M. 803

White, John T. 884

Whiteis, J. N., D. O. --. 751

Wiles, Joseph B. 798

Williams, Charles R. 1152

Williams, George M. 1085

Williams, John J. 914

Williams, John N. 918

Wise, David L. 1067

Worsham, Franklin M. 1121

Worster, Thomas W. 1072

Y
Young, Amon 851

Z
Zell, Glen 686

HISTORICAL

CHAPTER I.
A Short History of Indiana.

The first white men to set foot upon the Northwest Territory were
French traders and missionaries under the leadership of La Salle. This was
about the year 1670 and subsequent discoveries and explorations in this
region by the French gave that nation practically undisputed possession of
all the territory organized in 1787 as the Northwest Territory. It is true
that the English colonies of Virginia, Connecticut and Massachusetts claimed
that their charters extended their grants westward to the Mississippi river.
However, France claimed this territory and successfully maintained posses-
sion of it until the close of the French and Indian War in 1763. At that
time the treaty of Paris transferred all of the French claims east of the
Mississippi river to England, as well as all claims of France to territory on
the mainland of North America. For the next twenty years the Northwest
Territory was under the undisputed control of England, but became a part
of the United States by the treaty which terminated the Revolutionary War
in 1783. Thus the flags of three nations have floated over the territory now
comprehended within the present state of Indiana — the tri-color of France,
the union jack of England and tlie stars and stripes of the Ehiited States.

History will record the fact that there was another nation, however,
which claimed jwssession of this territory and, while the Indians can hardly
be called a nation, yet they made a gallant fight to retain their hunting
grounds. The real owners of this territory struggled against heavy o'dds
to maintain their supremacy and it was not until the battle of Tippecanoe, in
the fall of 181 1, that the Indians gave up the unequal struggle. Tecumseh,
the Washington of his race, fought fiercely to .save this territoiy for his
people, but the white man finally overwhelmed him, and "Lo, the poor Indian"
was pushed westward across the Mississippi. Tlie liistory of the Northwest
Territorv is full of the bitter fights which tlie Indians waged in tning to drive
^3)

34 FAYKTTK COUNTY, INDIANA.

the white man out and the defeat which tlie Indians inflicted on General
St. Clair on November 4, 1792, will go down in the annals of American
history as the worst defeat which an American army ever suffered at the
hands of the Indians. The greatest battle which has ever been fought in the
United States against the Indians occurred in the state of Ohio. This was
the battle of Fallen Timbers and occurred August 20, 1794, the scene of
the battle being within the present county of Defiance. After the close
of the Revolutionarv War the Indians, urged on by the British, caused the
settlers in the Northwest Territory continual trouble and defeated every de-
tachment sent against them previous to their defeat by Gen. Anthony Wayne
at the battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Although there was some trouble
with the Indians after this time, they did not offer serious resistance after
this memorable defeat until the fall of 181 1. when Gen. William Henry Har-
rison completely routed them at the battle of Tippecanoe.

TERRITORY NORTHWEST OF THE OHIO (167O-I754).

Ohio was the first state created out of the old Northwest Territory,
although Indiana had been previously organized as a territory. When the
land comprehended within the Northwest Territory was discovered by the
French under La Salle about 1670, it was a battle ground of various Indian
tribes, although the Fries, who were located along the shores of Lake Erie,
were the only ones with a more or less definite territory. From 1670 to
1763, the close of the French and Indian War, the French were in possession
of this territory and established their claims in a positive manner by exten-
sive exploration and scattered settlements. The chief centers of French
settlement were at Detroit, Vincennes, Kaskaskia, Cahokia, Fort Crevecour
and at several missionary stations around the shores of the great lakes. The
French did not succeed in establishing themselves without incurring. the hos-
tility of the Iroquois Indians, a bitter enmity which was brought about chiefly
because the French helped the Shawnees. Wyandots and Miamis to drive the
Iroquois out of the territory west of the Muskingum river in Ohio.

It must not be forgotten that the English also laid claim to the North-
west Territory, basing their claim on the discoveries of the Cabots and the
subsequent charters of Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut. These
charters extended the limits of these three colonies westAvard to the Pacific
ocean, although, as a matter of fact, none of the tliree colonies made a settle-
ment west of the Alleghanies until after the Revolutionary War. New York
sought to strengthen her claim to territory west of the Alleghanies in 1701

FAYETTE COUN'TY, INDIANA.

by getting from the Iroquois, the bitter enemies of the French, a grant to the
territory from which the French and their Indian allies had previously ex-
pelled them. Although this grant was renewed in 1726 and again confirmed
in 1744, it gave New York only a nominal claim and one which was never
recognized by the French in any way.

English traders from Pennsylvania and Virginia began in 1730 to pay
more attention to the claims of their country west of the Alleghanies and
north of the Ohio river. When their activities reached the ears of the FVench
the governor of French Canada sent Celeron de Bienville up and down the
Ohio and the rivers and streams running into it from the north and took
formal possession of the territory by planting lead plates at the mouth of
every river and stream of any importance. This peculiar method of the
French in seeking to establish their claims occurred in the year 1749 and
opened the eyes of England to the necessity of taking some immediate action.
George II, the king of England at the time, at once granted a charter to the
first Ohio Company ( there were two others by the same name later organ-
ized), composed of London merchants and enterprising Virginians, and the
company at once proceeded to formulate plans to secure possession of the ter-
ritory north of the Ohio and west of the Mississippi. Christopher Gist was
sent down the Ohio river in 1750 to explore the country as far west as the
mouth of the Scioto river, and made several treaties with the Indians. Things
were now rapidly approaching a crisis and it was soon evident that there
would be a struggle of arms between England and France for the disputed
region. In 1754 the English started to build a fort at the confluence of the
Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, on the site of the present city of Pitts-
hurgii, but before the fort was completed the French a])iieared on the scene,
drove the English away and finished the fort which had been begun.

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR ( I 754-63 j . "jLJLSSi » •

The crisis had finally come. The struggle which followed between the
two nations ultimately resulted in the expulsion of the French from the
mainland of America as well as from the immediate territory in dispute.
The war is known in America as the French and Indian War and in the
history of the world as the Seven Years' War, the latter designation being
due to the fact that it lasted that length of time. The struggle developed
into a world-wide conflict and the two nations fought over three continents,
America, Europe and Asia. It is not within the province of this resume of
the history of Indiana to go into the details of this memorable struggle. It is

36 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

sufficient for the purpose at hand to state that the treaty of Paris, which
terminated the war in 1763, left France without any of her former posses-
sions on the mainland of America.

PONTIAC'S CONSPIRACY ( 1 763-64).

With the English in control of America east of the Mississippi river and
the French regime forever ended, the Indians next command the attention
of the historian who deals with the Northwest Territory. The French were
undoubtedly responsible for stirring up their former Indian allies and
Pontiac's conspiracy must be credited to the influence of that nation. This
formidable uprising was successfully overthrown by Henry Bouquet, who
led an expedition in 1764 into the present state of Ohio and compelled the
Wyandots, Delawares and Shawnees to sue for peace.

NORTHWEST TERRITORY AND QUEBEC ACT.

From 1764 to 1774, no events of particular importance occurred within
the territory north of the Ohio river, but in the latter year (June 22, 1774),
■ England, then at the breakihg point with the colonies, passed the Quebec
act, which attached this territory to the province of Quebec for administrative
purposes. This intensified the feeling of resentment which the colonies
bore against their mother country and is given specific mention in their list
of grievances which they enumerated in their Declaration of Independence.
The Revolutionary War came on at once and this act, of course, was never
put into execution.

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD ( I 775-83 ) .

During the War for Independence (1775- 1783), the various states with
claims to western lands agreed with the Continental Congress to surrender
their claims to the national government. In fact, the Articles of Confedera-
tion were not signed until all of the states had agreed to do this and Mary-
land withheld her assent to the articles until March i, 1780, on this account.
In accordance with this agreement New York ceded her claim to the United
States in 1780, Virginia in 1784, Massachusetts in 1785 and Connecticut in
1786, although the latter state excepted a one-hundred-and-twenty-mile strip
of three million five hundred thousand acres bordering on Lake Erie. This
strip was formally relinquished in 1800, with the imderstanding that the

FAYETTU- COUNTY. INDIANA. 37

United States would guarantee the titles already issued by that state. Vir-
ginia was also allowed a reservation, known as the Virginia Military Di;*-
trict, w^hich lay between the Little Miami and Scioto rivers, the same being
for distribution among her Revolutionary veterans. There is one other fact
which should be mentioned in connection with the territory north of the
Ohio in the Revolutionary period. This was the memorable conquest of the
territory by Gen. George Rogers Clark. During the years 1778 and 1779,
this redoubtable leader captured Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes and
thereby drove the English out of the Northwest Territory. It is probable
that this notable campaign secured this territory for the Americans and that
we would not have had it included in our possessions in the treaty which
closed the Revolutionary War if it had not been for its conquest byClark.

CAPTURE OF VINCENNES.

One of the most interesting pages of Indiana history is concerned with
the capture of Vincennes by Gen. George Rogers Clark in the spring of 1779.
The expedition of this intrepid leader with its successful results marked him
as a man of more than usual ability. Prompted by a desire to secure the
territory northwest of the Ohio river for the Americans, he sought and
obtained permission from the governor of X'irginia the right to raise a lx)dy
of troops for this purpose. Early in the spring of 1778 Clark l)egan collecting
his men for the proposed expedition. Within a short time he collected alxiut .
one hundred and fifty men at Fort Pitt and floated down the Ohio to the
falls near Jeffersonville. He picked up a few recruits at this place and in
June floated on down the river to the mouth of the Tennessee river. His
original intention was to make a descent on Vincennes first, but, having
received erroneous reports as to the strength of the garrison located there, he
decided to commence active operations at Kaskaskia. After landing his
troops near the mouth of the Tennessee in the latter part of June, 1778, he
marched them across southern Illinois to Kaskaskia, arriving there on the
evening of July 4. The inha1)itants were terror stricken at first, but upon
being assured by General Clark that they were in no danger -and that all he
wanted was their support of the American cause, their fears were soon
(|uieted. Being so far from the scene of the war, the French along the
Mississippi knew little or nothing about its progress. One of the most
important factors in establishing a friendly relation between the Americans
and the French inhabitants was the heartv willingness of Father Gibault,

30 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the Catholic priest stationed at Kaskaskia, in making his people see that their
best interests would be served by aligning themselves with the Americans.
Father Gibault not only was of invaluable assistance to General Clark at
Kaskaskia, but he also offered to make the overland trip to Vincennes and
win over the French in that place to the American side. This he successfully
did and returned to Kaskaskia in August with the welcome news that the
inhabitants of Vincennes were willing to give their allegiance to the Americans.
However, before Clark got his troops together for the trip to Vincennes,
General Hamilton, the lieutenant-go\ernor of Detroit, descended the Wabash
and captured Vincennes (December 15, 1778). At that time Clark had only
two men stationed there, Leonard Helm, who was in command of the fort,
and a private by the name of Henry. As soon as Clark heard that the British
had captured Vincennes, he began to make plans for retaking it. The terms
of enlistment of many of his men had expired and he had difficulty in getting
enough of them to re-enlist to make a body large enough to make a successful
attack. A number of young Frenchmen joined his command and finally, in
January, 1779, Clark set out from Kaskaskia for Vincennes with one hundred
and seventy men. This trip of one hundred and sixty miles was made at a
time when traveling overland was at its worst. The prairies were wet, the
streams were swollen and the rivers overflowing their banks. Notwithstand-
ing the difficulties which confronted him and his men, Clark advanced as
rapidly as ix)ssible and by February 2;^, 1779, he was in front of Vincennes.
Two days later, after considerable parleying and after the fort had suffered
from a murderous fire from the Americans, General Hamilton agreed to sur-
render. This marked the end of British dominion in Indiana and since that
<iay the territory now comprehended in the state has been American soil.

VINCENNES, THE OLDEST SETTLEMENT OF INDIANA.

Historians have never agreed as to the date of the founding of Vin-
cennes. The local historians of that city have always claimed that the settle-
ment of the town dates from 1702, although those who have examined
all the facts and documents have come to the conclusion that 1732 comes
nearer to being the correct date. It was in the latter year that George Wash-
ington was born, a fact which impresses upon the reader something of the age
of the city. Vincennes was an old town and had seen several generations
pass away when the Declaration . of Independence was signed. It was in
Vincennes and vicinity that the best blood of the Northwest Territory was
found at the time of the Revolutionary War. It was made the seat of justice

F-iYETTK COLINTY, INDIANA. 39

of Knox county when it was organized in 1790 and consequently it is l)y
many years the oldest county seat in the state. It became the first capital of
huliana Territory in 1800 and saw it removed to Corydon in 1813 for the
reason, so the Legislature said, that it was too near the outskirts of civiliza-
tion. In this oldest city of the Mississippi valley still stands the house into
wliich Go\-ernor Harrison moved in 1804. and the house in wliicli the Terri-
torial Legislature held its sessions in 1805 is still in an excellent state of
preservation.

Today Vincennes is a thriving city of fifteen thousand, with paved
streets, street cars, fine public buildings and public utility plants equal to any
in the state. It is the seat of a university which dates back more than a
century.

FIRST SURVEYS AND EARLY SETTLERS.

The next period in the history of the territory north of the Ohio begins
with the passage of a congressional act (May 20, 1785), which provided for
the present system of land surveys into townships six miles square. As soon
as this was put into operation, settlers — and mostly Revolutionary soldiers —
began to pour into the newly surveyed territory. A second Ohio Company
was organized in the spring of 1786, made up chiefly of Revolutionary
officers and soldiers from New England, and this company proposed to estab-
lish a colony somewhere between Lake Erie and the Ohio river. At this junc-
ture Congress realized that definite steps sh<iuld be made at once for some
kind of government over this extensive territory, a territory which now in-
cludes the present states of Ohio, Indiana. Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and
about a third of Minnesota, ^^arious plans were proposed in Congress and
most of the sessions of 1786 and the first half of 1787 were consumed in
trying to formulate a suitable form of government for the extensive terri-
tory. The result of all these deliberations resulted in the famous Ordinance
of 1787, which was finally passed on July 13, 1787.

ORDINANCE OF 1 787.

There have been many volumes written about this instrument of gov-
erninent and to this day there is a difference of opinion as to who was its
author. The present article can do no more than merely sketch its outline
and set forth the main provisions. It was intended to provide only a tem-
porarv government and to serve until such a time as the population of the
territorx- woukl warrant the creation oi states with the same rights and

40 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

privileges which the thirteen original states enjoyed. It stipulated that not
less than three nor more than five states sliould ever be created out of the
whole territory. The maximum numljer was finally organized, although it
was not until 1848 that the last state, Wisconsin, was admitted to the Union.
The third article. "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good
government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of educa-
tion shall forever be encouraged," has given these five states the basis for
their excellent system of public schools, state normals, colleges and uni-
versities. Probably the most widely discussed article was the sixth, which pro-
vided that slavery and involuntary servitude should never be pennitted within
the territory and by the use of the word "forever" made the territory free
for all time. It is interesting to note in this connection that both Indiana
and Illinois before their admission to the Union sought to have this pro-
vision set aside, but every petition from the two states was refused by Con-
gress in accordance with the provision of the Ordinance.

FIRST STAGE OF GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ORDIN.\NCE.

The Ordinance contemplated two grades of territorial go\'ernment.
During the operation of the first grade of government the governor, his secre-
tary and the three judges provided by the Ordinance were to be appointed by
Congress and the governor in turn was to appoint "such magistrates and
other civil officers in each county and township as he shall deem necessary
for the preservation of the peace and good will of the same." After the
federal government was organized in 17S9, a statutory provision took the
appointment of these officers out of the hands of Congress and placed it in
the hands of the President of the Ignited States. All executive authority
was given to the governor, all judicial authority to the three judges, while
the go^•ernor and judges, in joint session, constituted the legislative body.
This means that during the first stage of territorial government the people
had absolutely no voice in the affairs of government and this state of affairs
lasted imtil 1799. a period of twelve years.

SECOND STAGE OF GOVERNMENT UNDER' THE ORDINANCE.

The second stage of government in the territory was to begin whenever
the governor was satisfied that it contained at least five thousand free male
inhabitants of the age of twenty-one years and above. The main difference
between the first and second stages of territorial government lay in the fact

FAvrrTi-: cm:

that tlie legislative functions were taken from the ,i,'o\ernor and juiliijes and
given to a "general assemhly or legislature." The Ordinance provided for
the election of one representative for each five hundred free male inhabitants.
the tenure of the office to be two years. While the members of the lower
house were to be elected by the i|ualilied voters of the territorv. the ni)])er
house, to consist of li\e members, was lo be a])pointed by Congress in a
somewhat complicated manner. The house of representatives was lo select
ten men and these ten names were to be sent to Congress and out of this
number five w'ere to be selected by Congress. Hiis provision, like the ap-
pointment of the governor, was later changed so as to make the upper house
the appointees of the President of the I'nited States. The five men so selected
were called councilors and held office for five years.

iNi)[.\x .sTRiTcr.i.KS (17S7-1803).

The period from 1787 to 1803 in the Northwest Territory was marked
by several bitter conflicts with the Indians. Just as at the close of the French
and Indian War had the PVcnch stirred up the Indians against the Americans,
so at the close of the Revolutionary War did the English do the same. In
fact the ^^'ar of 1812 was undoubtedly hastened by the depredations of the
Indians, who were urged to malce forax's upon the frontier settlements in the
Northwest Territor\- by the P>ritish. The various uiirisings of the Indians
during this critical ])eriod greatly retarded the inllux of settlers in the new-
territory, and were a constant menace to those hardy pioneers who difl ven-
ture to establish homes north of the Ohio river. Three distinct campaigns
were waged against the savages before they were finally subdued. The first
campaign was under the command of Gen. Josiah Harmar (1790) and re-
sulted in a decisive defeat for the whites. The second expedition was under
the leadership of Gen. Arthur St. I'lair ( 171)1 ), the governor of the Territory,
and was marked by one of the worst defeats e\er suffered by an .\merican
army at the hands of the Indians. A lack of knowledge of Indian methods
of warefare. combined with reckless mismanagement, sufficiently accounts for
both disasters. It remained for (len. Anthony Wayne, the "Mad Anthony"
of Revolutionary fame, to bring the Indians to terms. The battle of Fallen
Timbers, which closed his campaign against the Indians, was fought August
20, 17Q4, on the Alaumee river within the ])resent limits of Defiance coiuity.
Ohio. This crushing defeat of the Indians, a rout in which they lost twelve
out of thirteen chiefs, was so complete that the Indians were glad to sue for
peace. On June ro, I7()5, delegates from the \arions Indian tribes, headed

42 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Ijy their respecti\-e chiefs, met at Green\ille, Ohio, to formulate a treaty. A
treaty wa.s finally consummated on August 3, signed by General Wayne on
behalf of the United States and liy ninety chiefs and delegates of twelve
interested tribes. Iliis treaty was faithfully kept by the Indians and ever
afterwards Little Turtle, the real leader of the Indians at that time, was a
true friend of the whites. \Vhile there were several sporadic forays on the
I)art nf the Indians up to 1811, there was no battle of any importance with
them until the battle of Tippecanoe in the fail of 181 1.

ORGANIZATION OE THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. ,

The first governor of the newly organized territory was Gen. Arthur
St. Clair, a gallant soldier of the Re\-olution, who was appointed on October
5, 1787, and ordered to report for dut\' on the first of the following February.
He held the office until Novemlier 22. [H02. when he was dismissed by Presi-
dent Jefferson "for the disorganizing spirit, and tendency of every example,
violating tJie rules of conduct enjoined by his public station, as displayed in
his address to the convention." The governor's duties were performed by
his secretary, Charles W. Byrd, until March i, 1803, when the state oflicials
took their office. The first judges appointed in 1787 ,were Samuel Holden
Parsons. James Mitchell Varnum and John :\rmstrong. Before the time
came for the judges to qualify, .\rmstrong resigned and John Cleves Symmes
was appointed in his place. The first secretary was Winthrop Sargent, who
lield the position until he was ajipointed governor of Mississippi Territory
by the President on May 2, 1798. Sargent was succeeded by William Henry
Harrison, who was appointed by the President on June 26, 1798, and con-
firmed by the Senate two days later. Harrison was later elected as the first
delegate of the organized Northwest Territor)- to Congress and the President
then appointed Charles \\'illing Byrd as secretary of the Territory, Byrd's
appointment 1)eing confirmed by the Senate on December 31, 1799.

REPRESENTATIVE STAGE Ol" (lOXERNMENT ( 1799-1803).

The Northwest Territory remained under the government of the first
stage until September t6, 1799, when it advanced to the second or repre-
sentative stage as the result of a census showing that it had the necessary
population. In the summer of 1798 Governor St. Clair had ascertained
that the territory had a population of at least five thousand free male inhabi-
tants and. in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance of 1787, was

FAYhllh ll)L'.\TV, INDIANA. 4/^

ready to make the change in its tdnn nf _<;()\ernnieiU. ()n ()cliilier _'<), ijwS.
the ,£;i)\ernor issued a pniclaniation to tlie qualilied \(itei-s of tlie territory
directing tiieni to elioose nienil)er> for tlie lower Imuse of the lerritdrial
Legislature at an eleetion to lie held on the third Monda\- of the followint^
Decemher. The twenty-two nienihers so eleeted met on januar\- id. ijijij.
and, pursuant to the provisions of the Ordinance, selected the ten men from
whom the I'resident of the I'nited States later cliose ti\e fur the Le^islati\e
Council. They then adjourned to meet on Septenilter i(). I7i)(), hut since
there was not a quorum on that day they held adjourned sessions until the
J^rd, at which time a quorum was ]M-esent.

.\t the time the chanjje in the form of .ti;o\ernment went into eti'ect there
were only nine counties in the whole territory, and onl\- one, Knox, con-
tained territory within the ])resent slate of Indiana. These counties had heen
created either by the governor
the nine counties organized hef
the number of legislators ;q)|)o

County. C

Washington fuly

Hamilton fam

St. Clair \pr

Knox Tunc JO. i-go .

l\andol]ih October 5. 1793

Wayne \ugust A. 1796

.\dams lulv 10, 1707 .

Jefferson July 2q. 1707 .

Ross \ugust 20, 1708

is secretar\-.

The h

i>llowing table gives

;00 with the

dates ,

if their creation and

(1 to each l)y

the g(

)\ernor :

)ateof

Xumber of

ation.

representatives.

7. T7S8

rv 4 1 700

-'7. I70n . . .

l-^TRST TERKI'IdRI \l. I.HiUSI.A'n ' Itl-; of .VOKT 1 1 WKSI' TICKKITOKN-.

The twenty-two rei)resentati\es and ti\e councilors were the liist re])-
resentati\e body to meet in the Northwest Territorw They re])resented a
constitiienty scattered o\-er a terrrilory of more than t\\i> hundred and sixty-
five thousand scfuare miles, an area greater than dermany or l'"rance, or even
.\ustria-Hungary. It wcuild be interesting to tell something of the <lelibera-
tions of these twent\--se\en sterling pioneers, but the linu't of the jiresent
discussion forbids. It is necessary, howexer, to make mention of one im])or-
tant thing which they did in view of the fact that it throws much light on the
subsequent history of the Xorthwest Territory.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

DIVISION OF 1800.

The Legislature was authorized to elect a delegate to Congress, and two
candidates for the honor presented their names to the Legislature, William

Henry Harrison and .\rthur St. Clair, Jr., the son of the governor. The
Legislature, by a joint liallot on ()clo))er 3, 1799, elected Harrison b}- a vote
of eleven to ten. The defeat of his son undoubtedly had considerable to do
with the subse(|uent estrangement which arose between the governor and his
Legislature and incidentally hastened the division of the Northwest Terri-

FAYETTE COUNTV. INDIANA. 45

tory. Within two years from tlie time tiie territurv liad ailvancol to tlu-
second stage of government the division had taken iiiace. On May 7, iSoo,
Congress passed an^act divichng the Xortliwest Territorv l)v a hne (h"a\vn
from the mouth of the Kentucky river to Fort Recovery, in Alercer countv,
Ohio, and thence due north to the boundary hne between the United States
and Canada. Governor St. Clair favored the division because he thouglit it
would delay the organization of a state and thus give him a longer lease on
his position, although he did not favor the division as tinallv determined. He
was constantly growing in disfavor with the people on account of his ()\er-
bearing manner and he felt that he would get rid of some oi his bitterest
enemies if the western inhabitants were set ofif into a new territory. How-
ever, most of the credit for the division must be given to Harrison, who, as
a delegate to Congress, was in a position to have the most influence. Har-
rison was satisfied that in case a new territory should be formed he would be
appointed its first governor and he was not disappointed. The territory west
of the line above mentioned was immediately organized and designated as
Indiana Territory, while the eastern portion retained the e.xisting go\-ern-
ment and the old name — Northwest Territory. It is frequently overlooked
that the Northwest Territory existed in fact and in name uj) until March i .
1803, when Ohio became a state.

CENSUS OF NORTHWEST TERRITORY IN 180O.

The di\ision of 1800 left the Northwest Territory with onl\- about one-
third of its original area. The census of the territory taken by the Cnited
States government in 1800 showed it to have a total population of forty-flve
thousand three hundred and sixty-five, which fell short by about fifteen thou-
sand of being sufficient for the creation of a state as provided by the Ordi-
nance of 1787, which fixed the minimum population at sixty thousand. The
counties left in the Northwest Territory, vvitli their respective populations,
are set forth in the ap|)ended table, all of which were witliin tiie present state
of Ohio, except ^Vayne:

Adams ,^'43-

Hamilton i4/\3-

Jefiferson 8,766

Ross 8.540

Trumbull '. i ,302

Washington .S.4-'7

Wayne 3.-06

Total 4.T-3'^5

46 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Ilie population as classified by the census with respect to age and sex is
interesting and particularly so in showing that considerably more than one-
third of the total population were children under ten years of age.

Males. Females.

Whites up to ten years of age 9.362 8,644

Whites from ten to sixteen 3.647 3.353

Whites from sixteen to twenty-six 4.636 3.861

Whites from twenty- six to forty-five... 4,833 3,342

Whites forty-fi\e and upward 1.955 '.395

Total -24.433 ^0,595

Total of both sexes 45,028

Total of other persons, not Indians .... 337

Grand total 45,365

The above tables show in detail the character and distribution of the
population of the Northwest Territory after the division of 1800. It is at
this point that the history of Indiana properly begins and it is pertinent to set
forth witli as much detail as possible the population of Indiana Territory at
that time. The population of 5,6.4 1 was grouped about a dozen or more
settlements scattered at wide intervals throughout the territory. The follow-
ing table gives the settlements in Indiana Territory in 1800 with their respec-
tive number of inhabitants:

Mackinaw, in northern Michigan 251

Green Bay, Wisconsin 50

Prairie du Chien. Wisconsin 65

Cahokia, Monroe county, Illinois 719

Belle Fontaine, Monroe county. Illinois 286

L".\igle, St. Clair county. Illinois 250

Kaskaskia, Randolph county, Illinois 467

Prairie du Rocher, Randolph county. Illinois 212

Settlement in Mitchel township, Randolph county, 111 334

Fort Massac, southern Illinois 90

Clark's Grant. Clark county. Indiana . . . ., 929

Vincennes. Knox county. Indiana 714

Vicinity of Vincennes (traders and trappers) 819

Traders and trappers at Ouitenon and Fort Wayne 155

Fur traders, scattered along the lakes 300

FAYETTK COVN'IV, INDIANA. 4/

']'his total iiopulation of nearly six thousand was about equally (li\i(le(l
between what is now Indiana and Illinois. There were one hundred and
sixty-three free negroes reported, while there were one hundred and thirty-
tive slaves of color. I'ndoubtedly, this census of 1800 failed to give all of
the slave population. It is interesting to note that there were efforts to
enslave the Indian as well as the negro, but statistics are not available to show
the extent of the effort.

.\11 of these settlements, with the exce])tion of the one in Clark's (Irani,
were largely French. The settlement at Jeffersonville was made in large
part by soldiers of the Rexolutionary War and was the only real .\merican
settlement in Indiana Territory when it was organized in 1800.

FIRST st.\c;k of TKRurroKi.M, (;o\i-;kxmfxt.

The .government of Indiana Territory was formally organized July 4.
1800, and in a large book, now in the secretary of state's office at Indianajiolis,
there appears in the large legible hjind of John Gibson thfe account of tlie first
meeting of the officials of the Territory. It reads as follows:

"St. Vincennes, July 4, 1800. This day the government of the Indiana
Territory commenced, \\'illiam Henry Harrison having been api)ointed
.governor, John Gibson, secretary, ^^'illiam Clarke, Henr\- Vanderburgh \-
John Griffin Judges in and over said Territory,"

L'ntil Governor Harrison a])peared at Vincennes, his secretar\ , John
(jibson, acted as governor. The first territorial court met March .^. 1801,
the first session of the governor and judges having convened on the i Jth of
the preceding January. The governor and judges, in accordance with the
provisicMis of the Ordinance of 1787. continued to ]>erform all le,gislati\e and
judicial functions of the territor\- until it was advanced to the representative
.stage of government in 180.S. The governor had sole executive jiower and
appointed all officials, territorial and county.

CHANGES IN BOfXDAKY LIMITS OF INDI.VNA.

During this period from 1800 to 180.S, the territ(jry ni Indiana was con-
siderably augmented as a result of the organization of the state of ( )hio in
1803. At that date Ohio was given its present territorial limits, and all of
the rest of the Northwest Territor\- was included within Indiana Territory
from this date until 180.S. During this interim Louisiana was divided and
the northern part was attached to Indiana Territor\- for purposes of ci\il and

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
-7-

BY EUXEST \'. SHOCKI.EY.

FAYETTK COUNTY. INDIANA. 49

criminal jurisdiction. Tliis was, howex'er. only a teniiiorary arran.t^cnient.
lasting- about a year after the purchase of Louisiana from l-^-ance. The
next change in the limits of Indiana Territory occurred in 1S05. in which
year the territory of Alichigan was set off. The southern line of Alichigan
was made tangent to the soutiiern extreme of Lake Michigan, and it so
remained until Indiana was admitted to the L'nion in iSi(). i'Vom 1S05
to 1809 Indiana included all of the present states of Indiana, Illinois. Wiscon-
sin, about one-third of Minnesota and a small portion of Michigan, in the
latter year Illinois was set off as a territory and Indiana was left with its
])resent limits with the exception of a ten-mile strip along the northern
boundary. This stri]) was detached from Michigan in tXi6 and this subse-
(|uently led to friction between the two states which was not settled until
the United States government ga\e Michigan a large tract of land west of
Lake Michigan. Thus it is seen how Indiana has receixed its present bound-
ar\' limits as the result of the successive changes in rSo:;. 1803. [8og and
1816.

si-:co\M) sTAr.K ok territoriai covkrx.mknt ( 1803-1816.)

The Ordinance of \-/?'j provided that whenever the population of the
territory reaclliedTive thousand free male inhabitants it should \-ote u])on the
(|uestion of advancing to the second or representati\-e stage. Goxernor Har-
rison issued a proclamation .\ugusl 4, 1804. directing an election to be held
in the various counties of Indiana territory on the nth of the following"
month. In the entire territory, then comprehending six counties, there were
tmly three hundred and ninety-one votes cast. The following table gives
the result of this election :

County. i'or .\d\ance. .\gainst .\d\ance. Total.

Clark 35 13 48

Dearborn o 26 26

Knox 103 12 173

Randolph 40 21 61

St. Clair 22 59 8r

Wayne o o o

Total 2(<o 131 391

It will be noticed that there is no \iite returned from Wayne and this is
accounted for bv the fact that the proclamation notifving the sheriff of that
(4)

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Indiana on June 30, 1805,
when Michigan was set off
as a separate territory.

BY EKNEST X. SHOCKI.EY.

FAYETTF COUNTY. INDIANA. 5I

county was not received in time to gi\e it tlie proper advertisement. Wayne
count}' at that time included practically all of the present state of Michigan
and is not to be confused with the Wayne county later formed within the
present limits of Indiana. As result of this election and its majority of one
hundred and twenty-nine in favor of advancing- to the second stage of gov-
ernment, the governor issued a proclamation calling for an election on Janu-
ar}' 3, 1805, for nine representati\ es, the same being apportioned to the
counties as follows: Wayne, three; Knox, two: Dearborn, Clark, Randolph
and St. Clair, one each. The members of the first territorial Legislature
of Indiana convened at X'incennes on July _'<;, 1805. The members of the
house \\ere as follows; Dr. Ceorge 1^'isher, of Randolph; William Beggs
and Shadrach Bond, of St. Clair; Benjamin Parke and John Johnson, of
Knox ; Da\is Floyd, of Clark, and Jesse B. Thomas, of Dearborn. This
gives, however, onh' seven representatives, Wayne county ha\ing been set
off as the territory of Michigan in the spring of this same year. .\ re-a])por-
tionment was made b}- the goxernor in order to bring the quota of re])re-
sentati\es u)) to the required number.

The T^egislative Council consisted of five men as provided by the Ordin-
ance of 1787, namely; Benjamin Chambers, of Dearborn; Sanuiel (nv.'itb-
mey, of Clark; John Rice Jones, of Knox; Pierre Menard, of Randolph, and
Tohn Hay, of St. Clair. It is not possible in this connection to give a detailed
history of the territory of Indiana from 1805 until its admission to the Union
in i8t6. Readers who wish to make a study of our .state's history can find
volumes which will treat the history of the state in a much better manner
than is possible in a brief summary of this character. It may be noted thai
there were five general assemblies of the Territorial Legislature during this
period of eleven vears. Each one of the five general assemblies was divided
into two sessions, which, with the dates of convening, are given in the
appended summary :

First General .As.sembly — h'irst session, July _'(). 1805; second session.
Xovember 7,, t8o6.

Second General .\ssembly — JMrst session. August 12, 1807; second
session, Se])teniber 26, 1808.

Third (leneral .Assembly — l-'irst sessinu, Xovember u, 1810; second
session. .Xovember 12, 181 i.

Fourth General Assembly — b'irst session, February i, 1813: second
.session, December 6. 181 3.

b'ifth General Assembly — First session. August 15. 1814: second session,
December 4, 181 5.

52 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATES OE INDIANA TERRITORY.

Indiana Territory was allowed a delegate in Congress from 1805 until
the close of the territorial period. The first three delegates were elected by
the Territorial T..egislature, while the last four were elected by the qualified
voters of the territory. The first delegate was Benjamin Parke, who was
elected to succeed himself in 1807 over John Rice Jones, Waller Taylor and
Shadrach Bond. Parke resigned March i, 1808, to accept a seat on the
supreme judiciary of Indiana Territory, and remained on the supreme bench
of Indiana after it was admitted to the Union, holding the position until his
death at Salem, Indiana, July 12, T835. Jesse B. Thomas was elected Octo-
l)er 22, t8o8, to succeed Parke as delegate to Congress. It is this same
Thomas who went to Brookville in 1808 with .-Xmos Butler. He was a
tricky, .shifty, and, so his enemies said, an unscrupulous politician. Pie was
later elected to Congress in Illinois and became the author of the Missouri
Compromise. In the spring of 1809 the inhabitants of the territory were
permitted to cast their first vote for the delegate to Congress. Three candi-
dates presented themselves for the consideration of the voters, Jonathan
Jennings, Thomas Randolph and John Johnson. There were onl\- four
counties in the state at this time, Knox. Harrison, Clark and Dearborn. Two
counties, St. Clair and Randolph, were a part of the new territory of Illinois
which was cut off from Indiana Territory in the spring of 1809. The one
newspaper of the territory waged a losing fight against Jennings, tlie latter
appealing for support on the ground of his anti-slavery views. The result
of the election was as follows: Jennings, 428: Randolph, 402; Johnson, 81.
Jonathan Jennings may be said to be the first successful politician produced
in Indiana. His congressional career began in 1809 and he was elected to
Cxjngress four successive terms before 18 16. He was president of the con-
stitutional convention of 18 16, first governor of the state and was elected a
.second time, but resigned to go to Congress, where he was sent for four more
terms by the voters of his district.

EEEORTS TO ESTABLISH Sr.AVERY IN INDIANA.

The Ordinance of 1787 specifically provided that neither slavery nor
invt>luntary ser\-itude should ever exist in the Northwest Territory. Notwith-
.standing this prohibition, slavery actually did exist, not only in the North-
west Territory, but in the sixteen years while Indiana was a territory as well.
The Constitution of Indiana in 18 16 expressly forbade slavery and yet the

■AYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

census of 1820 reported one hundred and ninet\' slaves in Indiana, which
was only forty-seven less than there was in rSio. Most of these slaves were

Indiana Territory
after February 3,
1809, .hen Illlnol

HY ERNEST X. SHOCKLEY.

held in the southwestern counties of the state, there being one hundred and
eighteen in Knox, thirty in Gibson, eleven in Posey, ten in Vanderburgh and

54 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the remainder widely scattered throughout the state. As late as 1817 Frank-
lin count)' scheduled slaves for taxation, listing- them at three dollars each.
The tax schedule for 181 3 says that the property tax on "horses, town lots,
servants of color and free males of color shall be the same as in 1814."
Franklin county did not return slaves at the census of 1810 or 1820, but the
above extract from the commissioners' record of Franklin county proved con-
clusively that slaves were held there. Whether any of these slaves in Frank-
lin county were in that part detached in 181 9 to form a part of Fayette is
not known. No record has been found to show that slaves were ever held
in Fayette county after its organization. Congress was petitioned on more
than one occasion dtiring the territorial period to set aside the prohibition
against slavery, but on each occasion refused to assent to the appeal of the
slaverv advocates. While the constitutional convention of 181 6 was in
session, there was an attempt made to introduce a provision permitting the
holding of slaves, but the effort failed.

THE INDIAN LANDS.

The United States government bought from the Indians all of the land
within the present state of Indiana with the exception of the Vincennes and
Clark grants. The first purchase of land was made in 1795, at which time
a triangular strip in the southeastern part of the state was secured by the
treaty of Greenville. Bv the time Indiana was admitted to the L'nion in
1816, the following tracts had been purchased: Vincennes tract, June 7,
1803: Vincennes treaty tract. .August iS and 27, 1804: Grouseland tract,
August 21. 1805; Harrison's purchase, September 30, 1809: Twelve-mile
purchase, .September 30, 1809.

X'o more purchases were made from the Indians until the fall of 18 18,
at which time a large tract of land in the central part of the state was pur-
chased from the Indians. This tract, known in Indiana history as the "New
Purchase," included all of the land north of the Indian boundary lines of
1805 and 1809. and south of the Wabash river with the exception of what
was known as the Miami reservatidu. This treaty, known as St. .Mary's,
was tinallv signed on October 6, t8i8, and the next Legislature proceeded
to divide it into two counties, Wabash and Delaware.

ORGANIZATION OF COUNTIES.

.As fast as the population would warrant, new counties were established
in this New Purchase and Favette county was the first to be so organized '

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIAN.

which inckuled any portion ot it. 'I1ii.>^ count}- was ere;
act of December j8, i8i8. and 1)e_<;"an its fdrnial carei

hy the legislative
. an in(le])cn(lent

The map also
ail Indian ces-
made previously.

BY KKNKST V

county on the ist of the foll^winj^- month. Imh" purpose of reference, a list of
tlie counties organized u]) until 1819, when I-'ayette comity was established, is

56 FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

here appended. The dates given represent the time when the organization
of the county became effective, since in many instances it was from a few-
months to as much as seven years after the act estabhshing- the county was
passed before it became efifective.

1. Knox June 20, 1790 [6. SulHvan Jan. 15, 1817

2. Clark Feb. 3. 1801 17. Jennings Feb. 1,1817

3. Dearborn Mch. 7, 1803 18. Pike Feb. i, 1817

4. Harrison Dec. i, 1808 [9. Daviess Feb. 15, 1817

5. Jefferson Feb. i, 181 1 20. Dubois Feb. i, 1818

6. Franklin Feb. i, 1811 21. Spencer Feb. i, 1818

7. Wayne Feb. i, t8ii 22. Vanderburgh . . . .Feb. 1, 1818

8. Warrick Apr. 1,1813 -\H- Vigo Feb. 15, 1818

9. Gibson Apr. 1,1813 24. Crawford Mch. 1,1818

10. Wasliington Jan. 17, 1814 25. Lawrence Mch. i, 1818

11. Switzerland Oct. i, 1814 26. Monroe Apr. 10. 1818

12. Posey Nov. i, 1814 2y. Ripley Apr. 10, 1818

13. Perry Nov. i, 1814 2'^. Randolph Aug. 10, 1818

14. Jackson Jan. i, 1816 29. Owen Jan. i, 1819

15. Orange Feb. i, 1816 30. Fayette Jan. i, 1819

The first tiiirteen counties in the above list were all that were organized
when the territory of Indiana petitioned Congress for an enabling act in 181 5.
They were in the southern part of the state and had a total population of
sixty-three thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven. At that time the total
state tax was only about fi\'e tliousand dollars, while the assessment of the
whole state in 1816 amounted to onlv six thousand forty-three dollars and
thirty-six cents.

CHANGES IN THE CONSTITUTION OF INDI.AN.A.

The Constitution of 1S16 was framed by forty-three delegates who met
at Corydon from June 10 to June 29 of that year. It was provided in the
Constitution of 1816 diat a vote might be taken every twelve years on tlie
<|uestion of amending, revising or writing a wholly new instrument of gov-
ernment. Altliough several efforts were made to hold constitutional conven-
tions between 1816 and 1850. the vote failed each time until 1848. Flections
were held in 1823, 1828, 1840 and 1846, but each time there was returned
an adverse vote against the calling of a constitutional convention. There were
no amendments to the 1816 Constitution, ahhough the revision of 1824, h\

FNVETTr. COUNTY, INUIAX.

INDIANA AS IT APPEAKEI) IN 1S15, WHKN IT APl'LIKI) FOJ{ ADMISSION TO
THE UNION.

BY ERNEST V. SHOCKLEY.

58 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

William Hendricks was so thorough that it was said that the Governor had
done as much as a constitutional convention could have done.

It was not until 1848 that a successful vote on the question of calling a
constitutional convention vi'as carried. There were many reasons which in-
duced the people of the state to favor a convention. Among these may be
mentioned the following: The old Constitution provided that all the state
officers except the go\ernor and lieutenant-governor should be elected by the
Legislature. Many of the county and township officers were appointed by
the county commissioners. .Vgain, the old Constitution ,attempted to handle
too man}- matters of local concern. All di\-orces from 1816 to 1848 were
granted b\' the Legislature. Special laws were passed which would apply to
])articular counties and even to particular tt)wnships in the county. If Nobles-
ville wanted an alley vacated or a street closed, it had to appeal to the Legis-
lature for permission to do so. If a man wanted to ferry people across a
stream in Posey county, his representatixe i)resented a bill to the Legislature
asking that the proposed ferryman l)e gi\en permission to ferry people across
the stream. The agitation for free scliools attracted the support of the edu-
cated people of tlie state, and most of the newspapers were outspoken in their
advocacy of better educational privileges. The desire for better schools, for
the election of state and county officials by the voters, for less interference by
the Legislature in local aft'airs, led to a desire on the part of majority of the
])eople of the state for a new Constitution.

The second constitutional convention of Indiana met at Indianapolis,
■Octol)er 7, 1850, and continued in session for four months. The one hun-
dred and fifty delegates labored faithfully to give the state a Constitution
full}- abreast of the times and in accordance with the best ideas of the day.
More power was given the people by allowing them to select not only all of
the state officials, but also their county officers as well. The convention of
1850 took a decided stand against the negro and proposed a referendum on
the question of prohibiting the further emigration of negroes into the state.
The subsequent vote on this question showed that the people were not dis-
posed to tolerate the colored race. .\s a matter of fact no negro or mulatto
could legally come into Indiana from 1832 until 18S1. when the restriction
was removed by an amendment to the Constitution. Another important
featm-e of the new Constitution was the ])ro\-ision for free schools. AVhat
Ave now know as a public school, supported at the expense of the state, was
unknown under the 1816 Constitution. The new Constitution established a
s}-stem of free public schools, and subsequent statutory legislation strength-
ened the constitutional prox'ision so that the state now ranks among the lead-

KAyr.TTK COL'NTY. INDIANA. 59

eis in educational matters througliout the nation. The people of the slate
had voted on the question of free schools in 1848 and had decided that the\
should be established, but there was such a strong minority opjiosed to tiiem
tiiat nothing was done. Orange county gave only an eight per cent, vote in
favor of free schools, while Putnam and Monroe, containing DePauw and
Indiana I'niversities, resjiectively, voted adversely hy large majorities. lUit.
with the backing of the Constitution, tlie ad\'ocates of free schools began to
l)ush the fight for their establishment, and as a result of the legislative acts
of 1835. 1857 and 1867, the public schools were placed upon a sound basis.
Such in brief were the most important features of the 1852 Constitution.
It has remained substantially to this day as it was written sixty-five >ears
ago. It is true there have been some amendments, but the changes of 1878
and 1 88 1 did not alter the Constitution in any important particular. There
was no concerted effort toward calling a constitutional convention until the
Legislature of 191 3 provided for a referendum on the question at the polls,
November 4, 19 14. Despite the fact that all the ix)litical parties had declared
in favor of a constitutional convention in their platforms, the question was
voted down by a large majority. .\n efYort was made to have the question
submitted by the Legislature of 191 5, but the Legislature refused to submit
the question to the voters of the state. The Legislature of 19 17, however,
passed an act authorizing the calling of a constitutional convention. The
election of the one hundred and ten delegates will be held September 2(k 1917.
and the con\-ention will meet in January, 19 18.

The present state of Indiana was comprehended within the Northwest
Territory from 1787 to 1800, and during that time the capital was located
within the present state of Ohio. When the Ordinance of 1787 was jnit in
operation on July 17, 1788, the capital was established at Marietta, the name
being chosen by the directors of the Ohio Company on July 2, of the same
year. The name Marietta was selected in honor of the French Queen, Marie
Antoinette, compounded by curious combination of the first and last syllables
of her name.

When Indiana was set oft by the act of May 7, 1800. the same act
kicated the capital at \'incennes where it remained for nearh thirteen years.
The old building in which the Territorial Assembly first met in 1803 is still
standing in \'incennes. In the spring of 1813 the cajjital of the territory
T^as moved to Corydon and it was in that cpiaint little village that the first

6o FAYETTE COX'NTY, INDIANA.

session of the Indiana Legislature convened on November 4, 1816. It
remained there until November, 1824. when Samuel Merrill loaded up all
of the state's effects in three large wagons and hauled them overland to
the new capital — Indianapolis. Indianapolis had been chosen as the seat
of government by a committee of ten men, appointed in 1820 by the Legis-
lature. It was not until 1824, however, that a building was erected in the
new capital which wovild accommodate the state officials and the General
Assembly. The first court house in Marion county was built on the site
of the present building, and was erected with a view of utilizing it as a
state house until a suitable capitol building could be erected. The state
continued to use the Marion county court house until 1835, by which time an
imposing state house had been erected. This building was in use until 1877,
when it was razed to make way for the present imposing building.

MILITARY HISTORY.

Indiana has had some of its citizens in four wars in which United States
has 'engaged since 1800: The War of 181 2, the Mexican War, the Civil
War, and the Spanish-American War. One of the most important engage-
ments ever fought against the Indians in tiie United States was that of the
battle of Tippecanoe, November 7, 181 1. For the two or three years pre-
ceding, Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet, had been getting the Indians
ready for an uprising. Tecumseh made a long trip throughout the west-
ern and southern part of the United States for the purpose of getting the
Indians all (U-er the country to rise up and drive out the white man. While
he was still in the South, Governor Harrison descended upon the Indians at
Tippecanoe and dealt them a blow from which they never recovered. The
British had been urging the Indians to rise up against the settlers along the
frontier, and the repeated depredations of the savages but increased the hos-
tility of the United States toward England. General Harrison had about
seven hundred fighting men, while the Indians numbered over a thousand.
The .\mericans lost thirty-seven by death on the battlefield, twenty-five were
mortally wounded and one hundred and twenty-six more or less seriously
wounded. The savages carried most of their dead away, but it is known that
about forty were actually killed in the battle and a proportionately large num-
ber wounded. In addition to the men who fought at Ti])pecanoe, the pio-
neers of the territory sent their (|uota to the front during the War of 181 2.
Unfortunately, records are not available to show the enlistment by counties.

During the administration of Governor Whitcomb (1846-49) the United

FWl.TTK CorXTV. INDIWA. 6l

States was engaged in a' war with .Mexico. Indiana cunlrihuled live regi-
ments to the government ihnang tliis struggle, and her tr()(i[)s perfurnied with
a spirit of singular promptness and patriotism iluring all the time thev were
at the front.

Xo Northern state had a nmre i)atrit)tic go\ ernor during the Civil War
than Indiana, and had e\ery goverudr in the North (k)ne his dul\ as eoiiseien-
tiously as did Goverudr Morton that terribly struggle would undduhtedly
have been materiallx- .shortened. When President Lineoln issued his call i m
April 15. r86i. for 75.000 volunteers. Indiana was asked to furnisii 4.6f<3
men as its quota. A week later there were no less than 12,000 volunteers
at Camp Morton at Indianapolis. This loyal uprising was a tribute to the
])atriotism of the people, and accounts for the fact that Indiana sent nmre
than joo.ooo men to the front during the war. Indiana furnished i)rae-
tically seventy-five per cent, of its total poijulatidu eajrable nf bearing arms.
and on this basis Delaware was the only state in the Union which exceeded
Indiana. Of the troops sent from Indiana, 7,-'43 were killed or mortally
wounded, and iy.4-'9 died from other causes, making a total death lo>^ of
over thirteen per cent, for all the troops furnished.

During the summer of 1863 Indiana was thrown into a frenzy of excite-
ment when it was learned that General Morgan had crossed the Ohio with
J, 000 cavalrymen under his command. Probably Indiana never experienced
a more exciting month than Jul\- of that year. Morgan entered the state in
Harrison county and adxanced northward through Corydon to Salem in
Washington county. As his men went along they robbed orchards, looted
farm houses, stole all the horses which the\ could find and burned consider-
able property. bVom Salem, Morgan turned with his men to the east, having
been deterred from his threatenecl advance on Indianapolis by the knowled.ge
that the local militia of the state would soon be too strong for him. He hur-
ried with his men toward the Ohio line, stopping at Versailles long enough
to loot the county treasury. Morgan ])as,sed through Dearborn county over
into Ohio, near Harrison, and a few days later, he and most of his band
were captured.

During the latter part of the war there was considerable opposition to
its prosecution on the ])art of the Democrats of this state. .\n organization
known as the Knights of the fiolden (."ircle at first, .•nid later as the Sons of
Liberty, was instrumental in stirring up much trouble throughout the state.
Probably historians will never be able to agree as to the degree of their
culpabilit\- in thwarting the govermiient authorities in the conduct of the war.

62 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

That they did many overt acts cannot be questioned and that they collected
arms for traitorous designs cannot be denied. The famous battle of Pogue's
Run was the result of the activities of this secret organization. Governor Mor-
ton and General Carrington, by a system of close espionage, were able to know
at all times just what was transpiring in the councils of these orders. In the
campaign of 1864 there was an open denunciation through the Republican
press of the Sons of Liberty. On October 8 of that year the Republican news-
papers carried these startling headlines: "You can rebuke this treason. The
traitors intend to bring war to your liome. Meet them at the ballot box
while (irant and Sherman meet them on the liattle-field." A number of the
leaders were arrested, convicted in a military court and sentenced to be .shot.
However, they were later pardoned by the President.

The 'Spanish- American War of 1898 was the next one in which troops
from Indiana pla3-ed a part. When President McKinley issued a call for
75,000 volunteers on April 25, 1898, Indiana was called upon to furnish
three regiments. War was officially declared April 25, and formally came
to an end bv the signing of a protocol on August 12 of the same year.
The main engagements of importance were the sea battles of Manila and
Santiago and the land engagements of El Caney and San Juan Hill. Accord-
ing to the treaty of Paris, signed December 12, 1898, Spain relinquished
her sovereignty over Cuba, ceded to the United States Porto Rico and her
other West India Island possessions, as well as the island of Guam, in the
Pacific. Spain also transferred her rights in the Philippines for the sum of
twentv million dollars paid to her for jxihlic works and improvemssnts con-
structed by the Spanish government.

In 1916 Indiana sent three regiments to the Mexican front, but none
of them saw fighting service. Tiie last two regiments were ordered back
to the state in February, 191 7.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

It is not possible to trace in detail the political history of Indiana for the
])ast centurx- and in this connection an attempt is made only to survey it
brief! v. l'"or more than half a century Indiana has been known as a pivotal
state in politics. In 1816 there was only one political party and Jennings,
Noble, Taylor, Hendricks and all of the politicians of that day were grouped
into this one — the Democratic party. Whatever dififerences in views they
might ha\e held were due to local issues and not to any questions of national
portent. Chiestions concerning the improvements of rivers, the building of

KAVKITK COr.NTY. INDIAXA. 63

canals, the reiiio\-al of a>urt houses aiul similar (|uesti<ins of stale and eountv
importance divided the politicians in the early history of Indiana into <;rou])^.
There was one group known as the White Water faction, another called
the Vincennes crowd, and still another designated as the White River dele-
gation. I'Voni 1816 until as late as iS^J, Indiana was the scene of personal
politics, and (.luring the years .\dams. ( 'la\- and Jackson were candidates
for the presidency on the same ticket, men were known politically as .\dams
men. Clay men or j.ackson men. The election returns in the twenties and
thirties disclose no tickets laheled Democrat. Whig or Republican, hut instead
the words "Adams," "Clay," or "Jackson."

The question of internal improvements which arose in the Legislature
of 1836 was a large contributing factor in the division of the politicians of
the state. The Whig party ma\' be dated from 1832, although it was not
until four years later that it came into national |5rominence. The Democrats
elected the state officials, including the go\ernor, down to 1831, but in that
year the opposition i)arty. later called the Whigs, elected Xoah Noble gov-
ernor. h"or the ne.xt twelve years the W'higs, with their cry of internal
improvements, controlled the state. The Whigs went out of power with
Samuel Rigger in 1843, and when they came into power again they appeared
under the name of Republican in t8Cii. Since the Civil War the two parties
ha\e practically divided the leadership between them, there having been eight
Republicans and six Democrats elected governor of the state. The following
table gives a list of the governors of the Northwest Territory, Indiana Terri-
tcn-y and the state of Indiana. The b'ederalists were in control up to 1800
and Harrison antl his followers ma\- be classed as Democratic-Republicans.
The politics of the go\ernors of the state are indicated in the table.

GOVEKNOKS OF INDIANA.

Of the Territory Northwest of the Ohio —

Arthur St. Clair 1787-1800

( )f the Territory of Indiana —

John Cibson (acting! July 4, 1800-1801

William H. Harri.son 1801-1812

Thomas Posey 1812-1816

Of the State of Indiana —

Jonathan Jennings, Dem. 1816-1822

Ratliff Boon (acting), Dem Sept. 12 to Dec. 5, 1822

William Hendricks, Dem. 1822-182=;

64 FAYETTF. COUNTY, INDIANA.

James B. Ray (acting), Dem. Feb. 12 to Dec. 11, 1825

James B. Ray, Dem. 1825-1831

Noah Noble, Whig 1831-1837

David Wallace, Whig 1837-1840

Samel Bigger, Whig . 1840-1843

James Whitcomb, Dem. 1843-1848

Paris C. Dunning (acting), Dem. 1848- 1849

Joseph A. Wright, Dem. 1849-1857

Ashbel P. Willard, Dem. 1857-1860

Abraham A. Hammond (acting), Dem. 1860-1861

Henry S. Lane, Rep. . January 14 to January 16, 1861

Oliver P. Morton (acting), Rep. 1861-1865

Oliver P. Morton, Rep. 1865-1867

Conrad Baker (acting). Rep. 1867-1869

Conrad Baker, Rep. 1869-1873

Thomas A. Hendricks, Dem. -1873-1877

James D. Williams, Dem. 1877-1880

Isaac P. Cray (acting), Dem 1 880-1 881

Albert G. Porter, Rep. 1881-1885

Isaac P. Gray, Dem. 1885-1889

Alvin P. Hovey, Rep. 1889-1891

Ira J. Chase (acting). Rep Nov. 24, 1891, to Jan. 9, 1893

Claude Matthews, Dem. , 1893-1897

James A. Mount, Rep. 1897-1901

Winfield T. Durbin, Rep. 1901-1905

J. Frank Hanh', Rep. 1905-1909

Thomas R. Marshall, Dem. 1909-1913

Samuel M. Ralston, Dem 1913-1917

James P. Goodrich, Rep. 1917-

A CENTURY OF GROWTH.

Indiana was the first territory and the second state created out of the
old Northwest Territorw It has just celebrated its one hundred anniversary,
and it becomes the purpose of the historian in this connection to give a brief
survey of what these one hundred \ears have done for the state. There
has been no change in territorial limits, I)ut the original territorv has been
subdivided into counties year by year, as the poinilation warranted, until from

FWETTK Cm'NTY. INDIANA. 65

thirteen counties in 1816 the state grew to ninety-two counties in 1859. I'^nmi
18 16 to 1840 new counties were organized every year with the exception
of one year. Starting in with a papulation of 5.64 1 in 1800, Indiana has
increa.sed by leaps and bounds and in itjio had a population of two million
seven hundred thousand eight hundred and seventy-six. The appended table
is interesting in showing the growth of po])ulation by decades since 1800:

Census Decades. f'o])ulation. Increase. I'ct. of Inc.

1800 5.041

1810 -'4.3-0 18,879 334-7

1820 147.17-^ 122,658 500.2

1 830 343.03 1 195.853 • ii- •

1840 hS-:..H'V, 34-^.835 99-9

1850 988.416 302,550 44-1

i860 1.350.4-8 362,012 36.6

1870 1,680,637 330.209 24.5

1880 1,978.301 297,664 17.7

1890 2,192,404 214.T03 10.8

1900 2,516,462 3-^4.058 14-8

1910 2,700.876 184,414 7.3

.Statistics are usually \ery dr\- and uninteresting, but tliere are a few-
figures which are at least instructive if not interesting, b^ir instance, in i(;io.
1,143,835 people of Indiana lived in cities and towns of more than 2,500.
There were 822,434 voters, and 580,557 men between the ages of eighteen and
forty- four were eligible for military service. The interesting book of statistics
from which these figures are taken, covering e\ery phase of the growth of the
state, is the biennial report of the state statistician.

The state has increaserl in wealth as well as population and the total stale
tax of six thousand forty-three dollars and thirty-six cents of i8i() increased
in roi6 to more than six nn'llion. In 181(1 the only factories in the state were
grist- and saw-mills; all of the clothing, fiu-nitm-e and most of the farming tools
were made bv the pioneers themsehes. .\t that time tlie farmer was his <i\\n
doctor, his own blacksmidi. Ins own lawyer, bis own dentist and, if be had
divine services, he had to be the preacher. But now it is changed. The spin-
ning wheel finds its resting place in the attic; a score of occupations ha\e arisen
to satisfv the manifold wants of the farmer. Millions of dollars are now in-
vested in factories, other millions are invested in steam and electric roads, still
other millions in jniblic utilitv i)lants of all kinds. The governor now receives
(5)

66 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

a larger salary than did all the state officials put together in 1816, while the
county slieriff has a salary which is more than double the compensation allowed
the first governor of the state.

Indiana is rich in natural resources. It not only has millions of acres of
good farming land, but it has had fine forests in the past. From the timber
of its woods have been built the homes for the past one hundred years and, if
rightly conserved, there is timber for many years yet to come. The state has
beds of coal and quarries of stone which are not surpassed in any state in the
Union. For many years natural gas was a boon to Indiana manufacturing.
but it was used so extravagantly that it soon became exhausted. Some of the
largest factories of their kind in the country are to be found in the Iloosier
state. The steel works at Gary employs tens of thousands of men and are
constantly increasing in importance. .\t Elwood is the largest tin plate fac-
tory in the world, while Evansville boasts of the largest cigar factory in the
world. At South Bend the Studebaker and Oliver manufacturing plants turn
out millions of dollars worth of goods every year. When it is known that
over half of the population of the state is now living in towns .and cities, it
must be readily seen that farming is no longer the sole occupation.

A system of railroads has been built which brings every corner of the
state in close touch with Indianapolis. In fact, tvery county seat but four is
in railroad connection with the capital of the state. Since iQOO electric lines
have been built all over the state, no less than nine lines radiating from Indi-
anapolis. Every county has its local telephone systems, its rural free deliveries
and its good roads unifying the various parts of the county. All of this
makes for better civilization and a happier and more contented people.

Indiana prides herself on her educational system. With sixteen thousand
public and parochial school teachers, with three state institutions of learning, a
score of church schools of all kinds as well as private institutions of learning.
Indiana stands high in educational circles. The state maintains universities
at Bloomington and Lafayette and a normal school at Terre Haute. ^lany of
the churches have schools supported in part by their denominations, 'i'he
Catholics have the largest Catholic university in the United States at Notre
Dame, while St. Mary's of the Woods at Terre Haute is known all over the
world, .\cademies under Catholic supervision are maintained at Indianapolis,
Terre Haute, F"ort Wayne, Rensselaer, St. Meinrad, Jasper and Oldenburg.
The Methodists have institutions at DePauw. Moore's Hill and U])land. The
Presbyterian schools are Wabash and Hanover Colleges. The Christian
church is in control of Butler and Merom Colleges. Concordia at Ft. Wayne
is one of the largest Lutheran schools in the United States. The Quakers

-FAYKTTK COUNTY. INDIANA. 67

support l"~ailliam College, as well as academies at i'ainnount. Bloominf^dale,
Plaintield and Spiceland. The Baptists are in cliari^e of Kranklin College,
wliile the Cnited ihethren give their allegiance to Indiana Central University
at Indianapolis. The Seventh-Day .Kdventists have a school at Boggstown.
The Dunkards at North Manchester and the Mennonites at Goshen maintain
schools for their respecti\e churches.

The state seeks to take care of all of its unfortunates. Its charitable,
benevolent and correctional institutions rank high among similar institutions
in the countr\-. Insane asylums are located at Indianapolis, Richmond,
Logaiispiirt, K\ans\ille and Madison. The State Soldiers' Home is at
Lafayette, while the National Soldiers' Home is at Marion. The Soldiers'
and Sailors' Orphans' Home at Knightstown, is maintained for the care and
education of the orphan children of Union soldiers and sailors. The state
educates and keeps them until they are sixteen years of age if they have not
been gi\en homes in families before they reach that age. Institutions for the
education of the blind and also the deaf and dumb are located at In(hana]K)lis.
The state educates all children so afflicted and teaches them some usefid trade
which will enable them to make their own way in the world. The School for
I'eeble Minded at Fort Wayne has had more than one thousand children in
attendance annually for several years. Within the ])ast few vears an epileptic
village has been established at New Castle, Indiana, for the care of those so
afflicted.

.\ prison is located at Michigan City for the incarceration of male crim-
inals convicted in any of the courts of the state of treason, murder in the first
or second degree, and of all persons convicted of any felony who at the time
of conviction are thirty years of age and over. The Reformatory at Jefifer-
sonville takes care of male criminals between the ages of sixteen and thirty,
who are guilty of crimes other than those just mentioned. .\ state penal
farm was established by the 1013 Legislature and it is now in successful o])era-
tion in Putnam count}". h>male criminals from the ages of fifteen upwards
are ke])t in tiie women's ]irison at Indianapolis. .\ school for incorrigible
boys is maintained at I'lainfield. It receives boys between the ages of seven
and eighteen, although no boy can be kept after he reaches the age of twenty-
one. Each county provides for its own jxu^r and ])ractically every countv in
the state has a poor farm and many of them have homes for orphaned or
indigent children, hiach countv in the state alsf) maintains a correctional
institution known as the jail, in which |)risoncrs are committed while waiting
for trial or as jjunishment for conxicted crime.

But Indiana is great not alone in its material prosperity, but also in tho.se

68 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

things which make for a better appreciation of Hfe. Within the limits of
our state have been born men who were destined to become known through-
out the nation. Statesmen, ministers, diplomats, educators, artists and
literar}^ men of Hoosier birth have given the state a reputation which is
envied by her sister states. Indiana has furnished Presidents and Vice-
Presidents, distinguished members of the cabinet and diplomats of world
wide fame; her literar}- men have spread the fame of Indiana from coast
to coast. Who has not heard of Wallace, Thompson, Nicholson, Tarking-
ton, McCutcheon, Bolton, Ade, Major, Stratton-Porter, Riley and hundreds
of others who have courted the muses?

And we would like to he living one hundred years from today and see
whether as mutrh progress will have been made in the growth of the state as in
the first one hundred years of its history. In 2017 poverty and crime will be
reduced to a minimum. Poor houses will be unknown, orphanages will have
vanished and society will have reached the stage where happiness and con-
tentment reign su])reine. iMery loyal Hoosier should feel as our poetess,
Sarah T. Bolton, has said :

"The heavens never spanned.
The breelzes never fanned,
A fairer, brighter land
Than our Indiana."

CHAPTER II.

Geoi.ocy.

The last geological survey fif I'^ayette county was made by the state
geological department in 1909 and this chapter is largely a summary of the
report made that year by A. E. Taylor, one of the field assistants attached
to the department. The chapter is supplemented by data secured from other
sources, but the main facts have Ix^en gleaned from the report of 1909.

Fayette county covers 215 scpiare miles, or a total of 138,240 acres.
In 1909 there were 82,732 acres under cultivation, 21,000 were in jxisture,
11.000 in woodland i>asturc, anfl 8.500 in woodland.

WHITF. W ATEK UP.'EK.

Traversing the county almost centrally from north to south is the large
valley of the West fork of White Water river. Its width varies from one
tf) two miles, and its lower bottom is from one hundred to two hundred feet
below the adjacent uplands. This valley, together with the valleys of many
tributary streams, has developed ;i deeply dissected surface over the greater
part of the county. In the eastern jiart of the county the areas which have
escaped the eroding jxiwer of the streams have generally been found bv the
tributaries of the East fork of White W'ater. which runs through I'nion
county, about one mile east of the bayette-Union county line. The only
gently rolling surface in the count\ is found in I'ose}- and b^airview town-
ships and the western half of (Grange.

STREAMS.

The main streams tributary to White W'ater river in the count\- are as
follow: Williams creek, which rises in I'osey township and, meandering
south and east, empties into W hite Water about three miles south of Con-
nersville, its main tributary being known as Little Williams creek ; Lick
creek, also rising in Posey township, and coursing .south and east, empties
into W^hite Water about two miles north of C'onner.sville ; Village creek, ris-
ing in LInion county, and running through Jennings and ("onnersville town-

70 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ships, empties into White Water two miles l>elow the county seat ; Wilson
creek, rising in Jennings township, flows through Jennings and Jackson
townships and, uniting with White Water river at Nulltown; Fall creek,
rising in Connersville township, passes through that township and Columhia
and empties into White Water about four miles below the county seat ; Gar-
rison creek, and one large tributary, both rising in Orange township, flow-
ing through Orange and Columbia townships, empty into White Water in
Franklin county. The only other stream of any size emptying into White
Water in the county is Noland's fork, which rises in Delaware county and
empties in White Water about four miles north of Connersville. Simpson
creek runs south through the eastern part of Waterloo township and empties
into the East fork of White Water in Union county.

DRIFT FORMATIONS.

With the exception of a small district in the southern part of the county,
situated on either side of the White Water, where the Illinoisan drift appears
as the surface formation, the later Wisconsin drift covers the entire county.
The southern boundary of this drift on the west side of ^Vhite Water is
marked by a morainic ridge entering Fayette county from northwestern
Franklin county, and continuing north in a northeasterly direction to a point
along the White Water about four miles south of Connersville. Here it meets
a morainic ridge on the east side, which extends south into Franklin county,
also marking the southern limit of the Wisconsin drift. From the point
four miles south of Coimersville, along White Water, an interlobate moraine
was formed, extending northward into Henry and Wayne counties. In the
upland the moraine is seldom less than fifty feet in thickness and is generally
one himdred feet or more.

In addition to these drifts which have been described, all bekmging to
the Pleistocene period, there are outcrops of the laurel limestone of the
Silurian period in the southwestern part of the county, and of the Cincin-
nati limestone and shales of the Ordovician in the western portion of the
county. Much of the stone is valuable for building purposes, the best being
about six inches in thickness. There was considerable stone cjuarried in the
southeastern part of Harrison township and the northwestern part of Con-
nersville township during the years when the canal and railroads were being
liuilt through the county, '("his stone was used for locks on the canals and
alnitments on railroad bridges. It was also largely used for the foundations
of houses, and at least one house in Harrison township was wholly con-

i-'ayi:ttk forxTV, Indiana. 71

stnictcd nf tliis stratilKNl stmic. In ilic sDuthwcstcrn part nf (.'(ninersville
tinviisliip there w a>- fdnnerly ciinsi(leral)le lime produced by the huniinj^ of
tlie stiiiie. A udDil (|ualit\- nf elay is found in large areas, which is suitable
for the manufacture of tile and brick.

SOILS.

There are eii^ht tyi>es of soil found in l'"a\ette county, six of which are
ui)land and two bottom >oils. The Miami series, which is l>y far the most
e.\tensi\e, occurs as the .Miami clay loam. Miami silt loam, Miami loam and
.Miami black clav loam, and has had its derivation from the Later Wisconsin
drift. With the exception of some small spots of Miami black clay loam in
the western and northwestern portions of the county, some very limited
areas of the .Miami loam alongr the .slopes of White Water and the Miami silt
loam of the southeastern ciuarter of the county, the Miami clay loam covers
all the county except Jackson and Columbia townships. The southern half
of Columbia and a small area in southwestern Jackson have Oak Forest silt
loam as the surface soil. The first and second terraces along the W^est Fork
of White Water are mantled with Huntin,i,^on loam, while the bottoms of
the smaller valleys contain an im])ure form of the same type. On a very
few narrow \alley Hoors in Columbia and Jackson townshijis, where the
limestone talus has accunnilated c.xtensi\'ely, the bottom-land soils should
be more ]iroperl\- termed Hamburq- loam.

The follow int^- table shows the extent of each of the types:

ART \S OF DIKFKRE.N'T SOILS.

Soil. Square Per

miles. cent.

Miami clay loam 149-5 ^-5

Miami silt loam 34.0 15.8

Miami black cla\' loam I.o .5

Miami loam i.O .5

Oak b'oresi silt loam 12.0 5.5

Huntington Icjam 16.0 7.4

Hamburg loam i.o .5

Limestone slojje cla\- loam .5 .2

Totals 21S.0 QQ.g

72 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

MIAMI CLAY EOAM.

Miami clay loam is very closely allied to its occurrences in Union, south-
ern Rush and southern Wayne counties. It is a light brown or ash-gray
clay loam or silt loam, with a depth of from six to eleven inches. When
rubbed between the fingers it imparts a smooth feeling, which is indicative
of a high percentage of silt.

rhe .subsoil is a brown or yellow clay loam, becoming a sandy clay at
a depth of two and one-half feet. This subsoil, because of the hillside wash,
often appears as plow soil. In such cases the crops yield poorly and the
land may be clas.sed as untillable. Many farmers remember when these
hillsides produced as well as any of the upland, but through careless plow-
ing and cropping, so as to leave the land bare, the soil has been carried down
into the bottoms. .\ few suggestions from successful farmers jis to how
to improve a soil of this character have been taken up in general discussion.
Blue grass and crops that hold the soil should be grown on the slopes instead
of corn.

There are a number of farmers on the Miami clay loam who hold that
tiling is not necessar\- where there is sufficient slo]ie for the water to run off
from the surface, but those who have experimented along this line are of an
entirely different oinnion. They find that it not only makes a decided differ-
ence in the surface wash, but that it drains the water from the little inter-
vening spaces between the grains of dirt and so permits the air to circulate
more readily. This facilitates the conveying of the nitrogenous foods to the
roots of the legtnninous plants, which results in a richer soil and better yields.
In one case in the northeastern part of Waterloo township the corn crop
was more than trebled li}- tiling a rolling surface which would ordinaril\- be
said to drain itself.

An average corn crop for this type is about thirt}-three bushels to the
acre, while the leading farmers are getting fifty-five and sixty. Wheat aver-
ages fourteen bushels to the acre and oats about thirty. Clover ranges
between one and two tons, and timothy from one to one and a half tons to
the acre.

MIAMI .SILT LOAM.

Miami silt loam is an extension of the Miami silt loam areas of Union
and Franklin counties. It has a similar texture, color and subsoil, and bears
about the same relation to the Miami clav loanL It differs, however, from

FAYETTK CorNTV, IXDIANA. 73

the Union connty soil in tliat a iar,t,aT |)<.Tcenla,y;f of its area occurs on a
decidedly rolling surface, thus permitting a large auKiunt of wash, which has
left either a very thin soil or has uncovered the subsoil. This results in
cheaper land as a result of lighter crops. The axerage farmer is getting
about thirty-two bushels of corn and fourteen of wheat to the acre, while
the best farmers get fifty of corn and seventeen of wheat.

MIAMI r.OAM.

Miami loam occupies ;i \ cry limited area (one s(|uare mile I along
\\'hite \\'ater river in the northern jiart of the countx. it is found on the
steeper slojies and has conseouenlly i)een subjected to a greater surface wash.

MIAMI 1U..\C"K C[..\y LOAM.

Miami black clay loam also occupies but about one s(|uare mile in the
county. Since stream erosion has been the prevalent factor in shaping the
topography of I<"ayette county, most of the old marshes, lakes and ponds,
renuiants of the glacial epoch, have l<ing since lieen drained, and the organic
matter which accumulated in them has lieen thoroughl\- dcconi])osed or dis-
solved out of the soil. .\ verv few of these basins have left traces in the
scattered, isolated .-uid sm;di s])ois of lilack land occupying the sags in Orange.
!''air\ie\\ and I'osey to\\nsbi])s. These spots ;ire known as the liest corn
land in the county.

OAK KOKI'ST Ml.T r.O.\M.

The Oak |-"orest silt loam, covering about twelve S(|nare miles in the
county, is a tyjie h;i\ing its main dexelopment in I'Vanklin county. The
limited area in l'"a\elte count\- is found on the ridge summits in the southern
part of the county. ()\\ing to the ridges l)eing narrow :uid high the soil is
badly wa.sbed and is as likel\ to have lieen re|)laceil by the silt loam subsoil
as it is to be present. Ibe soil is considered the poorest in the countv, being
an ashen grav silt li:,im, cold, sour and very deficient in organic matter and
lime. The improvements of this soil are \ery poor, tiling, green manuring
and crop rotation being almost entirel\ neglected. \'er\' little stock is raised,
most of the grain being marketed. ( orn ranges from se\enteen to twenty-
tive bushels to the acre, and wheat from ten to eighteen. This t\pe of soil,
with tiling, green manure, lime, stable manure, commercial fertilizer and crop
rotation. ma\' be made to double its yield, and each succeeding vear finds
more of this soil bringing satisfactory returns.

74 FAYETTE COUNTY,

Hl'NTINGTON LOAM.

Huntington lo;ini. cosering sixteen square miles in the county, is found
in sporadic areas in the smaller \alleys, hut hy far the more important occur-
rences are in the first and second terraces of the ^Vhite Water valley. The
farms located on these terraces are considered superior to those on the
upland. With their natural underdrainage through the gravel heds, which
are generally from three to live feet below the surface, and the loo.se, open,
brown loam or sand)' loam, this soil is the earliest of all the types found in
the county. Corn is planted two weeks earlier than on the upland and can
be tended several da\s sooner after a heavy rain. The result is that the
average farmer is getting fort}- bushels of corn to the acre, while the best
farmers get sixty, as against thirty-three for the average fanner and fifty-
five to sixty f(5r the best on the upland. \\'heat does not do as well on the
first bottom, but sometimes yields twent\- bushels to the acre on the second
terrace.

The first bottom is not as desiralile lanfl as the second. This is due in
part to the damage done by the flood, and partly to a more sandy and gravelly
texture, with beds of sand or gravel near the surface which causes it to suffer
more from droughts. Often old bars of sand and gravel are encountered
on the first bottom which are classed as worthless, but which might make
very good alfalfa soil. The most desirable land fif both bottoms is found
north of Connersville.

LIMESTONE SLOPE CLAY LOAM.

There is only half a square mile of Limestone Slope clay loam in the
county, and this is found scattered through the southern part of the county
on the hillsides. It is not cultivated to an\- extent, and because of its tend-
ency to wash it should not be tilled at all, but be kept in blue grass, alfalfa,
or some crop that will hold the soil. Some farmers have even attempted to
grow tobacco on these slopes, but for reasons just given the crop cannot be
profitable after a few years. A^lost of the tobacco is grown in Jackson and
Columbia townships.

The following table compiled by the state geologist for the 1910 report,
shows the types of soil found in each township in Fayette county, together
with the total acreage in famis, acres of tillable land and acres of woodland.

)rNTV. INDIANA. 75

Township. Soil types.

Columbia .Miami clay loam

( )ak iMirest clay loai

1 luntingtoii loam
Conners\ille .Miami clay loam

AH other types
l''airvie\v Miami clay loam

AH other types
Harrison .Miami clay loam

Huntino^on loam

AH other tyjies
Jackson Aliami silt loam

llunting^ton loam
Jennings Miami clay loam

.\11 other types
Orange Miami clay loam

Oak Forest silt loam

Huntington loam

.\11 other types i,v4.i.^ 8.828 3,411

Posey Miami clay loam

All other types ^7,415 O.834 -',46f>

Waterloo Miami clay loam

Huntington loam

All other types 10.7Q4 8,653 2,000

Total

Tilled

Wood-

acres.

land.

1 4.og2

6.003

2.027

i.vji.i

T 1 . 1 56

2,0(,6

I r .607

0.614

1 ms

16,667

8,750

''74

i7.T5<)

7-77^'

.Vorj

n.8.vS

10,118

1,720

Total 128,718 82,733 iy.644

CHAPTER III.
Heinkmann's Researches.

The history of the region now comprised in Fayette county and of its
county seat prior to the organization of the county in January, 1819, is
very difficult to trace. It is well known that when the county was organized
there were nearly three thousand people within its limits, but where they
came from, how they reached the various parts of the county or what steps
they took to get the Legislature to organize the county are matters about
which there has been very little ascertained until within the past few years.
With the organization of the county in 1819 and the keeping of official
records the historian is able to find some definite data on which to base the
early history of the county, but the history of the decade following the
first settlement of John Conner on the i^resent site of Conner sville in 1808
or 1809 has been practically a closed record until 1909 — just one hundred
years after John Conner, a young man who had not yet reached his ma-
jority, first pitched his camp within the limits of the city now bearing his
name, and thereb}- became the first white man to settle in the city of Con-
nersville.

This history of Conner's career in b"a}ette county is fairly well known,
but an account of liis jjarticipation in state afi^airs seems to have been
neglected by local historians until recently. Every citizen of Fayette county
has more or less of a hazy idea of the fact that all of the land within the
limits of the county was bought by the United States government from the
Indians, but just when the purchase was made, who consummated it or how
much was paid for it are matters which are not generally known. Like-
wise most of the ]jeople now living in the county have heard of the old
Indian trail up the White Water, but where it ran, how much it was used
or anything definite about its connection with the history of Fayette county,
in general or of Connersville in particular are cjuestions which have been
unanswered until within the past few years. And of the city of Conners-
ville itself — the location of the trading post of Conner, or the exact site
of the block house where soldiers of the regular army were once stationed
or the location of the proposed public square — these questions and many
more ha\e been answered onh' witliin Ihe ])ast few vears.

It lias remained for a local historian to delve into the dim and mistv

' FAYETTK COlXTY. IN'DIANA. "7

liistory (if tlie decade imuK-diatcly iirccfdiiij;- the (irtianizati<in vi llie cmiiUy
and brino" to light a lari^e nunil)er of facts which had apparently been lost
forever. This historian wiio deserves the gratitude of every citizen of the
county for his jjatient and exhaustive researches into this neglected field of
the county's histor\' is J. ],. Heineniann. of L'onnersviile. i-'or twenty years
Mr. Heinemann has ))een collecting every available bit of information con-
cerning the early history- of the county, but it was not until 1909 that he
gave to the public the results of any of his lalxirs. in that year he issued
his first brochure dealing with Fayette count\-, under the title of "The
Twelve-Mile Purchase." in which he sets forth the provisions of the treaty
which included practically all of the present territory of Fayette county.
The treaty which resulted in the purchase of the strip from the Indians has
peculiar interest to b'ayette countw not only because it resulted in the acquisi-
tion of most of the land now in the countw but more particularly l)ecause
John Conner was one of the interpreters present at the making of the
treaty and the onl\- citizen of the future county of Fayette to have his
name signed to the document which was to iriake possible the formation of
the county just ten years later.

Mr. Heinemann has made extensive researches into all of the events
surrounding the making of this treaty, and for the benefit of future gene-
rations of F'ayette county it seems apjirojiriate to give the result of his
■Studies as it was originally jiublislied in looi). under the title of "The
Twelve Mile Purchase."

The Twelve Mile Purchase is a descripti\e phrase which became popu-
larly the name for the ac(|uisition of the Indian lands Ijy the United States.
of the territor}- in \\-liich I-'a_\"ette connt\- almost wliolh- lies. .\ map will
show an uneven stri]i on the west l\'ing nutside of the purchase. The ex-
pression is accurate, however, only, so far as it pertains to our neighborhood.
The treaty with the Indians which took place at Vt. Wayne, Indiana, was
concluded September 30. 1809. and provided for the cession of two sepa-
rated portions of territor)-. The larger portion lies in the Wabash region,
extending southwardly and eastwardly. but still not far enough east to make
it contiguous to our own. .\s we expect to employ the local terminology,
and call it The Twelve Mile Purchase, it may be well at the start to give
the official rendering of the act. thus luaintaining accuracy as well as showing
the origin of the title our forbears ga\e it.

78 FAYETTE COITNTY, TNOIANTA.

In Volume II (Treaties) page 101 of "Indian Affairs" (Senate Docu-
ments ) it will be found complete, with the following title :

Treaty with the Deliiwares, etc., (Sept. MDth ) 1.S0!». A treaty between the United
States of An^eriea, and ,the tribes of Indians called the Delawares., I'ntawatiiuies,
Miamies aud Eel River Miamies.

The first paragraph is as follows:

James Madison, President of the llnited States of America, by William Henry
Harrison, governor and conniiander-ln-chief of the Indian Territoi-j-, superintendent
of Indian .ilfjiirs. and commissioner pleiiiiioteutiary of the United States for treating
with the said Indi.m tribes, and the saciienis. head-men and warriors of the Delaware,
rnt.iwatiniie. Miami and Kel River tribes of Indians, h.ive agreed and concluded upon
tile following treaty: which, when, ratified by the said I'resident. with the advice and
conseni of the Senate of the T'nited States, shall be binding on the said parties.

Conse(iuently, it is pfii]jerly called, Treaty of Ft. Wayne. September 30.
180C); and, in text hooks, it will he found under that title. Our localism,
"Twelve Mile I'urchase" s])rings from the use of a detail to describe the
whole act, which fact will be readiK- seen, when it is noted that the west
boundary of this purchase follows practicallx- the watershed dividing the
basins of the White ri\er on the west and south and the White Water river
on the east. It is seemingly made twehe miles wide because the basin of the
White Water river a])i)roxiniates that distance and would he entirely covered
by such a descri|)tion. In other words, the described stri]) of territory, the
beautiful and fertile valley of the White Water, is enclosed exactly by the
metes and bounds set down in the terms of the TweKe Mile Purchase.

AN INVITINC, FIET.n TO THE WHITES.

In article I of the treat}-, the territory is mimitely described. The first
.set of details covers the tract which lies in the \\'abash region, extending to
the southeast till it ititersects the boundary of an earlier treaty, that of 1805.
Then follows this descri]ition of land :

led between the following bound-
.irdly .(long the general boundary
r!)."i) to its intersection with the
(A. II.. ISO.-,): thence .along said
the fir.st mentioned line, will be
id parallel line to its intersection
el to the line established bv Oie

In this description, the old boundary line established in 1795. by Gen-
eral Wayne, is made the base, and a parallel line westward twelve miles

— And. also, all tli;it Ir.-ic

t which sh;ill be inc

aries. viz: beginning at Fori 1

Itecovery. tlien<-c sont

line, established by Irt'aty of

(Jreenville. (A. 1 >..

boundary line established by

treat.v of (Jrouseland

line to a point from which a

line drawn parallel

twelve miles distant from the

s.ime. and along the

with a line to be drawn fror

n Fort Recovery ii.n-

said treaty of (Ji'ouseland.

fav!:ttk (.(M'Xtv. inihana. 70

(.iistant is made llif ik-w limit dI the red man's Ikhiic. ( '(inse(|iK'ntly. in \ie\\
nt the tact, that nn communications existed between us and the settlements
in tlie Waliasli coiuitr\ . it was an eas\- matter tor our pioneers to ii^nore the
part of the purchase wliich la\ m that re.^ioii. and simply call the new ac(|ui-
sition. "The Twehe Mile I'nrchase": which term, accm-ately enout^h describes
our own portion since it is twelve miles wide, and conutint;' its t^reatest eloui^a-
tion — about ninety miles north and south.

How inviting- a lield to the whites wlio lirst trod its surface! it was a
fan- country, destined to become the lionie of ci\ili/.ation. of the arts and com-
merce, alniost instantly. Tlie strip became the heart of what is now the
c;onnties of l'"ranklin. |-'ayette. Wayne and l\andol])h, and is tlie watersiied
or valley of the west fork of the White Water river. lint the briefest jjcriod
is needed to convert it into a well settled nei,!-liborhoo<l. The first settlers
haxe left an abundance of monuments to mark the sta.tjes of their rapid i)ros.;--
ress. in domestic and ci\il ii-istitutions. in itidustries that still obtain, and in
moral im])ulses that cannot be effaced, so that these are well remembered.
They are still with us in their works and are honoretl in their jiosteritv. Anil
in conse(|uence. it is llttint;- at this time, when liie centenary of his extinu-uish-
ment dawns ui)on us. to consider t^enerously. for a few- niotuents, the known
facts of the lone Indian who has departed.

There are not many thint^s to say of him. Mis traditions are effacing-
themselves year by year; and. as for written history, his takes the form mostly
of land relint|nislinients and transfers of habitation. That he had ignoble
traits is allowably the case; btit he had noble ones also. He may ha\e been
uncouth and shiftless and susj^icious, and in the possession of plent\- of other
undesirable traits, as judged by the white men who had to do with hini ; but
then, the contact was not of his seeking, and. unfler the circumstance, it is
l)robable that the futin-e will more and more reco.gnize iri him a courage, a
tenacit}- and a daring, beyond the ordinary, in contending as he did for his
hunting grounds, a.gainst the flood of whites that our colonial growth jjoured
out oxer him.

i-.'X.WCT \I. SIDK Of Till-: TR \.\-S.\CTIOX.

'i'lie third and the seventh article of the treaty set forth the tinancial sule
of the transaction, and they read as follows:

Article 3: The coiiipensatioii to he given for tlie cession ni;i(lc in ilic first .irtirle
sli.ill he as follows: viz., to the Delawjires, i\ pennjinent annnil.v of tivc Imnched (lol-
lai-s; to the Miamies. a like annuit.v of five hundred dollars; to the lOel Hiver trihe. .1
like annuit.v of two liundred Mn<l tifty dolhu-s; and to tin- I'ottawatiinies a like annuit.v
of five hundred dollars.

<50 FAYKTTi: CfJl'XTY, INDIANA.

Article 7 : The tribes wlio are parties to tliis treaty being desirous of putting an
end to the depredations which are committed by abandoned individuals of their own
color, upon the cattle, horses, etc., of the more industrious , and careful, agree to adopt
(lie following regulations: viz., when any theft or other depredation shall be committed
by any individual or individuals of one of the tribes above mentioned, upon the prop-
♦^rty of an.v individual or individuals of anotlier tribe, the chiefs of the party Injured
shall malie apiilication to the agent of the T'nited States, who shall be charged with
the delivery of the annuities of the tribe to which the offending party belong.s, whose
duty it .shall be to hear the proofs and allegations on either side and determine be-
tween them. And the amount of his award shall be immediately deducted from the
annuity of the tribe to which the offending party lielongs. and given to the person
in.iured. or to the chiefs of his village- tor his use.

It is more than interesting to know who were the signatories to this
treaty. The names present a curious admixture of \ocal sounds now lost to
us. hut which once were familiar enougli to tliose who had acquired a knowl-
edge of the pecuhar structure of the Indian's Hugo. Tliey are reproduced
verhatim, below, as found in the original document.

First, appears that of ^^'illiam Henry Harrison, who as plenipotentiary,
sufficed to bind his government.

Following his signature, and under the caption "Delawares" come the
followins':

-Anderson, for Hackingponiskon who is absent

Anderson

Petchekekapon

The Beaver

Capt. Killbuck

Under the cajjti
Winemac

Five Medals, by his son
Mogawgo
Shis.sahecon, for himself and h

his x mark
his X mark
his X mark
his X mark
his X mark

■"ottawatimas," come the follow

Ossnieet, brother of Five Medals

Nanousekah, Penamo's son

Mosser

Checiuinimo

Sockanackshut

Conengee

ng names :
his X mark
his X mark
his X mark
her Tuthimpee his x mark
his X mark
his X mark
his X mark
his X mark
his X mark
his X mark

L'nder the
Pucan
Hie Owl

i])tion, ".Miamies," cou.ie the following;

his X mark
his X mark

ic l.ittlc Turtle

his X mark

.1X111

his X mark

\crs." tlie following:

his X mark

• wallow

his X mark

I Miami of !':ik Hart

his X mark

of certain witnesses.

under the captic

the commissioner.

KAVhrTK COINTY. INI)I.\N.\. 8l

Meshekeno-iKiua. or Tl
W'apemanqua. or The 1.
Silver Heels
Shawaiienonio

liuler the name. "I^el Ri-
Charlie

Sheshangometinah. or S
The Vonno- Vvandol. ;

Xext come the signatures
the presence of" :

I'eter Jones, secretary of

John Johnson, Indian agent.

.\. Heakl, captain. L'. S. A.

A. luhvards, surgeon's mate.

IMi. Ostr.-mder. lieutenant. L'. S. .\.

John Shaw.

Stejihen Johnston.

I'"in;illy under the title. ".Sworn Inleri)reters," come these names:

J. Hamilton, sheriff Dearliorn county.

Henr\- Aupaumut.

William Wells,

John Conner.

Joseph Barron.

.\hraliam Ash.

Here are grouped the high plenipotentiaries, whose conduct in solemn
conclave, passed the so\ereignty over our lands, from one hand, nature's own
children, the aborigines, the true sons of the soil, to that of another, the
I'nited .States of America, the white man's government, lately installed on
this contineiU with momentous promise, and even greater realization judged
hy the standard of things done. Tlow rapid the progress, and how dazing
to the children of our forests, the white men's ;ichievements were, is now
difficult for us to ajipreciate. .\11 we know of the Indian's view-point is frag-
mentary. We are acquainted with his history not at all, in completeness or
with any -great degree of accuracy, h'ootprints here and there are left to us,
hut, beyond this. the\- ha\e \anislied — the race is gone.
'(6)

Sz FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

WII-LIAM HENRY HARRISON.

In noting the signatures to the treaty, it may be permissible to dismiss
the first one, WilHam Henry Harrison, who became the first governor of
Indiana Territory when organized in 1800, as too well known to bring it
into contrast with the other names. He ser\ed continuously in public life
for many years, and in tlie year 1840 was honored with the Presidency
of the United States. His intimate connection with our Indian affairs follows
after the campaigning of General Wayne which culminated in the treaty
of Greenville, Ohio, under date of 1795. Subsequent to it, and up to the
time of the Twelve Mile Purchase, he had negotiated five treaties for Indian
lands.

In the treaty which concerns us now, that of [8oy, the first family of
Indians represented in the signing of the document, are the Delawares. This
is the proper place for them, owing to the important bearing its terms are
to have on their future life. Their hunting grounds are now to be dimin-
ished exactly to the extent of the Twelve Mile Purchase, and it is they, prin-
cipally, who are to move out of their homes into new quarters.

The Delawares belong to the general group, Algonquin, and originally
were at home on the banks of the Delaware ri\'er, whence their name as used
by the whites. .\m(ing themselves they were Lenni Lenape (manly men).
They occu])ied territory successi\•el^• in what is Pennsylvania, Ohio, and after
that, following the establishment of the Indian boundary of 1795, found their
abode in the White Water \alley. In establishing themselves here, thev had
evidently displaced the Miamis: for the second article of the treaty of 1809.
clearly foresees a further encroachment by them. It reads as follows :

The Miamies explioitl.v ;iekiimvlt>(lge the wiual right of the DelMwares 'with them-
selves to the country watered by the White river. But it is .-ilso to be clearly under-
.stood, that neither party shall have the right of disposing of the same without the
consent of the other: .ind, any improvemepts which shall be made on said land li.v the
Delawares, nr their friends, the Mohicans, shall be theirs forever.

The country watered by the White river liegins exactly west of the
boundary agreed on in 1809. Thi.'^ west line of the Twelve Mile Purchase
is about where the traction line crosses Williams creek, and as is well known,
all the small streams, beyond the limits described. How in the opposite direc-
tion, forming the headwaters of the east fork of the \Vhite river, which river
courses southwestwardly to its junction with the east fork (of the White
river) not far from Vincennes. .'^o that, acknowledging the ec|ual right of
the Delawares to the country watered by the ^^^hite ri\er, simply allowed

- F\YF.TTF. rOl-NTY. INDIANA. 83

tlie latter Tmlians. tlie Delawares from this neislil)(>rhoo(l. to push their al)o(le
lieyoiid WilHains creek.

H AtK-IMM-OM.S-KON AND TIIK PROPHET.

In the study of iiuii\i(luaiity — the personal element in man — there is
oftentimes as much interest in the doings of a savage as any other humanV
being. His nature moves in simple grooves, and in consequence, it is easier
to weigh his silent motives. At the treaty of 1809. Hack-ing-poms-kon was
not present at the close of the i)roceedings. His name .is at the head of the
li.st of l^eiawares. as befits his station in his tribe, but he was not there to
sign for himself. Why? The answer will likely never be known positively.
He was tlieir senior sachem, and a genuine Indian with -long seasoning in
the arts of his people. As much as fourteen years before (1795) he was a
head warrior, for his name appears under the caption f)f Sandusky Delawares,
in the treaty of Greenville. Perhaps liis name was considered essential to
the j)resent treat}', and under jiressure he consented to its use by another.
Wliether this \iew be truth or fancy, it is known that land relinquishment
had become a liitter morsel to the aborigines ere this : and the important place
in Indian affairs of the career of the Prophet and his brother Tecumseh,
grows out of this fact. Their active labors originated only a few years before
the events now considered, and the>- reached their upmost power immediately
following, and because of the terms of the treaty of 1809. ''^^ Prophet had
set himself u]) for the guidance of his brother redskins in the towns of the
Delaware Indians, esijecially along the liead waters of the west fork of the
White river. His doctrines were a mixture of self-reform and hostility to
the whites : and, in view of recent events, carried consideral)le argumentative
force with the natives. .\s e\ents proved, be completely alienated the
Shawnees from the white man's compacts, and induced many Delawares,
wlio. biu lately, had been neighbors with the Shawnees in Ohio, individually
to join ni the aloofness. That Hack-ing-]3oms-kon was fully cognizant of
these things is attested b\' one personal episode known to historv. It occurred
near Muncie about i8of). where a momentary craze was worked up by the
Prophet against the whites, under the title of "witchcraft," indirectly attack-
ing them and the Indians favorable to the white man's methods. Several
executions harl been enacted, when the case of Hack-ing-i)oms-kon was taken
up.

.Xdditional light on this subject is shed by J. P. Dunn in his "True Indian
.Stories," as follows:

84 FAYETTE COUNTY, IWDIANA.

This chief was of different stuff from the others. He did not wait for any addi-
tional accusation. Advancing to the Prophet, he denounced him as a liar and an im-
postor, and threatened him with personal vengeance if he made any charge of witch-
craft against him. This was a very practical test of divine protection, from the Indian
point of view, to which the Prophet was not prepared to submit, and after some dis-
cussion Haclv-ing-poms-lvon was remanded to custody to await further proceedings,
but without being deprived of his standing and authority as a chief. No further action
was talien against him.

The crusade against supposed witchcraft wore itself out shortly and
whilst the council was still sitting, a leader of a Chri.stian hand of mission-
aries appeared hefore them to learn authoritatively, the mind of the Indians,
as to the future stay of Christians ;unong- them. The council gave little
encouragement, and finally referred die leader of the Christian band to Hack-
ing-poms-kon. This chief coincided with the council in the view that their
services were not particularly desirable to the Indians, especially in view of
the surplus of religion ftu"nished by the Prophet.

KIK-THA-WK-NrND, OR ANDERSON.

During the three years that followed — leading up to the treaty of 1809 —
the same sad tale of disa])pointment and discomfiture in his contests with the
wliites continued, and that the old chief — typical redskin that he was — took
on suUenness, where braxery failed, is at least a plausible theor\- for his
absence during the closing hours of Se])tember 30, 1809, with permission to
Anderson to sign for him, at that treaty.

But who is Anderson ? Certainly not an Indian name, "^'et .Anderson
himself is an Indian, notwithstanding this fact. As a Delaware he had been
in contact for long years with border-land white folks, and for this reason,
perhaps, should be held blameless for his English name — others gave it to
him. In the treaty of 1795 his name ajjpears as "Kik-tha-we-nund, or Ander-
.son." In other records it is found as Kith-til-kand : and as the s])elling is
merely the white man's attempt to reproduce on paper, by means of the alpha-
bet, a sound which an unlutored savage utters, the variation is not surprising.
Our best ]3resent-day authority on Indiana Indians, J. P. Dunn, says, "Kok-
to-wha." in Delaware language means, "making a cracking noise," i. e., as of
a house or a tree abf)ut to fall ; and the suffix, "nund" indicates that the noise
js caused by some ])erson. Consequently, he recoinmends "Kok-to-wha-nund"
with accent on the second syllable, as a phonetic rendering in English of an
Indian sound u.sed by them as the name of this chief. The same authority
says Hack-ink-]3om-ska, pronounced with accent on the second last syllable,
means "He Walks on the Ground."

- FAYKTTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 85

A (|uery ccnild he made licre, wliicli dues not helDno tn the sul)jecl pn)])er.
It sugjj-ests itself, ho\ve\er, and may 1)e asked withmit prnfferin^- a definite
answer.

It, in the l)ela\\are dialect, Hack-ing-[)(Hii.s-k()n means "lie Walks on
tile (iruund." wliy limk further for a source whence comes our Americanism
'"hiking." C'axalrymen do not "hike"; but a commf)n description with u.s
for the infantrymen's, or any other footman's, mode of travel, he who walks
on the ground, is "hiking." Is it an Indian word?

Sometimes valuable aid is derixed from geographical terms and descrip-
tions, for tracing Indian history. We will always have Ander.son to the
north and Andersonville to tlie soutli; tlie former ])lace is situate just beyond
the new Ixnuidary established in iSoo; and it was an Indian rendezvous of
importance for some time after that date. Chief .Knderson continued prpm^
inent in their councils and still maintained his eminence at the time of the
treaty of iSiS, which finall}- extinguished Indian possessions throughout
central and soutliern Indiana. Thus taking the two periods, the treaty of
1795 and tlie one of 181.'^, there is a chieftainship of twenty-three years
between tliem to Kok-to-wha-nund,. known better to the whites as \\''illiani
Anderson.

PETCH-E-KH-KA-l>O.V, I.m I,r. TIHTLK .\ND THE BEA\ER.

Of the Delawares who signed the treaty of i.Sot), the next in order is
I'etch-e-ke-ka-pon. Xo other trace of jiis career has come under notice. The
same is true of the next one to sign, namel\- Captain Killbuck. except that the
family name of Killbuck is connected with the afifairs of the Delawares before
coming to us, while they still held sites in central Ohio.

The only other signature remaining, under the title of Delawares is "The
Beaver."

\\'hat his subsequent career was cannot l)e said, hut tw(i years ])revious
(1807) ^'1 event came into liis life, which, though a reflected glory, still lent
some splendors to his re]Kitati(in at this time, no doubt. In describing it, it
is necessary first to say that I ])ass o\ er the names of all the Pottawatomie
Indians, for the reason that they were at home i)rinci])ally further north than
our locality. And, also, for a similar reason I cannot take time td exann'ne
all the Miami names, which come next in order. Rut there is one name
among the latter that cannot be omitted. It is that of Meshekenoghqua
(pronounced Mi-ski-kin-noq-kwa) or Tlie Little Turtle, 'i'his chief is the
one who stood at the head of the great .Miami confederacv of two decades

86 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

liefore ; and who successfully combated a superior white force on several occa-
sions in the war which "Mad Anthony Wayne" eventually closed.

Little Turtle will remain a permanent figure in American history. His
talents were recognized by all who met him at the time under a great variety
of circumstances, and he easily adjusted himself to whatever exigencies arose.
It is natural, consequently, that with the close of hostilities (1795) he should
wish to learn more of the white man's ways, and his travels to the "Big
Council" (the City of Washington) brought him into contact with many
capable men, some of whom left records of their impressions of this leading
representative of the Indian race.

One who met him east in 1807, which is two years before the Twelve
Mile Purchase, speaks of "The Beaver" as one of the chiefs in the party of
which Little Turtle was the leading spirit. The description which he gives
cannot fail to enhance our story.

(They) were dressed iu ;i costume usually worn by our own citizens of the time
— coats of blue cloth, gilt buttons, pantaloons of the same color, and buff waist-coats;
hut they all wore leggings, moccasins and large gold rings in their ears. The Little
Ttirtle exceeded all his brother chiefs iu dignity of appearance — a dignity which re-
sulted from the character of his mind. He was of medium stature, with a complexion
of the palest copper shade, and did not wear paint. Itis hair was a full suit, and
without any admixture of gray, although from what he said of his age, at Ft. Wayne in
18(>4, being then flfty-three, he must at this time have been tifty-seven years old. His
dress was comijleted by a long red military sash around the waist, and his hat (a
chapeau braze) was ornamented by a red feather. Immediately on entering the house,
he took off his hat and carried it under his arm during the rest of the visit. His ap-
pearance and manners, which were graceful and agreeable in an uncommon <legree,
were admired by .'ill who made his acquaintance.

In such company il is to l)e ex)3ected that "The Beaver" learned things,
and took on accomplishments that leave nothing to be desired. And, that if
a full biography of him could be written, his life would lie found creditable
by the best standards of Tndianhood.

Ot:R ORIGINAL PIONEER.

As this completes the list of names attached to the treaty under the title.
"Delaware Indians." the ones who predominated in the Fayette county neigh-
borhood, the -Story curtails itself and finds a finish. As to the whites who
joined as witnesses to the treaty of 1809, it is not necessary to study them
in this connection. Vet, there is one man whose name is attached to it —
our original pioneer. John Conner, woodsman, scout and inter])reter — who

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 87

<leser\es special c(in>iclerati(Mi, l)ut another cliapter in this vohinie treats of
his life in detail and it is unnecessary to expand upon it in this connection.
It is perhaps appropriate to repeat a moral reflection which arises with-
out effort, and is contained in a statement made by Governor Harrison upon
a notable occasion when be said, that this land "seems destined by the Creator
to give support to a large population, and be the seat of civilization, of science
and the true religion." The centurv which has passed since this fair tract
of land became a pari of the state of Indiana has seen the fulfillment of the
l)ropKecy made by our first governor : and we of Fayette county are not only
full sharers oir the Inuxlens, but also of the honors and emoluments which
ha\ e come to those who ha\e made their homes in the Twelve Mile Purchase.

PROCEEDINGS OE THE TREATY.

Following the a|>i)earance of this monogra])hic study of Mr. Heinemann
the newspa))ers of the state began making favorable comments on the char-
acter of the i)ublication. It was to be expected that the people of Fayette
county andof the White Water valley should be interested, but it was some-
what of a surprise to note that many papers over the state took the oppor-
tunity to speak of it in \ ery complimentary terms.

The second brochure of .\lr. Heinemann was also concerned with the
Twelve Mile Purchase, the subject of his first monograph. It had not been
known e\en to Indiana historians that Gen. William Henry Harrison had
a journal ke])t of the proceedings of the deliberations at Ft. Wayne, Septem-
ber 30, 1809. which finally resulted in the actual signing of the treaty, but
the original of the journal had been hidden away in the archives at Wash-
ington, D. C. for more than a hundred years. It was due to the indefatig-
able efforts, .of. Mr. Heinemann that this rlocument was found and — but let
him tell the story in his own words. It appeared for the first time in print
in the brochure of Mr. Heinemann.

TOURN.M. OE PROCEEDINGS.

This pamphlet contains a reproduction without typographical alteration
of the diary kept b}' Peter Jones, secretary to Governor Harrison, one of the
commissioners appointed by President Jefferson to deal with the Indians (ju
this occasion.

It seems ti-uly deserving of ])reservation in the popular form here given

iSa FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

to it, and of an lionored place in any collection of original data of those early
days.

Besides the local appreciation attached to its every detail, in a wider
sense, the treaty is likewise not without some value to every student of Indi-
ana history in general, because of the subsequent events that arose from it.
The Indians under the influence of the Prophet and Tecumseh were some-
what advanced in the formation of their plans at this time, but it was only
in the progression of events that their real designs were uncovered. With
the new treaty in existence, evasion ceased to be possible, and their hostile
sentiments and their determination to fight were made manifest in the conduct
that followed.

What transpired after the treaty of Fort Wayne, can be indicated by a
few brief extracts from Dillon's History. This book was written at a time
when the local atmosphere of the pioneer days still surrounded our ancestors,
and, consequently, the emphasis of e\ents as found there, is quite likely a
verv true picture of one view of the pioneer period of our commonwealth.

We quote from the edition of 1859:

Tecumseh cleai-ly iutiiuated that he would resist auy attempt that might be made
to survey lands which had been ceded to the United States by the treaty of Fort
Wayne. (p. 431.)

Throughout the course of the year ISIO, various rumors of the growing power and
the hostile intentions of the Shawnee Prophet, produced a state of some alarm among
the people, and retarded the progress of settlements and improvements in several
counties of the Indiana territory. (p. 430.)

In an interview with one of the messengers (of Governor Harrison), who visited
the Prophet's Town in the month of June, 1810. the prophet declared that it was not his
intention to make war on the white people; and he said that some of the Delawares.
and some other Indians, "had been bribed with whiskey, to make false charges against
him." When pressed by the messenger, Mr. Dubois, to state the grounds of his com-
plaints against the United States, the prophet said that "the Indians had been cheateil
out of their lands; that no sale was good unless made by all the tribes; that he had
settled near the mouth of the Tippecanoe, by oivJer of the Great Spirit ; and that he
was, likewise, ordered to assemble as many Indians as he could collect at that place."
(p. 440.)

"Brother: this land that was sold, and the goods that were given for it. was only
done by a few. . . . The treaty at Fort Wayne w;is made through the threats of
Winaniiic; but in the future, we iire pre]iared to punish those chiefs who may come
forward to propo.se to sell land. . . . Those that did sell, did not own it. It was
me. These tribes set up a claim; but the tribes with me will not agree to their claim.
If the land is not restored to us, you will see, when we return to our homes, how it
will be settled. We shall have a great council, at which all of the tribes shall be
present, when we shall show to those that sold, that they had no right to the claim
they set up; and we shall see what will be done with those chiefs that did sell the
land to you. (p. 443.)

1 WUIlld iMlU-

liil.v (lu llif

red |pei>i]|e. and do wU.il 1 have re-

i;ive up the

land, and do

cross the boinidary of our present

,• bard. Mild

liriidvict" grent

troubles auiong us. ... As we

at tlie lliir

on villaf;e. tlui

1) is near the British, we may prob-

ShouUl they

oflVr u.s any

presents of goods, we will not take

ItVr us powtl
:.•■ (p. 444.

lev .-md Ihc Ic

iiiiahawk, we will talce Ihc piiwder

)

FAYKTrK CHrXTY,

•Krother: 1 wish y<.u
unested. If you do not ;
settlement, it will be veri
intend to bold our council
ably make them a visit,
them: but should they ol
and refuse the tomahawk

The governor then re(iuesled Tecumseh lo stale, plainly, whether the surveyors
who might be sent to survey the lands— purchased by the treaty of Fort Wayne, in
tWlSI — would be interrupted by the Indi.ius: and whether the Kikapoos would, or would
not. receive their, aauiuitie-s. Te<'.uiU}*eh. in reply, sjiid : "Brother: when you speak
of annuities to me,' I' look at the' land, and pity the women and children. 1 am author-
i/.eil to say that they will not receive them. Brother, we want to save that piece of
laud. We do not wish you to take i|. It is siiial! enough for our purjii'sc. If you
take it. you must lil.inic yourself .-is the cause of trouble between us and the tribes
who sold it lo you. 1 waul the present boundary line to continue. Should you <'ross
it, 1 assure you it will be productive of bad consequences." The council, which was

held in a small grove that si 1 ueai- the dwelling house of the goveru(U'. was then

brought to a close.

On tile ne.xt day (oivcnior ll.iirisoii, .UleHdeii only by his iutcriireler. visited the
camp of Tecumseh. where he was ie<fived politely. In the <-ourse of .i long interview
Tecumf<eh r<?peated the principal dei-laration and sentiments which he had previously
uttered and avowed in open council; and when Goveriuu- Harrison told him that his
claims and pretensions woulil not be acknowledged by the I'resident of the Fnited
States — "Well." said Tecumseh. ".-is the great chief is to determine the matter. I hope
the (Jreaf Spirit will jiut sense enough into his head to induce him to direct you t
give uj) this land. It is true, be is so far off be will not be in.iuied by the war. He may
sit still in his town, .-iiid drink his wine, \\hiie y<ni and I will have to fight it out."
(I>. 44G1.

'!"() enuiiierale fiirtlicr tlie liappeiiinos tliat fnlliiwed. wi'mld lie enttring-
into the liistun- of tlie iiiilitai-y caniiiai.s^iis that culminated at Tippecanoe, in
iXij, and e\en to the battles of .Maiden and tlie ri\er 'i'haines. in iHi^^j.
whefe Teciiniseh in a forlofii lio])e laid dciwii his life, weririno- .a r.ritish
tiniforni.

l*'or some unknown reason. "The journal of the rroceedinos," printed
hefewith, was omitted from the oii\ernment ])nhlications in the last century,
when these matters were hrst collected in American State I'ajiers. and it
remained hidden ;iwa\- for a hundred years, ;is a niaiuiscript in the files of
the Dei)artment of War at \\ashinj.;ton.

How it was hrnncrht to lijaht is shown hy a letter and its several answers,
wliich follow: and their puhlication. also will render credit for the part per-
formed by the eminent Indianian. Senator Beveridge. throug;h whose influence
the .search, by the War Departiiient oflfcials. for the inissinq- diar\- was under-
taken.

go FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

A I.ETT£R AND ITS SEVERAL ANSWERS.

Couneisville. Indiimji, June ISth, 1909.
Hon. Albert J. Beveridge.

Semite, Washiugtou, D. C.

llEAK .Sir: — In the iiuthorizatioii t'loiii (he war ilepai-tiiieut to William Heury
llariisoii. .Jul.v l.'ill). isnit. to luixeed witli a fuitbcr tieat.v witli tlie Indians, occurs
tills instruction:

"A diary of the iiroceedings. .sliould be lieiit by the commissioner or the

secretary, and a carefully certified copy thereof forwarded with the treaty

to this ilepjtrtment.'" (American State Pajiers. Vol. I, p. 761.)

Tile treaty \v;is ccincluded September ;!(l. l.sdll. and is printed in full in the volume
quoted .-ibovc, and also in \ol. II. Indian .Vffiiirs. Treaties, Senate Documents. But
1 can find no ac<-ount of the diary retpured b.v the otHcial instructions.

.Vic the minutes of the proceedings preserved in the archives of the department
of w.ir, and are they accessible to the general public? To the best of my knowledge,
the state lilirary. at Indianapolis, contains no reference to them e.xcept that to be
found in the volume referred to, and if the minutes still exist, but have never been
put into print. I should be exceedingly favored by whatever interest you manifest
ill this belated exploration into Indiana history.

The copy of the same b.v a suit.-ible stenographer is an expense which I shall
gladly defray, if ,vou see tit to use your sujierior opportunities in locating the original
manuscript.

AVith the assurance that whatever aid yon give will lie very greatly appreciated,
and thanking yon in advance for overlooking whatever trouble or inconvenience this
letter gives yon. I beg to remain very resniectfull.v.

Yours truly,

J. li. Heinemann.

Department of the Interior.
Office of Indian Affairs.

\Vasb!iigt(Mi. .lune 8(1. l!»(l'.».
Hon. Albert J. Beveridge,

T'nited States Senate.
Sir : — The office is in receipt, by your reference of .June 2,Hrd, of a letter addressed
to you by the war deiiartment returning a eoniniunication from Mr. .T. L. Heinemann,
t'onnersville, Indiana, relative to his desire to obtain a copy of the Journal of Pro-
ceedings of the commission that concluded a treaty with the Delaware, Pottawatomie,
Miami and Eel River Indians at Ft. Wayne on September 30. 1S09 (7 Stat. L., 113-115).
The .Journal referred to, which was found recently in the files of the war depart-
ment, was referred to this oflSce by that department on June 23. 19<>9, and a certified
<'opy thereof is being prepared and will be forwarded to you for Mr. Heinemann's use
;is soon ;is it is completed. Very respectfully,

R. I. Walentein,

Commissioner.

Indianapolis, Indiana, August 10, 1909.
liKAR Mr. Heinemann:

I have your letter of August oth, enclosing draft for the bureau of Indian affairs

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 9I

iu iiayuieiit of certilietl cuiiy cif Journal of the Proteediiiss of the Indian Treaty of
ISiV.). I am i-etuniiiis the ilraft to y<iu. and he« to suKKe^'l that yon have same maih-
pnyalile to Mr. Ahhott. artuis conunissionor, and forward it to him at Washin;,'ton
direct.

Assuring' you tliat I was very pleased to do what I tinild in this matter, I am,
\'ery truly yours.

Alhkrt J. Bevkbidgk.
.Mu. .T. I.. Heine.\i.u\n.

I'onnersville. Ind.

The ft)ll()\ving i,'^ a \erl)atiiii copy of the letter from Cieii. Wilham Henry
Harrison to the Secretary of War, accompanyin"- tlie Journal alxjve referred
to:

Vincennes 15th Nov. ^S.m.
Sir

I have now the honor to enclose the slietch of the lands lately ceded hy the
Indians to the United States and the Journal liept by Captain Jones, the secretary.
There appears to be much more land in these tracts than I e.xpected being upwards
of 2,900,0(10 acres. I believe there are two or three excellent salt springs on the
tract near this. General William Clarke who is now at Washington can give you
some information on this siib.iect. The one marked in the sltetch has been visited
since the treatj- b,v some of our citizens who say that it promises well.

The sketch is principally intended to show the advantages which would arise from
opening a road to Dayton in the state of Ohio it would bring us 120 miles nearer the
seat of government. I believe that the Indians would consent to have the road ojiened
through that part of their country which it must necessarily pass through.

I have Honor to be with

great Uespect Sir your
Humble Servant.
The Honorable Wn.tAi Henry Harrison.

Wn.r.i.\M I<>usTis. Ksq..

Secretary of War.

\"erb.\t;m copy of the journal.

On h'riday the i st of .Se])teniher (ioxernor Harrison, as commissioner
for Treatino- with the Indian Trihes set out from Vincennes for Fort Wayne
accompanied h}- his Secretary I'eter Jones one Interpreter a I-'rench Man
as a guide a Servant of the tldverndr tS: two Indians, .\fter !ea\ing- tlie
Settlement of Knox Connt_\- nur route was along the road newly cut out hy
the orders of the Government in the direction of the Xorth liend to its
termination, & tlien along the frontier of the Count\- oi ]J)earhorn to I'^ort
Wayne, at which place we arrived on the fifteenth. Directions had 1)een
gixen to Mr. John Johnston the Indian .\gent to assemhle the Inflians, against
that time. The Deliware Trihe with their Interpreter) Mr. John Conner

92 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

reached Fort Wayne at the very moment of our arrival. Two principal
Chiefs HockinmioniscDn and tiie Bea^-er were however absent on a visit to
Detroit.

1 6th. Tart of the Putawatiniies arrived under their Chief VVinemack.

The Governor learned witli regret that the head Chief Tipinipe of the
I'ulawatimies & Five A-Iedals were not returned from Detroit but authorized
their son & nephew to act for them. Tn the evening the Eel River Tribe
arri\ed & more of the Putawatimies.

i/th. The Miami Chief Peccan Oul Osage and some inferior ones
arrived. A messenger was sent for the little Turtle who returned for answer
that he would come in on the igth Inst. -\ mischievf)us report was circulated
amongst the Indians that a Detacliment of American Troops were marching
against them. Some of the young men were much frightened but the Chiefs
treated it with the ridicule it deserved. The Putawatimies waited on the
Governor & requested a little liquor which was refused. The Governor
observed that he was determined to .shut up the liquor casks until all the busi-
ness was finished.

]8th. .\n express was despatched to Detroit to hasten the arrival of
the Deliware & F'utawatimie Chiefs who had gone to that place & whose
presence was \ery much desired 1)y the Governor. Mr. Barron the Inter-
preter was also sent to the Miami Towns sixty miles distant to bring Richard-
ville the Principal Chief of that Tribe who had excused himself under pre-
tence of real or pretended sickness from comeing in withe the other Chiefs.

The Governor had a conference with a Deputation from the Deliwares
who reside west of the Mississi])])i who came for the purpose of prevailing on
those of that Tribe who reside in this Territory to join their brethren in
Louisiana. .\ reciprocal ])romi.se was made by the Governor to promote the
above object as much as jiossible :uid In" tlie Chiefs to aid his views in respect
to the proposfed Treaty. Measures were taken also to explain the wishes of
the Government to the Putawatimies & to engage their cooperation. More
of the Putawatimies & Miamies ari\ed the whole number on the ground this
day was eight hundred and ninety-two.

iQth. The Turtle arrived this day with a number of Miamies & Puta-
watimies. The Goxernor visited the Putawatimies in their Camjj as had
prex'iously done the Deliwares. Measures were also taken to sound several
of the most influential Chiefs on the subject of the proposed Treaty. Captain
Hendricks the Mohecan Chief informed the Governor that the British Agent
of Indian affairs had ad\-ised all the Indian Tribes ne\-er to listen to any

- FAYKTTK COl'NTY, INDIANA. t)^

proposition to sell tlifir lands to the L'nited States, l^inncvva a I'utawatiniie
Cliiet ari\-ed with oiie hundred Indians of his Tribe.

JOth. The (io\ern,.r had a conference with all the Miami .S: lud Kner
Chiefs & e-xjilained to them at great lens^th the object of his \isit to this |)lace
and the great advantage which they would derive from causeing the W'eas
to move from the neighborhood of our Settlements an<l join their bretluxii
the Miamies & Eel River Tribes) these three tribes are all ])ro])erly s])eaking
Miamies see the Treaty of ("imnseland i Their Xation w<iuld then become
mucii more respectable an<l thev would be enabled greatly to increase their
anmiit)- b\' selling a Tract of hnul which was exausted of game and which
was no longer useful lo them. They were desired to take the Governor's
proposal inti> consideration iK: I'nolly iS: deliberatelx" to weigh all the argu-
ments he had used to adopt his ad\ ice. .Mr. \\'ells remained with them at
their conference and in the e\ening reported to the (io\ernor that they had
determined on no account e\er to part from another foot of their lands.
Tliere is some reason to beliexe lio\\e\er that this was a mere titiesse to
enhance the ])rice of their land. This exening .Mr. liarron returned from the
Mississinway &• rep(«rted that the Chief RicharcK ille was contined to his P>ed
& obserxed that it was im])ossible for him to attend at i)i-esent ])ut he reipiested
the Governor to be informed that he would come up in a few days if he should
find himself able X: that he had advised the other Chiefs by all means to
comiilx- with Governor's wishes.

_'ist. The Governor had determined not to assemble the Chiefs in a
Creneral Council until the arrival of the b'ive .Medals, the rutawatimie Chief,
but finding that his object had been \ery much tnisre])resented to them, lie
commenced on this da\- both to the Deliwares & I'utawatimies the wishes of
the Go\-erninent in relation to a furtlier cession of Latids.

In the e\"ening the I'vitaw ntimie Chiefs sent a message to the (loveruor
to inform him that the_\- had delennined that the other Tribes should agree
to make the proposed cession.

_'2iid. In Council i)re'*eut. Go\enK)r Harrison as Commissioner i'leni-
])otentiary on the ])art of the i'nited States and a full re])resentation of the
Deliware, .Miami, Rel Kixei" i\; Ptttawatimie Tribes of Indians 1)\- their Chiefs
& Head Men.

William Wells Joseph liarr.ni John Conner and .\brahatn .\sh were
sworn Interpreters. The Governor addressed the Chiefs in a speech of con-
siderable leneth showing the pro])riety of their agreeing to his ])roposition to
sell a tract of Country binding on the Wabash the Vincemies tract and the
Ijoundary established by the Treatv of Grouseland and another bounded b\-

94 KAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the latter on the st)uth & the old boundary line running from Mouth of Ken-
tucky River on the East. He urged the vast benefit which they derived from
their annuities without which they would not be able to cloathe their woman
& children, l^he great advance in the price of Goods and the depression of
the value of their peltries from the troubles in Europe to which their was
ni> probability of a speedy termination. The little game which remained in
their country particularly in that part of it which he proposed to purchase.
The usurpation of it by a Banditti of Muscoes & other Tribes that the sale
of it would not prevent them from hunting upon it as long as any game
remained. But that it was absolutely necessary that they should adopt some
other plan for their su))]:)ort. That the raising of Cattle & Hogs required
little labor and would be the surest resourse as a substitute for the wild ani-
mals which thev had so unfortunately destroyed for the sake of their skins.
Their fondness for hunting might still be gratified if they would prevent
their young men from hunting at improper seasons of the year. But t(> do
this effectually it will be necessary that they should find a certain support in
their Villages in the summer season. That the proposed addition to their
annuities would enable them to jjrocure the Domestic Animals necessary to
commence raising them on a large scale. He observed also that they were
too a])t to im])ute their i)0\'ertv and the scarsity of Game to the encroach-
ments of the White Settlers. But this is not the true cause. It is owing
to their own im])ro\i(lence & the advice of the British Traders by whom they
were stimulated to kill the wild animals for the skins alone when the flesh
was not wanted. That this was the cause of their scarsity is evident from
their being found in much greater quantitx- on the south than on the north
side of the Wabash where no white man but traders were ever seen.

The remnant of the W'eas who inhabit the Tract of Country which was
wanted were from the \icinit\ to the Whites poor & miserable all the pro-
ceeds of their hunts & the great ])arl of their annuities expended in Whiskey.
The .Miami Xation would be much more respectable & formidable if its scat-
tered members were all assemljled in the center of their Country.

A rough sketch of the Country in which the two tracts which were
wanted were ]>articularly delineated was shewn to them, after which the Owl
a Miami Chief addressed the Governor.

Father we are \ery hap]:)\- to here your address. We shall take what
you ba\'e said into consideration & will return you an answer.

23rd. The Chiefs met in Council at the Deli ware Camp to consider the
Governor's ])roposition it was understood that the Putawatimies declared
unequi\ocally in faxour of the sale and were seconded bv the Deliwares.

" FAYKTTE CdlNTY. INDIANA. <>5

The iniamics reiiiainecl silent. The (ioxernor had a private interview witli
the Turtle who expres.sed some solicitude tn know whether tiie dismission of
Mr. U'ells from his employment as X^ent wduld effect his standing with the
(ro\-ernment. The (^lovernor assured him that he should be treated in all
respects as he had heen heretofore so lonq as he conducted himself with pro-
priety. He then assured the Governor unequivocally that he would exert
himself to the utmost of his power to effect the proposed Treaty, hut that
many difficulties were to he encountered before it could be accomplished.
That great complaints were made by the Indians on account of the compen-
sation formerly allowed That those who were in favour of the Treaty were
decidedlv of opinion that they aught to be alloweil for the larger tribes at
least a further annuitv of Siooo 6v; for the smaller ones $500 besides a con-
siderable sum in hand. In the evening the Miami Chiefs waited on the
Governor at his lodgings and spent the evening with him. The rec|uested to
have a little li(|uor for their \oung man. Two Gallons were given to each
Tribe. .\ Potawatomie Chief ^^ ineiuack waited on the Governor late in
the evening and tokl him that he came to make him sleep well by communi-
cating the agreeable information that his ]iroposition would be acceeded to
by the Indians.

J4tli. The Indians met in Council to determine upon the answer to be
given to the (iovernor. When the .Miamies declared their determination not
to sell a foot of Land. Observing that it was time to put a sto]) to the
encroachments of the whites who were eternally ])urchasing their lands for
less than the real value of them. That they had also heard that the Governor
had no instructions from the President to make the purchase but that he
was luaking it upon his own authority to please the \Miite peo])le whoom he
governed. The Pnlawatimies vehementlv urged the sale & rejiroached the
Miamies in the most bitter terms. "That the I'utawatimies had taken the
Mianu'es under their ])rotection when they were in danger of being extenuin-
ated & saved them. That the}' had always agreed to the .sale of lands for
the benefit of the Miannes and they were now determined that the .Miamies
should sell for their benefit."

The Delawares would tJike no active ])art on either side.

J^th. All the Tribes were assembled in Council and the (lovernor
addressed them as follows

My Children

My lle.-irt is (ipiin'sscd. If I cdiilil hnvf hclieved tliiit I should Imve experiencwl
liMlf (if tlic iii(ii-titi(;iti(iii .111(1 dis.i|iii(,iMtniciil wlik-li I now fwl. I would have eutrpiited
your Fiitlipi- till- I'rcsidcnl to li.ivc chosen some otlior Ueprcsentative to have made

yiin. I iuii sure that

e^•erything wil

fhiefs & Wan-iiii

IS of the Pelii

not (ieceived me. ya

u liave united

.■(.voiiiiJlisli the wisht

■s of your Fa

<pf this I'onufil wi-iti

len by tlie Se

& whenever yim take

■ him by tlie 1

brothers on the Miss

lissiinii sliall a

90 K.'.VKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Ivnown bis wislies to you. The proposition which I have uiade you, I foudly hoped
would h.-ive iieen .uceptable to all, because I knew it would be beneficial to all. Why
then this dis,i};reeinent auioughst you. Is there some evil spirit amonghst us'? That
lias set Brothers against Brothers & the Children against the Father? The Wind I
hear h;is blown from the North, no good Las ever yet come from that quarter. If we
who inh.-ibit this great Isleand. who were liorn here, are not friends to each other, who
will be our Friends.

Believe me my ("hildren. the people u]ion the other side of the big water would
desire nothing better than to set , us on<-e more to cut each others throats. Glad
enough would they be to see us contending againsl e;iih other in battle provided the.v
were secured behind the Walls of a strong fort. .Miamies be not offended with your
brothers the I'utawatimies. If they have di.<covered to(j much eagerness to compiy
with the wishes of their Father. Look .it their Woman & Childreu see>,tlieiii exposed
to the winds & the rain as tlic.\' will he in .1 short time to the snows of the Winter.
I'utawatimies do not suffer your love for ycmr Father and your own distresses to
make you angry with your brothers the Mi.-imics. I know that they are .attached to
vet be- ti.xed to youi- satisfaction,
re. 1 li.ive put i-outidence in you and you have
vith your grand Children the Puttawatimies to
n-. he will remlier you for it. Tlie proceedings
-tary will be sent to him. his eyes will see it
id you will know tli:it his heart is .vours. Your
1 feel the good eftVrts of your fathers affection
for .vou.

I promise you that the Osages shall not molest you in your hunting grounds.
My Children the Miamies, what disconcerts youV Il.ive you not always received
justice from the hands ef your- faftierV What is it he asks of you? Nothing but
what .vou. can spare. Will not your situation be made better by agreeing to his
proposal? I kuow that you have long desired to have your brothers the Weas along-
.side of you. It will add to your strength -a< present they are of no use to you —
bring .vour scattered members together & you will he strong, besides there is danger
that this distant member may fall off it is already we.ikened by the excessive use
of of licpior. My Children your father will never be the cause of breaking the chain
of friendship that connects you with each other.

I'uttawatimtes & Miamies look upon each other .-is brothers and at the same time
look upon your grand fathers the Del.iw.ires. 1 love to see you all untied. I wish
a strong chain to bind you all together in the bonds of friendship. I wish to hear
you speak with one voice the dictates of our He.irt. All must go together. The con-
sent of all is necessarj-.

Delawares and Putawatimies. I told yon that I would do nothing with the Miamies
without yoin- consent. Miamies I now tell you tli.it nothing can be done without your
consent. The consent of the whole is necessary. This is the first request your new
Father (President Madison) has ever made you it will lie the last, he wants no
more of your land agree to the proposition which I now make you & send on some
of your wise men to take him by the hand. lie will set .vour Hearts at ease. He
will tell you that -he will never make ■•mother |iro|io.sition to you to sell your lands.
My Children the Miamies will you not listen to the voice of your father will
.vou not iijien your ears to the recommendjition of your grand fathers the Deliwares
& vour brothers the Puttawatimies. Consult together mice more if any ill will remain

' FAVETTK cor NTY. INDIANA. 97

in your hre.-ists ;i-.iiiist c.-i.-li ntlicr li.-iMisli il. throw il mwm.v. nnd return ii f;ivor;ililo
iinsucr lo tliis List roqiiesl of your Father.

Tlu' Turtk- -\ Miami Cliit-t ilu-n s|Kike as follows

We h.-ivo listfiUMl to wli.-it our l''allicr li:is s;ii(l. I'titnwMtiniies .V: 1 icliw.iros we liitvi'
licMnl liiiu say lliat yon worr niiilcil for the iiurpose of c-onii'lyini: with his wi.slics
I .iin sorry thiit he has met with so inncli dillii-nlty. It is true that we the Miamie.s
are not unileil with the Deliw.ires .iinl rntawatimies in opinion. Father it appears
that the thiiifi is now left with the .\Iianiies. tliey will withdraw and consult together
.111(1 .-iftei- they h.-ive made n]) their minds yon shall hear our answer.

hi the fveiiiti.y the .Miami Chiefs from two \"illaoes met with the l':el
River Chiefs muler the .aiispices of the 'i'urtle iS; asfeed to meet the Gov-
ernor's wishes.

_>'.th. A meetin.ti- of the several Tribes took i)lace. The I'utawatimies
m-i^ed ati immediate conii)liaiice to the i)roposal of the I'nited States. The
Miamies from .Mississiinvay took the lead in the debate & declared tliat they
would ne\ei- consent to sell any more of tlieir lands that they had been advi.sed
liv the b'atlier the P.ritish nc\er to sell another foot. The I'utawatimies
|)ourcd ni>on them a tori-eiU of abuse and declared that they wnuld no lousier
consider them as I'.rothers but that they would loose the chain which had
united tliem with the Toiuah.iwk & setting up a shout of Defiance which was
echoed 1)\- all the warriors jtroceeded immediately to the Council House to
inform the (roventor of what the\- bad done, the Governor blamed them for
their rashness & made tliem i)i-omise not to otfer the Miamies any further
insult to put their cause in bis liauds.

Tt a])])eai-ed that such of the .Miamies as bad determined in fa\dur of
the Treaty were intiniidated b\ the vehemence <if the Chiefs of the Mississiii-
v\a\- N'illatje & remained silent. 1 Jm'ino- the whole of this dav and the pre-
ceedin,<,r one. ])arties of youno nieii of the .Miami Tribe were constantl_\- ari\-
ino- loaded with goods from the liritisb .\gents at Maiden and cbaroed also
with strong remonstrances against the pro]X)sed I'reaty.

In the evening the Go\-ernor bad the greater ])art of the Miami Chiefs
at his lodgings and in a con\ ersation of some boin's e.xjxised ])rof'idious con-
duct of t!ie British towards them from the commencement of the Rexolu-
tiotiar}- War untill the present mometU. "To them all their misfortunes
were to be attribnteil & tlteir present l<in(lness to them j)roceeded from ikj
other cause but a wish to embroil them with the United States. In case of
a War with tlie latter, the 1-jiglish know that they are unable to defend Can-
ada with their own force, ihev are therefore desirous of interiiosing the
(7)

98 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Indians lietween them and danger." --\ ccimplimentary answer was returned
by tlie Head Cliief Paccon & they returned aliout ten o'clock a little inchm'cd
with AVine.

27th. The Miami Chiefs were this da\- debating on the proposed Treat}-,
the Chief Silver heels ]jarticularly distingnisbed himself in favour of the
Treaty. They came howe\-er to nt) decision. In the e\'ening the Governor
recommended to the Putawatimies to accommodate their difference with the
Miamies they immediately assented & a proper (|uantity of W'ampon was pre-
pared for the purpose.

28th. The Putawatimies & Miamies met & the bad words spoken by
the former on the 26th being- recalled the>- shook hands and became again
friends. The pro])osed Treaty was again taken under consideration and
various objections \vere started by the ]\liamies , amonghst other things it
was insisted that they ought to sell their lands In- the acre & that they should
receive two Dollars for it. In the evening the Ciovernor was informed that
they had agreed to sell the small tract near h\)rt Recovery only, and none
on the Wabash.

29th. In Council present the Cro\ernor and the Deliware, Putawatimies,
Miamies & Eel River Miamies.

The Owl a Miami Chief said "That it bad pleased the great Spirit to
unite again all who were ])resent in the bands of friendship.

Yesterday the fiiendsLi]i was ,ill afloat to-day it is made tinii. You the people
of the T'Uited States h.ive as-seiiihled us all here, our Chiefs, &c. You remher the
time when we first took each other by the h;iiid at Greenville. You there told us
where the line would he between us. You told us to love our woman & children
and take care of our lands, you told us that the Si)anish bad a sreat deal of money
the English & some of your peo]ile likewise. I)ut that we should not sell our lands to
any of them. In consequence of wbicb last fjill we ;ill |iut our band.s upon our lands
& determined not to sell our lands. We all love our bauds. .\.fter this determination
you sent for us ;it the end of out' year bul we did not ex|iecl to bea.r from you what
we have beard. Imt we yesterday determined to sive you an answer. You have told
us not to let ,iny pei-son have our lands hut consider well before we sell fbem. This
was iioiid .idvii*'. you know when things are scasce the.v are dear, you know the price
of lands. We .are willing to sell some for the price that it sells for jimouKhst
yourselves. The land yon want on the Wabasb we have nolbini; to say to al ]a-esent
as the Weas are not here. If i)eoiile have auytbini; that tbey do u<it waul tliey will
jiart from it easily, -^'e yet find Kanie on this land when there is none. We will let
you know it. Father you know the Mi.iniies. .vou know fh.-it when tbey do business
with ,iny other Indians no resjiect is paid to what they say. Father at this Council
you have told the Jliamies to si)eak. We therefore exfiect that you will he governed
by what they say. When you spoke to ns you wished that we should comply. \A'e
now wish that you would comply with what we wish. The land we propose selling
to you will be measured and when it is we wish to he iiresent. Father the land you

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FAVKT'lE (■or>

luoiilioiieil t(i us .III Ibf \V:ih.isli we liiivc n

Id f;o lioiiie imsiiccessfui. We will li'l yon liiivi' senile land near Fort Uecovery. Ilii-
land on the Wabash our younger Brotlieis (i(iu|i.\. I >on"t be dissjitisfied. This is oiii
ili'ti>iiiiiuati(iii. We liavc dispntPil almiil yiinr pruiiDsal but our disinites were t'or-
limali'ly si'lllcil yesterday. Kalher you kimw e\ cryrliing. you will immediately iiiider-
siauil wlial 1 new say -we wisli tii Ueep as far as jiossible from the White people,
we know that when your Horses are lost you hianie the Indinns, we wish to keep our
people and yours as sei)arate as possilile. This is the sentiments of your ("hildreii here
present. We have nothing more to sjiy. Our Chiefs. Warriors. Women & ("hildreii salute
you, the former annuity due to us by the ruiteil Sl,ites we li,ive eonie to re<eive ami
w isli them deliverert as soon as ixissible.

The (iovernor then nddressed them in a .speech ut two h(jnr.s in which
lie _oa\e a History of the Coiuhict of tlie L'nited States towards the red |)eo])le
contrasted with that of Great P.ritain. "The loss of the conntrv from Pitts-
luirs^h to the Miami was entireh- to he .-ittfihtited lo the hitter who urj^ed the
Indians to commence all those Wars, which ha<l terminated so fatally to them,
if all the lands wliich had heen taken from them in those Wars which they
had enoatjed in hy the ad\ ice of the P.ritish had heen sold on the same terms
as those ceded since ihc Treaty of (jreeinille tlieir .\mniity would now have
heen e(|iial to all their wants nor would they have to lament the numerous
warriors who had fallen in fighting the battles of the linghsh. How differ-
ent was the conduct of the Uiu'ted States? Consious of their ability lo
punish their enemies thev had never asked the assistance of their red children
but ha\e always adxised them to remain at jieace in their Cabbitis & suffer
the white jieople to fight their own battles." The Gosernor e.\])lained to them
the nature of a Treaty "Xo other jiower but tlie I'nired St.'ites had e\er
Treated with them. Other Civilized Xations considered the lands of the
Indians as ilieir own and appropriated them to their own use whene\er they
])leased. .\ Treaty was considered by white ])eo])le as a mo.st solemn thing
and tho.se which were made by the L'nited States with the Indian Tribes
\\ere considered as binding as those which were made with tlie most ]io\\er-
ful Kings on the other side of the P.ig Water. The\- were all concluded with
the same forms and printed in tlic same I'.ook so that alt the world might see
them and brand with infamy the ]iart\ which violated them. The l'nited
States would alwa\s adhere to their engagements. To do otherwise woidd
be offensive to the great spirit and all the world would locik ujion them as
a faithless ])eople. \\'ith res])ect to your selling the land bv the acre it is
entirely out of the question. But if the L'nited States were to agree to ii,
\ou have no one that could sur\ey it for you or who could tell whether it was
accurately done or not. If it was sold by the acre we would onlv take what
was good and leave the rest ujion your hands. When it is bought in the

lOO FWETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

large (|uaiitit}- xou are paid for good and bad togetlier and }-ou all know that
in every tract that is purchased that there is a great portion of bad land not
fit for our pur])ose. This idea must have been suggested to you by some
person who is as much your enemy as the enemy of the United States."
The Governor then told them that he was tired of waiting and that on the
next day he wduld submit to them the form of a Treaty which he wished
them to signe and if they would not agree to it he would extinguish the coun-
cil fire.

Winemack a i'utawatimie Chief then addressed the Go\-ernor as follows
FMther

All the I'utMWMtimies ;i(l(lres>< you. listen to \vL;it the.v .s;iy. which come from them
.ill. Fiither the Fnrawatimies are of the same o))inion that they have ever been, that
.voiir iiroiio.«itioii is right and .just. We all know that our Father never deceived U.S.
we therefore agree to his jiroijosal. All the Chiefs & Warrior.s have heard you say
that they may go and see their great Father tlie I'resideut and that he would tell them
as you have done.

You have now lieard the sentiments of all the Putawatimies. Fatlier after
we conclude the Treaty some of our young men would be glad to go and see their
Father. Father your t'hildren have listened to you with attention all that .you have
said is good, yon have asked for l:ind. we will give it to you. We have heard you
say that the piece of land .-it the Wea Towjis which we li:id formerly given, you were
willing to retore Ibis hiis laadc us lia|i|)y wc have always heard from you and our

Father .Tefferson iiotbing but g 1. We wish lo conrnr with all the nations who

are present. We your cbihln.n coiisider llic laud as belonging to us ;ill not to one
nation alone, we know Ibal everytbiiig you have said to us is true. Vou have also
recdinniended to us to be moderate & friendly to each other.

A Deliware Chief then amse and ol),ser\ed that the Deliwares had always
kept fa.st hold of the chain of friendshi]) which united them to the se\enteen
fires at the 'I'reaty of Green\ille. That they had alwa^'s listened to the \-oice
of their Fatlier and were now willing to agree to liis ])roposals.

As .soon as the Putawatimie Chief began to speak all the Mississinway
Aliamies left the Council House.

30tli. It \\;is now the opinion of all the Gentlemen about the b^irt that
the .Missisinwav Miamies could never be brought to sign the Treaty and all
the attempts which the Governor had made through the Inteqireters and
scjme confidential Chiefs to find out the real cause of their obstinacx- had
hitlierto failed. Tie therefore determined to make them a \isit to their cani])
in ])erson for tlie purpose of ascertaining whether their opposition pmceded
from a fixed determination ( rts they had asserted) not \o sell an}- more lands
uid'ess they could get two Dollars pr. Acre, or some other cause which he
might be enabled to remo\e. He accordingly \\ent to their camp about sun
rise attended onl}- b\' his Tnterjjreter Mr. P.arron in whose integritv he had

FAYr.TTK C(U'NIV. IMHANA. 1(11

tlie utmost confidence. He was received In all the Chiefs with the ulinn>i
cni])lacencv and liaviny collected them all in the Tent (if the principal he tnld
them "that he had ])aid them that visit not as the representative ni the Presi-
dent but as an old frienti with whom they had been many years acc|uainted
and wiio always endeaxored to promote tlieir happiness b}- every means in bis
l)ower. That be ]ilainly saw that there was something; in their hearts which
was not ccinsistent with the attachment which they oug-ht to bear to tlieir
threat b'ather and he was afraid that they bad listened to bad birds. That he
had come there for the ])urpose of hearint]^ ever\- cause nf coni])lainl as^amst
the L'nited States and he would not leave them untill they laid open esery-
thint^- that o])))ressed their Hearts. lie knew that thev could ha\e no solid
objection to the pnjimsed Treaty for they were all nieti of sense and rellection
and well knew that they would be mush benefited b\- it." The ( iovernor
requested that all the Chiefs present would speak in their turn, and callins.^
upon the principal Chief of the Eel Ri\er Tribe who was an old friend of
his that bad serve<l with him in General Waynes .\rmy he demanded what
his objections were to the Treaty. He drew out the Treaty of Crouseland.
"P'ather — Here are your own wtirds, in this paper you jiromised that you
would consider the Miann'es as the owners of the latul on the Wabash why
tlien are you about to ])urchase it from others? The (".overuor assured them
that it nexer was his intention to pm'chase the land from the other Tribes
that be had always said and was ready now to confess that the land belonged
to the Miamies and to no other Tribe that if the other Tribes had been inxited
to the Treaty it was at their particular request (The Miamies). The Tula
watimies bad indeed taken bi,a:her g^round than either the C.overnor or the
Miamies e.xjjected they claimed an equal right to the lands in question with
the Miamies. hut what of this their claiming it ga\e them no right and it \\a>
not the intention of the C.overnor to ])ul anything in the Treat)' which would
in the least alter their claim to their lands on the W'al)asb as established by
the Treaty of Grouseland unless they cho.se to satisfy the Deliwares with
lespect to their claim to the Countrv- Watered by the White i\i\er. 'That
e\ en the whole compensation pro])osed to he gi\en for the lands w(ju1(1 be
given to the Miamies if they insisted u|)on it but that tlie\ knew the offence
which this would give to the other 'Tribes and that it was alwavs the C.ov-
ernor's intention so to draw up the 'Treat}' that the I 'utawatimies iK: Deliwares
would be considered as participating in the advantages of the 'Treat\ as allien
of the Miamies. not as having- any right to the land." I'".ver\' countenance
brightened at this declaration, the other Chiefs s|)oke in theii- tm-n, each had
some grievance to complain of. 'They had been told that justice should he

102 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

(lone to them in their (hsi)utes with the White People, the principal War
Chief complained that he had heen cheated hy a Air. Audrain a connection
of Mr. Wells out of se\enty Dollars that he had in vain applied to Wells for
redress, the old story of the Spirits seized hy ^Vells was again broug:ht for-
ward and a very strong antipathy both to Wells and the Turtle was mani-
fested by all. The Governor had no alternative but to promise immediate
satisfaction for these claims and to assure them that he perfectly understood
and admitted that they (the Mississinway Chiefs) were the real Representa-
tives of the A'liami Nation and that he should always consider them as such.
Some attemjjts were then made to induce the Governor to alter his determina-
tion with respect to the (|uantom of compensation to be given for the land
but finding that the Governor was immovable as to this point they gave it
up and after desultory conversation upon the Governor's demanding whether
they were entireh- satisfied Paean the principal Chief told the Governor he
might g'o to the Fort and they would shortly wait upon him with good news.
The Treaty was immediately prepared and in full council at which all the
Warriors attended, the Treaty was signed without a single objection except-
ing on the part of the Turtle who objected to the article which gives the
Mohecans the right to settle on the White River. The Other Miami Chiefs
however declared in favour of it and the Turtle gave it up.

The separate article with the Aliamies had been agreed on before upon
their consenting to the Article in the original Treaty which embraces the Kick-
apoos.'

October the first, second and third The Goxernor was employed in
delivering the annuities for the ]jresent year. The Goods promised bv the
late Treaty and arranging the claims of certain Citizens against the Indians
& those of the Indians against the Citizens for Horses stolen and other
depredations all which were amicably adjusted. When the Goods for the
I 'utawatimies were laid out Viz: fifteen hundred Dollars from the jjublic
store & five hundred Dollars of their annuity which had been sent to Fort
Wayne seeing that their fyilc was so much less than the Miamies they refused
to take them alledging that their numbers were greater than all the other
Tribes present put together & that they had less goods than any. As soon
as the Governor was informed of this he assembled all the Chiefs & War-
riors in the Council House and e.xplained to them the reason of their haxing
hut five hundred Dollars of their present years annuity part having heen
sent to Detroit & a part to Chicago .\fter some consultation the\- agreed to
take the Cioods but as the Governor discovered that thev were not satisfied

IvWKTII-; l(M\TV. INDIANA. IO3

he agreetl to .ichance them fu e huiulreti I )ullai> in aiiticii>atinn <if tlieir next
years annuity.

4tli. We set mit oil our return to X'inceinies tiirous^h tiie liuliaii Coun-
try on the nii)rnin,i); of tlie 5th passed the Lamp of i'acan the principal .Miami
Chief & found one of his men mortally wounded in a drunken frolick the
preceding night. The Chiefs informed the Governor that they had not dis-
covered the murderer. The (iovernor recommended to them by all means
to punish him when discovered if it should appear to have proceeded from
previous malice, hut if it should appear tt) he altogether accident to let him
know it and he would assist to make u]) the matter with the friends of the
deceased.

Passing through the Indian \illages at the h'orks of the Wabash we
arrived at Mississinway on the 6th where we were hospitably recei\ed l)y
Richardville the Grand Sachem of the Mianiies who expressed his entire
satisfaction at the conclusion of the Treaty. At the Eel Ri\'er Village on the
Rabiere we met with some of the Wea Tribe whom the Governor sent to
collect the Wea Chiefs & conduct them to N'incennes at which place we
arrived on the 1 _nh October.

The whole number of Indians present the da\- the Treaty was signed
was thirteen hundred and ninety.

On the fifteenth of October Lapoussier the jirincipal Chief of the Weas
arived with fifteen of his Tribe The little Kyes iS: .some others on the 18th,
Shawnee and others on the icjjtii & the Xegro legs on the 22(1. In all on that
day there were sixty-one.

On the 24th. The Governor assembled in the e\ening at his own hou•^e
all the Indians and informed tlieiii "that he wished to see them to discoxer
whether they were in a situation to understand the important business which
He had to lay before them. He had shut up the liquor casks, Init he was
sory to see that some bad white men had disregarded his Proclamation &
Secretly furnished them with the means of intoKication. He was glad how-
ever to find that the\- were then all soljer & he hoped that thev would not
drink any more until the business on which he assembled them was finished.
On the morrow he would explain to them the proceedings of the Council
at I'ort Wayne."

October 25th. The \\'ea (.'hiefs being all assembled the (jovernor pro-
duced the Treaty latel\- made at Fort Wayne and explained it to them. He
then represented to them "the advantages they \vould derive from removeing
from the neighborhood of \'incennes and settling higher up the Countrv
with their older brothers the Mianiies and the great assistance that the\

I04 FWETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

would derive from the proposed addition to their annuity & the Goods which
they were to receive in hand and which would be to the same amount as the
larger Tribes received in consequence of the inconvenience they would suffer
l)y remo\'ing from their present haljitations.

October 26th. The Chiefs of the Weas all assenil)led & after some
explanations with respect to the Treaty & a most urgent appeal from the
Negro legs to the Governor's feelings on the subject of the injury done to
the Indians by the sale of Whisky by the White people for which thev
receive in payment Articles indispenciljie to the subsistence of the former &
those which would cover their nakedness. The Treaty was chearfully signed
by every Chief & head Warrior present.

Octolier _'7th. The Goods were delivered and on the 29th the Chiefs
again met the Goxernor & expressed their satisfaction at what had been
done & most earnestly entreated "that some means might be fallen on to put
a stop to the sale of Ardent Spirits to the Indians — Which prevented the
Annuity granted them by the United States from affording them that benefit
which their father wished & caused the young men to be so disobedient to
their Chiefs that it is impossible to restrain them."

The above is a true statement of the proceedings at the Treaties concluded
with the several Indian Tribes at Fort Wayne on the 30th September last
and with the \\'eas at Vincennes on the 26th Ultimo.

Peter Jones, Secretary to Governor
Harrison Commissioner of the United States.

MR. HEINEM.ANN's THIRD MONOGRAPH.

While the appearance of tlie fir.st two historical studies of Mr. Heine-
mann brought him many favorable comments, it was left to his third and
last publication to Ijring him state-wide recognition. This was his "The
Indian Trail Down the White Water Valley," which first appeared in 1912,
a second edition l)eing issued in 191 5. The monograi)h carries a sub-title,
"Some Primitive Indiana History of the Connersville Neighborhood," and
an examination of its contents shows that the author has covered the liistory
of the Connersville neighborhood from the days when only an Indian trail
led through its uninhabited precincts down to the early part of the twenties.
More particularly, however, he is concerned with establishing the location
of the old Indian trail through the county and the events concerned with
John Conner's career in Connersville. The author has spent a lifetime in

collecting the data tm which tliis m(iniii;rai)h is hased and lie has sohed idr
;ill time to come the location of the early industries of Conner — his tradini;-
])ost. house, hotel, saw-mill, distillery — and has also unearthed iletinite infor-
mation concerning the hlock-house ami the soldiers who were (|uartere<l in it.
All of these newly discovered facts are marshaled into line and l)acked hy
imdisputed authorities. -\ \ aluahle feature of the nionotjraph is the illus-
trations which show the location of the \-arious places described in the article.
As has i)re\iously been staled, the newspapers of the state made a])pre-
ciative mention of .Mr. Heinemann's tirst two historical ])amphlets, hut his
third and last pamphlet called for nuich wider comment. The Iiuliiiiia/^olis
Xczcs in an editori.al had the foUowint; to say of his "Indiim Trail Down
the White Water \'alley" :

Tilt' liiMikUM is .-I liislnry i
Ullilf lllril. II cnllj,! Il.-il'illy

llif (lislricl which il roiiiiircl
s;uors of the li.-ickwiMKls. ll
(lisre.sptn-tfully witli their li:irl
iiinuineriUile hits of fjicl :.uil tr.j

i-ounty.

Considering the results achieved, and the evident pleasures flowing to
himself from these efforts to know from first hand sources the real history
of his home county, it is a safe prediction that no more potent factor will
he found for preserving Fa>ette county's inner history correctly than the
])rivate collection of historical material in the hands of J. L. Heinemann.

The collection of all thi- material and the ])ul)lication of the three studies
l.asfd thereon has been piirelv a labor of love for Mr. Heinemann. The
recollections of the longings of his l,oyliood days to know sonielhing of the
early hi-'tory of tl^e haunts (jf his youth induced liiiu later in life to engage
in the task of collecting all the possible facts concerning the early history of
the city of his birlli. He has written iiriimirib" for tlie bo\ s of St. < iabriel's
l)arish. where his immature talent for this kind of work was fostered, but
in writing for them he has written for all the people of the city and countv.

The editor of the jjresent \olume is greatly indebted to Mr. Heinemann
for the i)ri\ilege of using his e\tensi\e collection of materi.-il rel.ating to the
countv.

iMiliniis

ill l'\\yotlt' county, .iftcr the ooniiri^' of

Iht' (h'C'ii

.illcutiDii of Miiyoiic who lives heyonil

liul F,-i,>

cite comity found it revehitioiitil. It

iiresfiue.

It tells why certiiiii old houses st.-iiul

rho high'

w.\y wliich imss them, and it relates

Icfxeud wh

licli invest the soil of neishliorlioods witli

«:iS .-1 1

ext book ill most of tlie schools of the

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

THE INDIAN TRAIL DOWN THE WHITE WATER VALLEY.
(.1. L. Heinemann.)

There is a l)len(ling of history and topography in the title "The Indian
Trail Down White Water Valle}." The main purpose is to descrihe prim-
itive conditidns in and anmnd (.'onnersville, hut in doing this, the Indian trail

wliich came down from the nortlnvest to llie point Gninersxille occupies, and
which passed down the valle}-, is made the thread to connect the various
phases of the white man's intrusion. The suhject deals with the earlier stage
of local history. There are no hooks nor maps treating of it in this particu-
lar form. Only single facts are found, in the traditions of pioneers and
voiced in their family circles or mentioned in newspaper articles of former

!■ \V|-.TTK ri)l\LV. INDIANA. lOJ

times; or perlia]).s used disci inncftc(ll\ and witiidut fu-(irdinati( m in tiic rt-in-
iniscences tliat have lai<cn paiu])lilct nr iiouk form in later years. The sub-
ject goes into a period that antedates all present-day records of our locality.
It treats of John Conner, the frontiersman and trader, the scout, the inter-
preter. It speaks of days liefore d )nners\ ille l)ec;une a ci\ic ort^anizatiun
and when it existed in tlic forniatixe statue nf Conner's i'ost. — a time when
Indians roamed unmolested in tlie \ alley and im the hillsides. It speaks n\
the days when thi.^ locality was an unhrdken forest, e.xcept The Tr.-iil, and
latterh' The I'ost. and a camp here and there of simie hardy huntsman who
pushed up from the white man's domain, lower dnwn than is our-- in the
White Water \'alle\ .

The use of a few date> fr..m the .general lii-.t(M-y nf our country will
he helpful to gain a true ])ers]>ecti\ e of the local picture here treated.

1795, A. D. Indian boundary, some miles eastward, is established,
leaving our locality still Indian lands.

iSoi, .\. 1). .Moravian missionaries, previously in louch with Indi.ius
in ( )hio, re-establish cfYorts in their behalf in Indiana.

1805. .\. 1). Treaty of Tirou.seland. which covers territory below iSrook-
ville. This treaty ver\ much reduced hunting grounds for Indians.

1809. A. 1). Our localitv is made government lands In TweKe Mile
Purchase. .\ further reduction of bunting grounds for Indians.

1810. A. I). William Henry Harrison. ( iovernor of the Territory,
jiarleys and contests with Tecnmseh to secure non-interference of hostile
Indians with surveying of lands .acquired the \ear before.

181 1. .\. D. The lands of our district are thrown open to settlers with
land office at Cincinnati.

1813. A. 1). C'onnersville is platted by lolm Cornier. The record is
made at Brookville.

1816. A. D. Indiana ceases to be a territory, and the first stei)s taken
for statehood.

1819, A. D. Fayette Count) is organized. Connersville is made county
seat and John Conner is the first sheriff.

1823. A. D. About this date John Conner transfers his holdings in this
neighborhood and moves to Hamilton Count}', near the site of his brother.
\Villiam Conner.

The boundary line of 1795, which h.id an important jilace in the early
history of the middle west, starts at Fort Recovery, ( )hio, a i>oint only slightly

I08 FWF.TTE COUNTY, [NDIANA.

across the Indiana State line, and takes a southvvestvvardly course with suffi-
cient angle to leave Union City, Richmond, Liberty and Brookville all east-
ward, so that those localities are inside of the portion which became govern-
ment lands at that time. Our locality, being west of the line mentioned, is
still the redman's domain for somewhat near twenty years. Much of the
upper East Fork valle}-, though outside of the government lands at that time,
is in close proximity to the boundary ; and as the East Fork and the West
Fork valleys are separated by \ery few miles oi highlands, broken by creeks
and small waterways, coursing in l)oth directions, both of them served the
Indians as an attractive route for reaching the Ohio river from their newly
formed settlements westward from central Ohio. It would be strange indeed
not to find man\- lingering aborigines wistfully looking at the beauties as well
as the bounties of this valle}- whose courses they traveled as long as it was
permitted them to do so.

In the White Water valley there are many natural advantages to make
it attractixe to white settlers, as well as to the Indians. The attempt to
include the West Fork valley in a treaty pertaining to lands lower down in
the state was futile in 1805, and only four years later was the transfer
secured. In the main it was heavily timbered country: the poplar tree at
home here was particularly majestic. It developed a sui-ijrising regularit\-
of growth, as well as great height. The pleasures of roaming through poplar
groves, as known to us — a mere remnant of the early scenes — can be nothing
more than a ripple of the thrilling emotions felt by the redskin who bounded
through these forests in quest of game. In the northwest portion of Fayette
county the land is high and level, and elsewhere it is either roUing land or
hillside or valley. The bottom lands of the streams afford ample haunts for
all sorts of wild game. Besides, in all directions, in spots, are to be found
])onds and marshes that harbor water fowl and fur-bearing animals. Just
(ner the hill, west of the upper part oi Connersville, stretching northward a
mile or more, la\' such a body of water surrounded by many acres of bushy
marsh land, which remained until times within the recollection of persons
still living. Another pond of considerable size lay north of Connersville,
abiut (ine-half nu'le west ni Waterloo, which was known as Goose pond.
How plentiful small game must have been when Indians were alone, can
l:e inferred from the fact that a half century later, that is, in the days of
the early manhood of persons now on the scene, a single discharge of a hunts-
man's gun l)rought down ri\'e wild geese at (lOose pond. Wild turkeys al.so
abounded in our neighborhood. Squirrels were so numerous that the early
settlers found them a menace to the crops. And as to wild deer, these were

FAYKTTK COIXTV, IXDIVN'A. 1(X)

]ik'ntitul in tlie lifi^innin^;. I'.L'ars were at Ikmik-, and an ( icca^idnal cliasf ut'
a fox. of Wdhcs or a ])antlicr wa;- i)os^il)k' at any lime. c\cn for tlic later
])ioneer. Big" lierds uf huftaloo were at linnie in western .and Miutiiern
intliana. hnl tliese wt-re ]irol)al)l\' infre(|uentiy found in I'.avette eninily. .and
ndt at ,all within any known ]ieritid of ]iionecr liistory.

A CASK IX I'OIXn'.

Xo less a jjerson tlian a L'nited -States senator from Indiana — lion.
( ). II. Smith — who l)ei.;an his career in C'onners\ ille as a xoun^^ la\\\er in
iSjo. has preserved a story that illustrates the mixiiiij the early \illa.t;ers liad
with untamed nature, and how dose was their contact with the wild elements
of life. It is told in his reminiscences, as follows:

The Al.ain .-treet referred to i'~ h'.aslern a\enue. ;ind Cross street is
Second .-treet. The "wet. hushy prairie north of town" is without douhl the
same that lay west of the l"a\ette coimt\- infirmary, lor the exjiression
"I'rairie Marsh" is not infre(|uenlly to he met with in the lan^uat;e of the
first settlers, as applyiiii,^ to it. and additionally. "I'rairie I'.r.inch" is a name
even much later used for a small stream liexond kle]ihant llill. rnnnini^'
toward kick Creek. There ;ire confirmatory tr.adilions ol this sioi-\- from
Senator Smith, in some of the e.arly f.amilies: and one of tliem lends the
excitement of a personal encounter to this cha>e. It is to the eftect that John
Sam])le. who conducted a hotel in the lo^ house on lleinemamfs corner, came
into too close touch with lirnin. in the hlock of lots south (.f fifth street, ami

IIO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

received for his trouble an embrace and some stineezing that was truly stren-
uous before he was released b}- the vigorous onslaught of his friends.

Oliver H. Smith, while a resident of Connersville, platted a small sec-
tion of land of which "Cross street" is a part. It corresponds to the present
Second street, between Central and Eastern avenues. This record was made
in 1846.

As the senator wrote his sketches in 1858, it is altogether likely that he
would describe the killing of the large black bear correctly in saying it took
place on the corner of Cross street. The name did not enter extensively into
use, however, although Eastern avenue is well known as the "Main street"
<jf the earl}- da_\s.

Bears were sufficiently plentiful in the early village days of Conners-
ville to allow another experiene with one of them to be handed down in tra-
dition. The writer of these lines, in his boyhood, lias often heard it described
by those who were on the scene, anil tiie contingent of men who rushed out
from the Sample Hotel (southwest corner Fifth street and Eastern avenue)
took a hand in the hnal battle. It is to be found also in a reminiscence once
published in the local press, and can be liest told in the original words:

Nut ftir from this il.-itf. .■<;i.v in ^s^s.'.. Kiios ll;irl:iii * * * killea a huRe he.-ir

.lust ill front of wli;it is now store, on I'iftli street (the north side, about

ninety feet west of E.istern .ivenue). Tlioinns P.niton .iiul a friend of his were sitting
on .1 fence near tlie liouse that stood on tlie hill .iust where the "big cut" has been
made for tlie Junction railroad, and saw bruin dasliing along at the top of his speed.
Tlie.v got some dogs after him and ch.ised him along the hill and down that known
.as Koofs Hill (west Sixth stieet ) and into the little village; and .iust where we have
.stated, he was shot by .Mr. Harlan.

These episodes belong to a time that is fully a decade of years after all
the lands were taken up by whites, and when many little settlements scattered
here and there were taking on village manners ; and, conse(|uently, are truly
indicative of how rich must have been the rewards when the aborigine alone
was here to pick the game that suitetl his taste or that fell victim to his
prowess and care-free methods of pmviding for the necessities of a day.

LA.ST REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ABORIGINES.

There is an incident, in the policy of the government at the time of the
treaty of 1795. which had an inii>ortant bearing on the kind of Indians our
forliears were to tind in tliis part of Indiana. It determined who were to
be the last reiiresentatives of the red race to use these lands. Geographically,
we belong to tlie Miami basin, and conse(|uent1y are within the jjurlieu of

FAVivni- cnrNTV. in-hiana. iii

the c.iuntrv of tlie famous Miami Indians; \ct tlu'sc <li(l nol live lu-re at the
time. Instead, anotlier is fotnid. and one whose historie liome is (|iiite dis-
tant. In this treaty, tlie i^overnment. hy acts of ('.en. ,\ntli<>n\ Waxiie.
declined to set aside sejiarate lands for the different trihes who were forced
to vacate their homes in ( )hio. Tlie result was a lojjpin^ o\ er and miufjlinii'
of Indians on the nearh\- horder. to which our locality is adjacent, 'i'he
-Miamis, the <jris:inal owners ..f the whole re,!.;ion. crowded themselves into
the upper ^^'abash section: the Shawnees became scattered hands or detached
individttals throug;h<)ut central Indiana; and the Delawares, when leaving
the \alley of the Muskegum and the u]iper Sandusky, in ( )hio, lodged mere-
ly across the newh- made l)oundar\ among their kinsmen, who bought from
the I^iankeshaws. as early as 1770. the right of donn'cile on the headwaters
of the White river, that is, near the present sites of Muncie, .\nderson and
.\ol)lesville. .\llhough occupying the ])ortion of ( )hio indicated, the Dela-
wares had not alwa\s lived there. The fortune of the redmen to move out
as civilization comes toward him, explains the successive locations of this
tribe, who were eastern members of their nation, w^hich belonged to the
general group, .\lgonc|uins. and who had sites successfully in 1 'ennsyb ania
and in Ohio before coming hei-e. and who subsequently were moved to Mis-
souri and Oklahoma. Their first intercourse with white men was on the
banks of the Delaware river, where thev concluded a tre:U\ with William
I'enn, near Philadelphia, in idSj. Among themselves they were l.enni-
Lenape I len-ni len-ah-])a\' ) — m.anly men; and in their western homes were
known by other Indians as \\'ah-])i-nach-i, or ])eople t()W-ard the rising of the
sun, and because of their ancient lineage were called grandfathers, though
with us their common name is Delawares. derixed from their residence at
the river of that name when first known to the whites.

Of personality — that is, the (|uality which singles out individuals — what-
ever little there was originallv in then" Indian associates, to our lirst settlers.
has been now all but effaced by tlie ravages of time; and. in the bistorv' of
this neighborhood. Indian proper n;nnes of local significance .are lost irre-
trievably.

A STORY or 01. 1) I'.KX D.WIS.

Ben Davis is the I'jigli.sh cognomen of the Indian who stood in the fore
of the traditions of the early villagers, but it is noted he remained Ijehind
— a sullen, morose, irreconcilable redskin, one who in his dotage wandered
about the creeks and haunted the outlying districts of our neighborhood —
when all others had departed and were gone to new western homes. One

112 F-\YKTT1? CCK'NTY, INDIANA.

Story aljoiit Eeii l)a\is has e\ident]y never ajjiieared in print since it was
given to a local paper many years ago; and it will liear reprinting here, as it
illnstrates the decadent state into which even the noblest of our Indians
had fallen:

III IlKisf (l.-iys (if ISl.N-li). liidi.ins were iiiiiiien.us .jiisl heyiiiid the riuvhiise line,
wiiicli l.-i.v .-ilMmt Hve miles west (if I be vill;ij;e. Aiii(.n.i; llieiii \v,-is iiii eld ex-chief
wild wMs cnlleil t'hief Hen D.-ivis. 'i'lie Iiuli.-ins were en friendly terms with the whites.
.111(1 (ifteii c.inie into tile settlement te tr.-ide :in(l drink whislcey. Anion.!; them, iind a
very freiinent visitor, too. w:is Hen Diivis. When .-i little intoxicMted. old Ken was
very tMlUative; .-iiid would often tell of his (UhmIs of lilcxxl and murder when on the
w:ir|iatli with his hr.ives. over in the Kaslern states. His mui'derous tales had become
so notoriiiiis that all the children .iiid many of the women had come to fear him. as
tliey would a wild lieasl. Alioiit this time, the widow linrlon lived in a cabin near to

evening,'. Calvin F.nrton. when a lad of twelve or fourteen years. w;is ■■|)(inndinf; hominy"
in .-III old-fashioned ■•Imrnt-ont mortar." as they wei-e called, with an iron weil.w fastened
in the end of a stick of wood for a ]iestle. The Hrsi tliin.u' lie knew, in stepped old
fhicf Hen Davis and asked in broken lOiiKlisb .mil in a tivuff Indian way. for the

iiK f the house. Cal's e.ves ■•bnli.'ed mit" and the hominy pestle dropped from his

iiaiids. and be replied as calm as he could: "They are .inst ont here a little wa.v. and
I will !;o and call them." So sayiii?; be sicii]ieil ont .-it the door and as soon as he
turned the corner of the caliin. be botinded awa.v like a deer, for a stillbonse which
then stood near where (ieorj;e Frost's lionse stands, where there weie several men
at work. He told them that Chief Hen I>avis was at their lioine. and they were
afraid he would kill them. The men started for the caliin and met old Ben on his
way for the still, while little Tom Hiirton. now niir tailor, Tbonias Hurton. was lioldlns
hiin by the band. Old Hen b.id taken Tom .aluii-' lo show him the way.

The men took him to the slilUionsc. pivc him whiskey, and had a j:reat deal of
fun witli him. That iii>:bt after the old chief bad fallen asleep, a very roufili fellow,
by the name of Kli Ilenders(ai. sifted j-iinl |iowder in bis Ion- hair and set fire to
it. The Indian spraiii,' to bis feet and ^-.-ive wild yells of fury, and swore ven.sieiince
a;.'aiiist every while man about the stillbonse.

It is suiiposed fliat those rouirh fellows murdered tlie old chief that iii;rht and hid
his body away, as he was never heafl of afterwards.

The general histor\- of Fayette count}', (|uiiting from an article by Dr.
John Arnold, in the Riislnillc Republican, saxs that Ben Davis was killed
on Blue creek, near Rrookville, in 1820.

PROl'IiR NAMES OF THE .\B0UIGIN.\L.S.

Simon Girtv, notwithstanding his name, was truly an Indian in manners
and in deed: and perhaps was a natural son of a white man who notoriously
figures in the history of an earlier ejidch in southern Itidiana and in Kentucky.
He had a band of followers, and was in a miibir sense a thief, and he camped
on the river bank, below Third street, aliout the vear 1812. After a careftd

FAVETTK COLXTY. INDIANA. I I3

search aiiumg the family traditions of those of our pioneers who are left,
for Indian proper names, in their true lingual setting, the result has been
dishearteningly meagre. The Indians naturally possessed names proper to
each individual ; but with the whites the tendehcy was to merge the aborigines
in the t)ne common identit\- of Indians. And it is likely that no vogue ever
attached itself here to the little which might have been learned of the native
tongue. One excei)tion, however, relieves the degree of our ancestors' indif-
ference on this point. Me-shin-go-me-tha is found to linger behind. Its
preservation belongs to the Harrisburg neighborhood; \et who he was or
what he did cannot be toliL Only the jingle of his name survi\es. But
until disproved the tradition stands, and we may think of one native, at
least — who lived here, and died somewhere in the happiness of I)eing known
by his Fayette county acquaintances as Me-shin-go-me-tha.

Mr. J. E. WilHams. of Harrisburg. furnishes the testimony that "Me-
shin-go-me-tha" has been handed down in his family as the name of an
Indian who was alxnit the Harrisburg neighlx;rhood after the arrival of
white settlers. Mr. .Vnios \\'. Butler, of Indianapolis, who is a descendant
of the .\mos Butler who founded Brookville, and consequently Indiana his-
tory is a familiar field to him, in a letter suggested that this Indian might be
the same whose career was mostly ])laced in Grant county. Indiana. In the
history of that locality the name has l)een preserved as "Me-shin-go-me-
sia." although this variation is not surprising, for it comes from the difificulty
of correctly committing Indian vocal sounds to writing. The same experi-
ence has been had also with the name of "Tecumseh," which very good auth-
ority now says is more ])roperly spelt "Tecumtha," if kept true to the Indian
pronunciation.

Considering the open mute wiiich The Trail offeretl tt) the Wabash
country, it is very probable that Mr. Butler's opinion is well founded; con-
se(|uenth-, that .\le-shin-go-me-sia might well ha\e been an occasional inhabi-
tant f)f our locality in the early days. .\ history of Grant county, published
in t886. gives a sketch of him which will be interesting reading. The subject
thereof lived to be a very old man, which left his traditions still fresh when
it was written, although his young manhood easily corresponds to the prim-
itive times of our locality. I'nder the heading: Me-shin-go-me-sia, his
ancestors and descendants, the article reads :

No reliiilile .icccuuits of the ancestors of Me-shin-go-nie-sia can be traced further
hack th.in the foiirlh fieneration, or lo the time of Osnaudhih, who, at the head of
one division of the tribe, left Ft.W.-iyiie (at wliat date is not IvHown) and .settled on

(8;

114 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the Big Miami River, in Oliio. Soon after his settlement at this point he visited
General Washington, at that time President of the United States, who presented him
with tokens of regard. This aroused the .iealousy of the other tribes, by whom it is
believed he was poisoned.

Upon the death of Osnandiah his son, Ataw-ataw, became chief, and he in turn
was succeeded by his son, Me-to-cin-yah, who removed witli his tribe to Indiana and
settled in what is now Wabash and Grant counties, and after a successful reign of many
years, died, and his remains were buried in Wabash county. He was the father of
ten children : Jle-shin-go-me-sia, Ta-cou-saw, Mack-quack-yno-nun-gah, Shop-on-do-sheah,
Wa-pe-si-taw, Me-tack-quack-quah. So-lin-jis-yah. Wa-cau-con-aw. Po-kung-e-yah and We-
cop-eme-nah.

Upon "the death of Me-td-cin-y.ili, his eldest sun, Me-sliin-w-nie-sia. succeeded to the
chieftancy. He was born in Wabash county, abmit the lies;inning of the last quarter
(if the eighteenth century (the precise date not known). At the age of about thirty
years, he married Tac-ka-quah, a daughter of So a-nah-ke-kah, and to them were born
two .sons, Po-kung-gah and Ataw-ataw. He was a man of great firmness, though not
obstinate. He was ordinarily intelligent and always displayed .iudgment and good
business sense in the management of the affairs of his band. With his death, which
occurred in the month of December, IS70, the last chief of this historic tribe passed
away.

TOPOGRAPHY OF THE WHITE WATER COUNTRY.

A study of the topography of the White river country, stretching down
through central Indiana, will reveal the connection it had with our own
neighborhood — the valley of the west fork of the White Water — for the
Delaware Indians. In highlands and hilly countr}-, a small distance some-
times measures all the interval between the basins of two rivers whose
courses are in opposite directions. The small streams of our valley, when
traveled to their beginnings, are found in territory that is identical with that
where other brooks, coursing leisurely in search of their geographical des-
tiny, are directed oppositely, and form the White river, which flows west-
wardly through the state and empties into the Wabash near Vincennes. The
region referred to as the common source of both rivers contains the highest
altitude in Indiana, viz., about 1,200 feet above sea level. (Near the north-
west corner of Fayette county, at the town of Bentonville, it is 1,060 feet;
and in Connersville, at courthouse square, it is 840 feet.) A map reveals
the close connection which exists between the two sections of country when
creeks and rivers are used for travel. The Delaware Indians had been in
touch with borderland white folks now for more than a hundred years, and
had accustomed themselves to fixed habitations, using the surrounding coun-
try for hunting expeditions. In this way a familiarity arose with the region
the White river drains. Their site northwest of here, on the White river,
was well established and contained buildings for use the year around, but

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. II5

temporary camps and hunting centers are found in all the adjacent territory.
In this way, the site Connersville occupies, as also the west bank of the river
for several miles north, became a favorite point for them, for it is an easy
step from the Lick creek channel, near Harrisburg, and the country beyond,
being merely a coming down into the lowlands from the higher ground of
that locality.

PATHS CONVERGE AT CONNER.SVILLE.

But e\ents transpire rapidly in the years treated of, and soon an import-
ant incentive for coining directly to Connersville's site arises for them.
Their various paths are now made to converge to the immediate point where
Connersville stands, because here exists the best opportunity for exchange
and barter. For some time past it was a point on the main trail, from the
country to the northwest, down to John Conner's trading post, near the mouth
of Big Cedar creek, but now the post is brought up here. Conner had been
in the lower valley, near Cedar Grove, for several years, and his place was
a center of great activity. The site at Big Cedar creek is somewhat east-
ward, besides lower down the valley than Brookville, and consequently
nearer to Cincinnati. The year of 1805 sees John Conner aiding Governor
Harrison of Indiana Territory as interpreter at the treaty of Grouseland
(the section of country below Brookville), and after its completion he
resumes his operations at Cedar Grove, l^ecause that point is tlie key to the
route up the valley to Brookville, Connersville," and on to the northwest to
the upper channel of Lick creek, and then southeast across the highlands to
the small streams that led to the Indian settlements of the White river.
There is a tradition in one of the old families of Brookville. which is told
by Edgar R. Quick of that locality, relating to the change of base under-
taken by Conner. At a log schoolhouse, on the road from Cedar Grove to
Brookville, the grandfather of Mr. Quick, as a youth, was playing at ball
with com])anions, when up the road came John Conner with a band of faith-
ful Indians, all carrying ]iacks. Mo\-ing vans were an unknown convenience
for obvious reasons. The properties were bundled and each individual car-
ried according to strength. The fact that John Conner was moving his post
up the valley is what the incident helps to confirm, for a halt was made and
the Indians indulged in the pleasure of playing with the ball, much to the
amusement of the toys, who looked upon the intrusion as a unique distinc-
tion for themselves. The stop was of sufficient duration to make it clearly
known that it was John Conner, the Indian trader, and that he was moving
his post to a new location up the valley. The probable age of Mr. Quick's

Il6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ancestor, at the time of the experience, harmonizes with the general details
of the testimony furnished by the Simpsons, an old-time family living several
miles east of Connersville. The following recital of their tradition is taken
from the general history of Fayette county:

Thomas Simpson, now ii resident of the county, aged eight.v-four (in 18S5), with
a clear memory and vivid recollection of the past, is authority for saying that John
Conner had his trading post here at Connereville in the year of ISOS. Mr. Simpson's
father was througli the county at that time and found Conner here.

Also:

In lSO8-lS0t» Tliimias Simpson. Sr., a native of Maryland, was employed .-is hunter
to. and accompanied, the surveying party, while they were engaged in surveying the
lands of the Twelve Mile Purchase, at which time he traversed the territory of the
county throughout, and in the month of December. 1809, removed Ills family to a cabiu
house, which had previously been erected for the surveying party, and stood in what
is now the northeastern part of Jennings township.

The exact location here given is far enough eastward to make it very
close to the old boundary of 1795, and this adds to the plausibility of a sur-
veying party being inside of the limits of the new purchase, so close to the
date of the treaty (September 30, 1809). As the surveying was thoroughly
done in preparation for the sale of lands by sections and quarter sections,
it is very probable that the elder Simpson was fully cognizant of the facts
preserved in his family.

CONNER CLINGS TO FRONTIER.

'Ilie disposition of John Conner to maintain himself at the outpost of
civilization in the direction of the Indians' homes — of preserving for him-
self a premiership in the frontier as trader — is well known, and his coming
up here, in 1808, was clearly dictated by this ambition, and the denser popu-
lation now filling- the country below Brookville. His life, at least for a few
days to come, was still to be of the wilder sort. He preferred the open for
his operations, and his choice was forestalling- white emigration in the regions
toward which it tended. Governor Harrison attempted to include the scoi>e
of the west valley of the White Water in the treaty of 1805, "but in conse-
quence of some of the chiefs refusing to sign it upon other terms, the article
relating to it was expunged." (Dawson, p. 135.) John Conner was a par-
ticipator in this effort, as Delaware interpreter, and its failure cannot be
dissociated witb. his sul)se(|uent move. Up the \'alle\' he transports the
post into the heart of the territory involved, where several years of unchal-

- fayi:ttk county, indianx. 117

leiiged iinixirtance is in store for it. This neighborhoixl diil not lx.'coine
government lands nntii the year later (uScx;); and even beyond that date,
for several years, lamls are not in readiness for entry, during all of whieli
time Conner's Post is the one point toward which all interests gravitate.
Hunting and prospecting were indulged in by whites to the south and east,
but strictly speaking it was the redman's domain until land was duly entered
at the land office at Cincinnati. The name of John Conner appears in the
purchase of portions of two separate sections, in 1812. But that he was
without legal status previous to the land distribution of 181 1, is taking ,in
imperfect view of the case, for his services as trader and interpreter indi-
cates that Connersville's founder was ably an instrument in the hands of the
territorial authorities in the furtherance of their work. In the first years
of Governor Harrison's, office, he found the influence of British trading
posts, auxiliary to Detroit, quite vexatious. He wrote f)f it to his superior
officer at Washington, in 1802, as follows:

In iirdci- the licfliT In tiiid imt wlint is goiug i'or\v:inl .iniciijn Ihe liidiinis. I li:nc
eiiiliMvor^il to atliKli some of the best . intoriued tradeis to our interest; Jbut,. generally
speaking, they are nnprincipled men, juui entirely devoted to the British, by whom they
iire sui)i)lied with all their good.s. Could this be otherwise— <'ould the valuable skin
and fur trade which our territory supplies he diverted to the ports of- the t'nited
State.s,. instead of Canada, it wotild not only give a handsome emolument to our mer-
chants, and increase our revenue by the additional consumption of imported goods, but
it would also confirm the dependence of the Indians upon us. The princip:il objections
nijide by the tr.iders to whom I have recommended the carrying of their furs and
peltry, to the ports of the United States, is. that there are none of our merchants whit
make the importation of Indian goods or purchase of furs and peltry their business, and
of course they are not always certain of making sale of their commodities, or of obtain-
ing in return goods suitable for their purpose; both of which they are sure of when
they go to the British mereh;ints. who are exclusively employed in this kind of traffic

NEW SITES HIGHER UP.

It will be noted that the >ear this polic\- was inaugurated is followed
with the appearance of John Conner in the lower portion of tlie White
Water valley. And that to protect his operations, he selects new sites higher
ti]> when white settlements come nigh. His name is associated with Brook\ille
a year or two earlier than Connersville, but still earlier with Cedar Grove.
Both stores are known in the traditions of those two places (Cedar Grove
and Brookville) as "the French store."' owing, no doubt, to the nationality
of the custodian left in charge by Conner. The name of "Pilkey" is con-
nected also with the store of Brof)kville. Sometimes it is met with ;is

Il8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

"Conner and Pilkey." As this name is also found in Connersville records
in "Pilkey's Donation Strip" — one of several land donations to secure the
county seat — it is worth noting how much at fault the early settlers could
be with French proper names, for their benefactor's name, in fact, was
Michael Peltier, and under this form of spelling it is clearly French. Noah
Beaucamp is another French proper name belonging to the first stages of
Connersville history, but, except in the matter of land transfers, it can not
be associated with the activities of the time.

One other link in the chain of evidence holding our valley a primitive
path, and explaining how it grew into a recognized route to the marts of
civilization, is found in certain traditions of the county to which Noblesville
belongs. The importance of The Trail to them, and, inferentially, the high
character of our position in the development of early activities in central
Indiana, will be seen by the statements of Augustus Finch Shirts, in "Prim-
itive History of Hamilton County."

His descriptions deal with the earlier stages of their local history, and
he writes:

He I William Oounerl was :\{ the time living in a double log cabin with bis Indian
wife. This cabin was situate four miles south of the present site of Noblesville, on
the east bank of White river. His place was called a trading post. In one room of
his cabin he kept beads. lead. Hints, steel knives, hatchets and such other goods and
trinkets as were usually necessary in such a place. These articles he exchanged for
pelts taken from the Indians and brought to him for trade.

Jlr. Conner had a lirother named .Tohn Conner, then living on or near the present
site of Connersville. This brother was the proprietor of a trading post at that point.
* * * .lohn Conner received his supplies from points along the Ohio river and
William ('(inner received his supplies from his brother .lohn.

The furs jiun-hased by William Conner from the Indians were dressed, stretched,
and ]iarked in proper form and sent Iiy him b.v means of pack horses to his brother,
and in like manner the goods furnished William by his brother John were trans-
jiorted from John Conner's post to W'illiam Conner's post. At that time there was
no ro.ad leading from this |ioint in any direction. There was an Indian trail leading
from the Jolni ('(innfr Ir.-iding [lOst to William Conner's place by \yay of the present
site of New Castlo .md .\nderson to the mouth of Stony creek, thence down the river
to William Conner's jilace. This was the route o\ev which the supjilies mentioned were
transported.

That the writer of those lines speaks with a full knowledge of the facts
is shown by these several bits of histor}- from his own family:

My f.ither. George Shirts, moved his f.-imily from the present site of Conuer.sville
on p.ick horses, to William Conner's place in the month of March, 1819. My father
made a Iriii from the William Conner place on horseback to the John Conner trading
post .'it Comiersville. On his return trip to this count.v he was .ioiued by Charles I^acy,

- FAYKTTE COUNTY. INDIANA. II9

* ' Mr. Lacy ilid not briuj,' hia fjiiDily \vilb bini. lie cMiiie for tlie ],iiriio.>ie

of building a cabin and luitting out a small field of corn. The implements brought with
bim were carried on horses, pack-saddle fashion.

On the first day of April. LSI!). .Solomon Finch, his wife. Sarah, his daughters,
Itebeccah, Mary and Alma, and his sons, James and Augustus then living near the
present site of Connersville. left their home for the Horseshoe Prairie, two miles .south-
west of Xoblesville. Their route was over the Indian trail siwken of above. * * *
Wagons and teams were useil : to these wagons two yoke of oxen were attaohe<l. • * *
Solomon Finch and one or two of the men with him were constantly, when moving, in
front of the team, axes in hand, cutting out .-i road and removing logs and brush.

FIRST ATTKMPT TO MAKE WAGON ROAD.

'Ilie year i8n), conse(|iieml\ , saw the fir.st attempt tu make a wagon road
of what had been the recognized path through the woods for some years.
That it had been a route to civiHzation — to the Ohio river points of com-
merce— for the Delaware Indians, in their newer sites at the headwaters of
the White river, froin the beginning, seems evident, for the Conner brothers
were of a family that was an old-time friend of this division of the abor-
igines. The father, Richard Conner, shared the fortunes of these children
of forests in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and settled in the Detroit neighbor-
hood with them as early as 1781 (Zeisberger Diary, p. 76), which place be-
came his home, and because of his occupancy of the land was allotted title
to it, at the close of the War of Independence. The close connection of the
Conner family with the Delaware Indians is well known, and that either or
both of the brothers, Jdhn and William Conner, operated in the White
Water valley, is itself an e\idence of the use those Indians made of it.

Of the conditions under which the Delawares lived. Governor Harri-
son's first official communication contains another reference, which in its
irrferences, has no doubt a connection with the to])ic here treated.

On July 15th, 1801. he wrote:

The Delawares are ni.-ikin^' one other altenipt .-it becoming agricultui-.-ilists — they
are forming settlements U|ion the White river, a branch of the Wabash, under the
conduct of two missionaries of the Society of the United Brethren for the propagation
of the gospel among the heathens — otherwise called Moravians. To assist them in this
pl.-in. the chiefs desire that one-half of the next annuity may be laid out in implements
of agriculture, and in the imrchnse of some domestic animals, as Cows and hogs.

One other topic reported on in Governor Harrison's communication of
July 15, 1801, will be of interest, especially as it has been quite generally
overlooked in our pioneer literature. That Governor Harrison knew human
nature and could judge character is without question; consequently, the

I20 FAYETTE COrNTY, INDIANA.

opinion which follows and the facts upon which he bases it are worth pre-
serving :

.Some weeks ago, I received a letter from tbe imymaster-general of the army,
written, as he said, by your direction, retiuesling to loiow whether the .services of
Mr. Rivet, Roman Catholic priest, of this place, and Indian missionary, could not he
dispensed with. If it continues to lie the intention of the government to ••ittempt the
conversion of the Indians, the employment of missionaries like .Air. Rivet will be found
one of the best means which can be employed for the accompli-shment of this oh.1eet.
People of this description can he procured ,it much less expense than any other: and
they certainly will be attended to by the Indians, much more than .any other that
could be emi)loyed. At any rate the services of Jtr. Rivet have been, and still continue
to be, equal to the .sm.iU sum allowed him. Tlie Indians in this quarter venerate tlie
old French government formerly established here, and it would excite the most dis-
agreeable feelings amongst them to have the only one of that nation removetl who is
allowed to speak to them. Mr. Rivet is. indeed, constant in his exertions to diffuse
principles of sobriety and .iustice amongst the Indians, .md to cause them to respect the
authority of the t'nited States.

CINCINNATI AS A SUPPLY STATION.

Although their location was on a tributary of the Wabash river, and the
seat of territorial government was at Vincennes, still Cincinnati, because of
its location on the Ohio river, served as a supply station for both sections,
including Vincennes. The Moravian missionaries used the White Water
valley for reaching the new missions; and this seemingly confirms the fact
of the prior use the Indians themselves made of the valley. William Conner
is known to have teen at Noblesville in 1802, and John Conner was at Big
Cedar creek— only thirty-five miles from Cincinnati — earlier than 1804.
Consequently, the known facts establish the intimate character of the \Vhite
W'ater A-alley"s use, for all who had to do with Indians on the White river ;
and it is not unlikely that the government assistance furnished the Delawares
in 1802, trailed its way over this route. A treaty with the Indians, in 1804,
brings additional opportunities for usefulness to it, if the Delawares are to
be provided with the following beneficences of that treaty:

The United States to cause to he delivered to them | l)ehiw;ircs|, in the conrse
of the following spring, horses fit for draught, cattle, bogs and implenienis of bnsliandry
to the amount of four hundred dollars.

That the Indians had a variety of recjuirements which called for a draft
on civilization's superior store house, is to be expected; but how quaint is
the touch of human nature in certain needs to which the governor, at this
time, saw fit to give his official sanction.

FA^'E•|■■rI■ corvTv. inihaxa. 121

•■T1j<" Sun. a i:vr:\t rliicl- of tlu' I'ol.-iwnlimiics," sa.vs llic -ii\ iTiuir nf liidhiiiM T.Triliiry.
to lieiidqua Iters at Wasliiiiiitini. •■ivciiic-^Is tlial a i-oat and hat of the unifonii of the
riiiled States may be seal to him: and lo prevent jeahins.v, a few more may l)e added
for th.' other chiefs. Indeed 1 am eoiivin.-i^l that nothliij; wouhl |iU'ase tile .-hiefs more
than a donation of tliis l<ind. * •■ 1 tlierefore laUe tile lilierty of rerommciidin«

tliaf ahont lialf a dozen roais. and as many cocUed liats. may lie sent for eacli of t lie

Althoiigfi the physical evidences nt The 'itail are vefv tmich effaced,
and clear traces of it are hardly discernihle imw. still, here and there vestijjes
can he tmind in ancient landmarks and other local conditions. .\nKjno' theni
is the present waiion road t'roni Cedar Cirove to lirookville. Withont at-
temptinj^- a delineation of what there is helow that point — on towards Cin-
cinnati— it is very ])lain that the road which comes up from Cedar Grove,
and which crosses the East Fork at Brookville. is the one that John Conner
followed. There may have been changes since his time, but generally si)eak-
ing. it follows the old path. Where it crosses the East Fork, the bridge
below Brookville, the older main entrance into the town is along the jiresent
road to the right, the one leading up towards the Catholic church. The
present Mill street is nearbw and the hrst grist-mill and saw-mill were not
far distant. Up still further is an ancient gTa\Tyard, and this location con-
tains also the site of the old French store — the store which has associated
with its memor\- the names of Michael Pilkey, Charles Teiler and John
Conner, Their business location antedates the arrival of Amos Butler, the
first white settler, in 1804: and i)erhaps helps to explain the latter"s selection
for the site of the new town the f(jllowing summer. All of these local mon-
uments are in line with the road beyond, .along the F,ast h'ork, to Fairfield.
And the use of this road toward l'';iirfield is connected with ;ill eai'liest tra-
ditions of Brookville. In fact, viewing the location generally, the physical
properties tif the route, the direction it takes, its altitude, all signs jxiint to
it as the natural selection for reaching the Indian settlements to the north-
west, on the W^hite river.

The early settlements along the luist Fork, especially the Carcjlina set-
tlement near I'airfield. in 1804, give them also an important place in the
development of the theme under consideration. The locality is within the
older government lands, and the date is several years prior to the Twelve
Mile Purchase, 180Q. which opened u]) the lands between the two forks of
the White Water. It is occupied as early as Brookville itself, and the ques-

122 FAYETTE COt'NTY, INDIANA.

tion may properly be asked : Are there any remains at Fairfield to asso-
ciate it with the travel that belongs to the Indian Trail proper?

PRESENCE OF FRENCH TRADERS.

The subject seems to have never been considered in this light before,
but the account of Fairfield township, in the Franklin county history, con-
tains one item which may be found helpful to reach a conclusion. It relates
to the winter following the arrival of the advance party of the Carolina emi-
grants, who were temporarily domiciled near Harrison, Ohio. Several cabins
had ))een erected, but not occupied as yet by the families for whom they were
l)uilt. It reads as follows: "During the winter of 1804-5. '^'''^ Indians occu-
pied the cabin of Robert Templeton. During their tenancy, an Indian woman
died and the Indians were about to bury her in the cabin floor, but were
prevented by French traders who were passing near."

French traders were passing! The point at which they were passing
is close to the Indian boundary (of 1795) ; it is the latest of the advances
made by white settlers: it is close to the river, and across the stream, not
very far above, comes a creek from the northwest — one which drains the
highlands separating the two valleys of the White Water. This creek is
named Eli creek after a member of the first colony of settlers. As to why
French traders were passing near the Templeton cabin, below Fairfield, in
the winter of 1804-5, ™'^}' easily be associated with the conditions just
described; for, to say the least, it presents an alluring spectacle to one look-
ing for evidences of The Trail which led to the Delaware towns, and it
off'ers a promising channel in which to search for traces of this primitive
route.

There are no traditions extant favoring any other route. The bed of
the West Fork, lietween Brookville and Connersville, is cjuite circuitous.
It was used, no doubt, by Indians for fishing and hunting; and in this sense
there was an Indian trail down t!ie West Fork to Brookville. But John
Conner's career shows prominently a capacity for direct methods, where an
accomplishment is aimed at; and his transporting merchandise or losing time
in reaching his destination by following the West Fork's meanderings is
altogether improbable. The Indians would act similarly, for the whole
countr)- was well known to them at this time. There is no argument in favor
of the present Brookville-Connersville pike, which passes through Everton
and Bloomingrove, for it is clearly a surveyed road and was made after the

FAYKTTK COl-NTY. INDIANA. I23

lands were entered 1>}' the whites. The prohal)iHties are all in favor of The
Trail passing over to the East Fork before entering Brookville.

.\ SrMMARY OF REASONS.

Was Eli creek the [loint of departure, when leaving the luist Fork, for
the northwest? The reasons for assuming that it was may be summarized
as follows:

First: The weight of Brookville testimony puts all the earliest iiap-
penings in the direction of the localities along the road to Fairfield.

Second : The presence of some settlers in the Eli creek neighborhood,
as early as the date of Conner's first connection with AMnite Water valley
history, makes this creek the closest approach for him to Connersville.

Third: The fact that the three-counties map (Fayette, Union and
Franklin), made a half century ago with painstaking care, shows portions
of a direct road from Eli creek to Connersville ; and additionally, that the
missing portions of this direct road can be connected up, by traditions of
an early path (never converted into a township road) along Crandel creek,
which is a northwest arm of Eli creek, and then across the original Adam
Pigman farm, where the existing township road (from Ouakertown) for a
short distance coincides with the line to Connersville, lends color to the
theory of its use for reaching Connersville in primitive times.

Fourth : That this line from Eli creek, along Crandel creek, then across
the Pigman farm, next following a portion of the existing township road
(from Ouakertown), and tlieii. as is slil1 rcniemliered bv many, angling
across the old Samuel Harlan farm, direct for the Sparks-Stoops' neighbor-
hood and for the ford of the West I'ork at Connersville (near Roots'
foundry), does correspond in its general direction with The Trail beyond
Connersville toward the northwest along Lick creek to New Castle and
Anderson, is an incident tlie historical significance of which cannot be
overlooked in considering the question of the direction taken bv The Trail
originally when it left Connersville for the lower portions of the vallev.
The described route below Connersville is merely an extension of the route
above it.

Fifth: There is a close relationshi]) and similarity of general traits
in the first settlers of the stretch of country descrilied between Fairfield and
Connersville. indicating that in their choice of location, immigrants followed
a common route.

Sixth: If no other fact be tvev discovered, there is one that comes

124 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

from the .\bernath\- family which is sufficient to prove intercourse between
the two localities.

William Abernathy was a pioneer of the Fairrteld neighborhood, who
came with, the Carolina colony and lived there till his death in 1888. In the
Liberty Herald recently, in an interesting sketch, Theodore L. Dickerson,
of Brookville, writes:

He lAlicnuitliyl w.-is c-iiit.-iiii of the luilili.i and w.-is sent out ffom Fort Cornier
Willi ,-1 cuniiiany cif volunteer scouts, in islo. to attMcl< llie IiKiian villages on Blue,
i-iver. The e.xpeilition w.-is a success, the Indians heins; imt to flight and their villages
tiunied.

Captain Noble, of Brookville, presented .Vliernath}- with a sword for
his services, which is preserved in the Dickerson collection of pioneer relics
at Brookville.

The incident of Captain Abernath)'s expedition establishes the fact
that the P'airfield neighborhood at that time was a home for volunteer militia-
men, and that Conner's Post was an out-station from which to start for Blue
ki\-er Iinlian settlements. .\ corollary is, that there was .some known route
between the two points. But as the time antedates the settlement of the
intervening country by the whites, it could only be The Trail that was fol-
lowed, and that Conner's Post was merely one station further out upon it
than their own locality.

WAR CLOUDS BEGIN TO LOWER.

The summer of 1810, to which this military service of Captain Aber-
nathy belongs, was not without a warlike sky in the territory of Indiana.
The prime cause oi the trouble was the growing hostility of Tecumseh, an
Indian of exceptional powers of strategy and cunning. He was engaged
collecting the disafifected members of every Indian tribe within his influence ;
and not a few facts were known to the territorial officers showing the pur-
pose of the Indians, and also the effects of British aid froiu Detroit, ^^'ar
was clearly inevitalile if their conduct remained unabated. As early as the
year 1808, John Conner was the messenger sent by Governor Harrison,
with a letter couched in the strongest terms, to bring home to the Indians a
realization of the trend of the path they had taken up. But what the efifect
of the letter was can be judged by the following reply which The Prophet,
Tecumseh's brother, asked Conner to write down in the English language
and take back to the governor ;

Fatlfer — I am veiy sorry that you listen to the advice of bad birds — you have im-
peaclied me with having porrespondence with the British; and with calling and sending

speaks not llie words of llic (irciil S|iiril. hu( llic words of llio dc\ il." I':il her. Iliose
iliipeacUllieuts I (leii.\-. mid s.iy tliry .nc noi tiuc I never li:id ,i woid willi llie Itritisll.
iliul I never sent for nnv I iiili.iiis. Tliey .■.ime lie|-e lliemselves lo lisleii mikI Iumi- the
words of the (ire.il Spirit.

Father, I wish you woold iioi lisUMi nny more to Uie voiee of had Idnls: .iiid yon

This serxice >>{ jdliii Cuiiner, in 1808. was associated with scfiies that
led up to inii)i)rtant e\ents in Inchatia iiistory. and h\- the suninKT of 1810.
a state of affairs existed which was not asstn-ino to tlie peace-lovnio", wliite
settlers of the valley.

To know something of the minor det;iils of The Trail at the point
which was Conner's J^ost, or h'ort Conner, and which is now Connersville,
would he interestino- ti> many persons at the present time. lUit the whole
suhject seems to ha\e heen lightly appraised liy the rus^ged pioneers who
were engrossed with the hardships surrounding them and they left little
data concerning it. Consequently the suhject is poorl\- illuminated hy any
present-day source of information.

A study of the physical aspect and general surroundings of the location
given to the new town, in 1813, hy Conner, will perhaps he useful in hring-
ing light to the subject. I'lie early topography is still ascertainable to a great
extent: and if the few detacliecl facts, that have escaped the general oblivion
into which the subject has fallen, be coupled with a careful study of this
phase of the question, some sort of order will unfold itself, and the vague
tradition about The Trail coming down from the hill, northwest of Conner.s-
ville, that it passed through the town and crossed the river at the foot of
\'\'ater street, will become instantl\- clear and more definite.

It may be well at this time to fit t<»gether these isolated facts, for the
possibility of doing so is rapidly passing, and leave to the futiu"e a ct)nnected
view of Connersville's ancient lineage. The main fact that The Trail was
here, and that "Conner's Post" was a name hy which the ])lace was known
for a number of years, is unquestioned, lint can we follow Phe Trail ex-
actly ; and where was the post ?

The first aid in deciphering these (|uestions no doubt is the original
]>lat of Connersville, which occupies a small stretch of territory on a bluff
of the west bank of the river abo\-e the ford and lielow Sixth street. The

I20 FAYETTP: county, INDIANA.

line of the bank Ijelow Fourth street furnishes the base line upon which to
lay out the long streets of the town. A few years later, in 1819, Conner
laid off some additional lots known as "Conner's North Addition," which
extended above Sixth street. In making a sketch of this new addition, the
first county surveyor, Thomas Hinkston, shows Eastern avenue narrowed
down to the west half of the street near Seventh street. The river bank

J.£<f£A/0

PIAT , /3/3
/. L0<} CAB/I^

z HAHLArf's syof^e.
3. conr/£/^s
4-. BLOCH HOUSE
S CLAffiOOL

6. LOU CABI/V

7 ^/^S7~ <:£/Y£T£/^Y

XMOKSVILLE.

encroached to that e.xtent on the ground needed to extend Eastern avenue
northward. It can still lie noticed at East Sixth street that the river bank
makes a sharp turn westward. This condition was much more apparent
only a few years ago : and, originally, it terminated in a deep ravine at
Seventh street, where there was a natural watershed coming down from the
we.st. Above Seventh street, say, two hundred feet or more, it turned east-
ward again. This change of the direction of high ground was so sharp above
Eighth street that half wa}- between it and Ninth street the original bank of

FAYKTTK CorXTV. INDIXNA. \2J

the river must ha\e l)een \ery nearl\- in accord witii present street directions,
east and west.

KARI.Y l.OCATTON OF SAWMILL.

Charles street coincides with the hij,di part of tliis 1)ank since the place
was made part of Conners\ille in 1866. In this locality, that is two squares
east from Eastern a\enue, or, more exactly still, just beyond the mirror
works' buildings, John Conner established a saw-mill in the very earliest
days of the town's history. Tt was a crude prototype, this attempt at fore-
stalling the achievements in the world of industry for which the new town
was destined. P>ut a close study of the location of this early enterprise, and
its associated activities, will unco\er much of the histor\- that is seemingly
lost of Connersville's beginning. There are still evidences of the location of
the saw-mill in the bottom lands belonging to the mirror works, for it was
continued in an enlarged state by others who followed Conner, until about
the year 1865, when it fell into disuse and was largely forgotten by the
general public. There are some documentary references to this mill site,
besides a pioneer story, which are illuminating.

At an old settlers' meeting, held in the fairgrountls, in i86j. Dr. I'iiilip
Mason gave a talk in which the following passages occur :

I cMiiie to the v.-illcy iif Wliifewjiter in the sprins; of ISKi. niiil enrly in thi' siinimer
of that year. I ri.'sited Coiinersville. A snuill tract of lanrt had heen hiirt ofT hy .Tohn
Conner into town lots, which lay alons the river bank, on Water street and along
.Main street, and a few log c.aliins had heen erected. The most of the land, which
comprises the present site of the town, was then a forest. Iii traveling up the river to
the place, there was now and then a small opening to lie seen, with an inhabited log
cabin on it. .Tohn Conner, after whom the town is named, .and who owned the land
on wliicli it staiiils. h:id Imilt a mill .inst above the town.

In the traditions of the Claypool family is preserved an incident, which
the late Austin B. Claypool was fond of relating, and it gave both local color
and a definite date for a transaction at this saw-mill. Xew'ton Claypool,
who was the father of .\ustin R. Clay])Ool. decided on Connersvillc for his
futm-e residence, and in i(Si,S arri\cil licre with liis l)ri(le from l\(iss ci>unt\-.
Oliio. As tliere was no Imuse for them, he decided to build one. .\nd as
the onl) a\ailable source from which to obtain the needed hmiber was the
saw-mill. a]>]ilication was made there, with the result, however, of l)eing
told that no more business could be accepted, since the capacity of the mill
was taxed to the utmost. Rut soiuething liad to be done, and the elder
Claypool fell in with the plan suggested by Conner of using the mill for
himself after sundown, and get out what lumlier he could by moonlight.

128- F.\Yi:rTK C'UIJNTY, INDIANA.

CRADLE OF CONNERSVILLE's INDUSTRIES.

Many forms of activity centered in this particular spot in the early
years. There was a saw-mill, a grist-mill, a distillery, and later a pork-
jjacking establishmenl, l^esides a cooper shop or two. It was truly the cradle
of Connersville's industries, and it is not a little singular that its history
should have been so completely lost to most people. Conwell's old mill on
Eastern avenue, the ruins of which are still to be seen, is the successor of the
earlier one further up the mill race, but it also loelongs now to the lost activi-
ties of Connersviile. There was a period of nearly fifty years in which the
head race of the new mill — the one built in 1849 o" Eastern avenue — and
the site of the old saw-mill established by Conner were allowed to fall into
complete disuse, and the neglect of them was so pr(3found that a tangled
mass of undergrowth grew up, through which venturesome boys roamed in
later davs with the dread of the dangers incident to wild and unpeopled
regi(jns. There are many grown persons, the \Ariter among others, who
indulged \'(juth's imager}- about Indian hunts, and wild beasts and reptiles
and adventures of many sorts, in this small tract of unused land, where life's
conventional action was gone out, and the sleep was so long that nature again
made it truly a wild country. But it is now restored to its rightful heritage
by the presence of the mirror works; and the site of John Conner's first
industrv will be marked with one monument at least; the tender mercies of
an owner who appreciates the importance it once held in the period of time
that led up to the o])eiiing of the White Water valley, no less than the import-
ant place it holds in the memory of times when even Indianapolis residents
were dependent upon this locality for some of the necessities of life. It is
part of the histor}- of that city that going to mill for grist meant coming here;
and that, for the first marriage at Indianapolis, the license was procured at
Connersviile.

The trip to Connersviile to procure the marriage license for the first
marriage at Indianapolis was made directly across the country, Indianapolis
to Connersviile. The route was known because George Pogue and John
A'lcCormick, two Fayette county i)ioneers, who first settled in Columbia
township, made their way across the Mat Rock countr\- and Rush county
when Indianapolis was first located, in the year of 1820. Pogue. who lived
here between the vears of 1816-1820, was a contributor to the fund that made
Connersviile the county seat of Fayette county, and his companion in the
first trip to Indianapolis liy the new route was an ancestor of the AlcCormick
family still having representatives in Connersviile.

.MOXr.MENT OX SITE OF JOHN CONNER'S SAW MILL.
Erected by present owner, J. L. Heinemann.

1813, John Conner's trading place: 1820, Absalom Bnrkham; 1821-^24 Sample's Inn
also postoffice: 1S.54, length added to and remodeled by George Heinemann. Fiont
halt of building is "Sample's Inn" of the early days.

- fayette county. indiana. i29

Conner's first frame house.

Of the group of industries which John Conner established at this point,
the saw-mill and grist-mill were close together, and the wisdom of the selec-
. tion of their site can even \et be discerned. There is a straight line of bank
northwardly (above and below the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western rail-
way), but a sharp curve westwardly existed where the new city waterworks
are located and at this point, the water was collected to start the head race
for the two mills. On the high ground nearby, say fifty feet north of the
office of the mirror works, Conner built himself a two-story frame home,
of some pretensions, from the lumber produced at the mill. There has been
no exact date found for the erection of this building, but it doubtlessly
belongs to the period that expresses the prosperous days of its owner. He
had been active for a dozen years or more, under the varying conditions of
frontier life, and <inl\ lately the exciting times of the War of 1812-1814
had ceased, h'or him. the more profitable, if less heroic, occupations of civil
life were unfolding. He was the first sheriff of the newly-made county of
Fayette, and his Connersville venture — the founding of the town — was pro-
gressing satisfactorily. And to add to his social prospects — a something not
unrelated to fine dwellings — about this time he married Lavina Win-
ship, daughter of a respectable family, living at Cedar (irove. He
was made a state senator in 1816. In his capacity of senator he served on
the committee that selected the site of the state's new capital, the present city
of Indianapolis. But while the location of Conner's saw-mill and grist-mill
and frame-built residence, as described, are well enough known, it remains
to be noted that, at a point somewhere above Eighth street, near the west
end of Charles street, and exactly in the middle of Eastern avenue, there was
a large-sized log house, in the first days of Connersville, which is unac-
counted for or ignored in all the traditions or written reminiscences of the
town. There are few now who know of it at all. It disappeared quite early,
for the reason, no doubt, that it was an obstruction to the street. But what
it was and how it came to be there is an interesting question. It is certain
that those who were acquainted with its history have left no records. It
was more than an ordinary cabin. It is described as a good-sized log house
with at least two rooms and perhaps three of them, besides a loft over-
head. It was an old house, in appearance, as remembered by those who
knew local conditions as early as 1830, and it faced riverwards — to the
southeast. It occupied a jjoint on the highest level after coming up from the
'.9)

130 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ravine at Seventh street; and besides, its original occupant must have been
a person of large views and foresight and means, for a considerable apple
orchard survived on the grounds, which fact is quite generally known, for,
as late as the fifties, some old apple trees still existed there, especially on
George Brown's present lot nearby.

The position is simply the western portion of the high ground that ran
eastwardly, as far as Fayette street. The natural waterpower, it would seem,
was found at the latter point when the saw-mill stage was reached in the
affairs of those who lived here. The log house was far enough westward to
allow a southern course to cross the ravine at Seventh street, without leav-
ing the line of Eastern avenue, conseciuently, a path from it might make
for the ford on the south end of Water street by following Eastern avenue
a short distance, then across the public sf|uare (the Fifth street school site)
for Water street below Fourth.

PROBABLE SITE OF CONNER'.S POST.

There were three other log houses along the lower part of the route
indicated, which together constituted the oldest portion of Connersville.
They are closely connected with the subject now treated and will be referred
to again later. Hawkins Hackleman, who lived just west of Elephant Hill,
until his death a few years ago, came through Connersville with his parents
in 181 5, when he was five years old. The character of the surroundings at
that time left a clear impression on his youthful mind; and his statement is
tliat Connersville consisted of the block-house and tliree or four log cabins.

The log house in the middle of Eastern avenue was not, howe\er,
within the limits of either of the quarter sections of land first entered by
Conner at the land sales at Cincinnati, although it was very close to one of
them. Yet this is not inconsistent with the theory that thevhouse described
might be his old home. It could be explained by the uncertainties and con-
fusion prevalent at public land allotments — with always a possibility of
misreading the field notes of surveyors in new sections of a country ; or,
again, by an enforced absence of Conner on account of duties elsewhere.
John Conner retained close relationship with the Delaware Indians, and in
the summer of 181 1, when the land of the Twelve Mile Purchase was
opened for settlers, he was occupied with these duties, in the campaign
inaugurated by Governor Harrison against the Indians under Tecumseh
and The Prophet. But Conner, by purchase, soon put himself in possession
of the adjoining quarter section of land upon which this house was actually

FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. I3I

situated. Its ck)seness to the scenes of Conner's known activities in Con-
nersville. its evident priority and age, and the clear distinction of com-
parative size and equipment, besides nearness to a large spring, at the bot-
tom of the hill, which still exists back of Convvell's mill site f)n Eastern ave-
nue, gives it every earmark of being the first home of one whose foot-
prints lead up to its door, the first site in fact of the founder of Conners-
ville. No doubt, could the past be made to speak, this log house would
be designated "Conner's Post," and around it would be woven many a tale
of the interesting experiences of the days vvhich preceded the year of 1813,
when it was the center of the activities of John Conner and his faithful
band of Indians who left Cedar Grove in 1808.

CRISIS IN INDIAN AFFAIRS.

The first land entries near Connersville were made in October of 181 1.
At this time the crisis had .teen reached in the affairs of the Indians under
Tecumseh ; and Governor Harrison was determined to break up the con-
federacy. .\s early as July of that year, the famous council took place at
\^incennes, in vvhich Tecumseh was surrounded by three hundred of his
warriors ; and on account of his insolence and the apparent plan to do as
much mischief as possible, a forward movement, with the militia and regulars
at the command of the Governor, was put on foot against the Indian settle-
ments on the W'abasli. The culmination of this campaign was the battle
of Tippecanoe.

On the whole, the Delawares were friendly to the government of the
United States, but not a little diplomacy was needed to maintain this con-
dition : and John or William Conner was the usual agent trusted by both
princi]ials. The following quotations from Dawson reveals the points of con-
tact in which Conner seems to have participated, in the militarv expeditions
of the summer of 181 1 :

Before the Rovernor left Vinoeiiiies lie sent a (iepiit.-itioii to the Delaware tribe to
re<niest some of their chiefs to meet him upon the march, that he mi^ht employ them iii
missions to the several tribes which h.-ul a part of their warriors with The Trophet.
All the chiefs of this faithful tribe, who were able to march, set out from their towns
on the fith of October, Tliey had procee<lecl but n few miles when they were met by u
deputation from The Prophet, requiring a categorical an.swer to the question, "whether
they would or would not .ioin them in the war against the Tnitefl States? that they
bad taken up the tomahawk and would not lay it down but with their lives; they had,
however, positive assurances of victory, and when they ha<l beaten the Americans, those
tribes which refuse<l to join tbeni would have caused to rei)ent it."

The Delaware chiefs ininicdiately (lisi>at<be(l Mr, Conner, tiie interpreter, and four

132 fay?:tte county, Indiana.

of their men to inform the governor of the circumstance, and that they had determined
to go immediately to The Prophet's town to endeavor to divert him from his purpose:
that they would be with the governor in a few days and communicate the result of
their mission ; and that if they were unsuccessful in their endeavors to prevent The
Prophet from striking a blow, they would abandon him to his fate.

On the 27th of October the Delaware chiefs, who had gone upon a mission to The
Prophet, to induce him to lay aside his hostile designs, arrived in camp. They rei)orteil
that they had been badly received, ill treated, and finally dismissed with the most con-
temptuous remarks upon themselves and the governor.

On the. 29th, the day after the army left Fort Harrison, the governor remained for
some hours behind, for the purpose of holding a conference with the Delaware and
Miami chiefs. As he had no reason to doubt the information he had received of the in-
tentions of The Proi>het to burn the first jjersons he should take, and had apprehensions
that lie would find iiuich difficully in opening a coniniunicatidn with him. as the inter-
preters had become so alarmed that he could scarcely get them to the front of the array,
he proposed to the Delawares that they should send three or four of their young men to
be the bearers of another speech to The Prophet.

On the evening of the 5th of November, the army encamped at a distance of nine
or ten miles from The Prophet's town. * * * But no Indians were discovered until
the troops arrived within five or six miles of the town on the Oth of November. The
interpreters were then placed with the advance guard, to endeavor to open a <'omnnmi-
cation with them. The Indians would, however, return no answer to the invitations that
were made to them for that jiurpose, bnt continued to insult our people by their ges-
tures. * * * During all of this time, Indians were frequqently seen In front and on
the flanks. The interpreters endeavored in vain to bring them to a parley. Though
sufficiently near to hear what was said to them, they would return no answer, lint con-
tinued by gestures and menace to insult those who addressed them. Being now arrived
within a mile and a half of the town * * * the governor determined to remain there
and to fortify his camp.

SEVERAL DEFINITE TR.\DITIONS.

The location of The Trail towards the northwest, from the point just
described, is less a matter of conjecture, as there are several definite tradi-
tions which locate it with some degree of certainty. The Trail leaves the
portion of Connersville that is associated with the river bank, or, transversely
stated, the particular locality last described is the first contact it had with
the river when coming down the hill above Edgewood. In traversing this
section of Connersville. it crosses the location of the citv cemeterv, which
carries the history of bearing- evidences of The Trail when first used for
burial purposes. A vague tradition, also, of pony races, Indian fashion, in
the early village days, say in 1830- 1840, in the neighborhood south and
east of the cemetery, lends some additional weight to this opinion of the char-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. I33

acter of that ^■icinit^•. It ma)' be a mere fortuitous happening — an inciHise-
quent choice of location, for the races — but even so, it is noteworthy that
Connersville's first fairgrounds, 1850 to 1862, should be also located at the
same place, west of Central avenue and north of the railway. These facts
seem to mark the iocrdity as one of freciuent use. And it is most likely
that The Trail, wendint,' its way across the territory described, in reality
explains its popular uses in the early histt)ry of Connersville.

After passing the cemetery, in going towards the northwest, a short
distance brings the location of Edgewood. The road which still goes up
the hill, from the northwest corner of Edgewood, through the Austin Ready
farm, is, in fact, a part of the original path. The Trail, at this jKiint, came
down into the lowlands now forming the upper part of Connersville ; "and
the use made of it h\- tlie whites when following The Trail, in the pioneer
days, has left this short stretch of road unaltered and consequently still in
use. The fact of the identity of this road with The Trail of the Indians
is borne out by every tradition to be found upon the subject. These traditions
are more positive than traditions ofttimes are, for tlie reason that the Indians
themselves lingered longest in that direction, and this kept afresh a large store
of Indian lore in the families nf not a few of the old-time settlers along
the route.

One story often tuld — so often, in fact, that its telling has become
inextricably mixed with the humorous — is that, in an early da\ , an old
Indian came into the Harrisburg neighborhood looking for a pot of gold
buried at the foot of a large tree along The Trail. He had what purported
to be a map, a few marks and scratches on a leathered hide, and was serious
enough about his business, although the pathetic side of the simple red man's
visions are now only preserved as c^ne of the lighter veins in which he is
remembered by the whites. The opinion grew naturally, that the Indian
was loath to leave the burial grounds of his fathers, and any excuse to
■return to them, and again to view his happy hunting grounds, was most
welcome — the final leave-taking being made as tardy as possible.

After reaching the toj) of the hill, by following The Trail, as the road
still exists, through the Ready farm, there will be found only minor changes
from the original path to the fcjot of the hill when approaching Harrisburg.
At the latter point, instead of going up the hill westward. The Trail must have
followed the creek bed northward, up past the old Hackleman home, to the

134 FAYETTE COLtNTY, INDIANA.

old Florea home, to Sanford Guard and David Gordon and others who in
the very first days established themselves on their lands in reference to the
creek bed rather than to the township roads which were created later. The
evidence of two other trails in the vicinity of Harrisburg in nowise con-
flicts with this theory. The explanation is that the other trails were of later
origin, and served for direct communication after Bentonville and Harris-
burg came into existence. There is truly reflected in many Indian traditions
about Harrisburg the story of a trail which reached that place from Benton-
ville by a direct line across the old Joseph Caldwell home farm. And also
of another one which bore sharply southward, passing the old Murphy home
on the south side. As can still be seen, the Murphy home, west of Harris-
burg, is built with a south frontage instead of facing the present road on
the north.

This trail made its way towards the location of the Lick Creek ceme-
tery and attached itself to the original trail along the south side of Elephant
Hill, near the northeast corner of the Austin Ready farm, whence it came
into the valley by means of the old trail as first described. A due measure
of credence given to every fact bearing on the subject leaves little doubt
of the precedence of the first-described route — the one from the northwest
corner of Edgewood, passing along the east foot of Elephant Hill, to the
foot of the hill near Harrisburg, and then along Lick creek to its source.
This is evidently the original trail. The topography of the country in the
channel of the upper portion of Lick creek lends itself readily to the purpose.
A comparatively level country stretches across the highlands of Posey town-
ship in the direction of Stony creek, straight past the site of New Castle, and
on towards the Delaware towns on the White river where Muncie and
Anderson are now located.

ORIGIN OF ELEPHANT HILLS NAME.

The hill along the old road to Harrisburg, commonly called Elephant
Hill, is conspicuous from whatever point it is viewed. Its present name
comes from an incident which, briefly stated, is as follows : Connersville
for some years was the wintering quarters for the Van Amburgh Company
circus shows, with which members of the Frost family were associated. In
the winter of 1871-1872 a large elephant, which went bv the name of Tip-po
Saib, died, or was purposely killed on account of iiis vicious disposition.
Although liis demise took place in tlie old brick foundry building on Eastern
avenue, which was used for housing the animals, the carcass was divided

FAYin'TE COUNTY, INDIANA. 1 35

into parts and the same carted to tlie high hill on tlie farm tlien owned l)y
Charles Frost, and Imried on tlie very apex of the hill. The skeleton was
later taken up l)y an t)fficial of Earlham College of Richmond, Indiana,
where it is still preser\cd. The animal's height was over nine feet and
weighed something more than nine thousand pounds. In consequence of this
episode the hill came to be known as Elephant Hill : although previously it
was known among the first settlers as Indian Hill. It has many associa-
tions in pioneer histor\- with the Indians and their doings, and on account
of being on The Trail it was a common camping ground for them.

The county south of Fayette county has preserved a knowledge of sev-
eral Indian mounds within its limits; although none are definitely recognized
in Fayette county.

As a retrospective study, it is uninviting now to attem])t to establish any
claims ff)r this locality in that regard. If tumuli existed here the evidence
is all but lost completely. But in the case of Indian Hill, in the beginning,
some results might perhaps have been obtained. Any long-distance view of
Indian Hill, say from Dale cemetery, reveals a sky line that clearly shows
a crowai that seems to be hardly a natural effect. There are traditions extant
that lend color to the opinion that tliere was an Indian mound on the top of the
hill, but they are quite barren of definite details. No excavations are known
to have been made for disco\ery.

SITE OF OLD INDIAN CAMP.

Early traditions, as well as the evidence of the sites selected by the
pioneer white settlers, the local tojjography, all fix upon the old Harrisburg
road as The Trail that led down to John Conner's post. And it is par-
ticularly the l<nver portion of this ancient road, as it still enters Conners-
ville. that retains the largest amount of pioneer evidence, establishing it as
the identical path u>e(l by the Indians. It cannot be doubted that this is
The Trail coming down from the northw-est. and in fact, it has no rival claim-
ants disputing that honor.

In looking for some final witness on the subject, it may be worth men-
tioning that, not far above the old Hackleman home, in the Lick creek channel,
is the location of the largest camping grounds of the Indians within I'avette
county after the wlittes came into possession of their new homes. It lies
westwarft of the present bridge across Lick creek, near the old Powell home;
and it was an important point, judging from legends left behind of the num-
ber of Indians assembling there and the frequency with w hich it was used.

136 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

This Indian camp ( a part of the southw est quarter of section 34) became
one of the favorite landmarks and centers of activity in an early day. A
road formerly led from it towards Harrisburg, and another one, eastward,
towards Waterloo; but both of them are now extinct. There was a saw-
mill in operation there for many years, it was built some time prior to
1819, and the log-cabin home of its owner still stands, as the oldest pioneer
monument existing in Harrison township.

LOCATION OF THE OLD BLOCK-HOUSE.

On the top of a sharp bluff, the high bank to the southward of the Indian
camp just described, and just where a spring still flows, at the bottom, is the
location of the block-house of 181 J. The commanding position of this
primitive fort, as it sweeps the channel of Lick creek in either direction,
is surely well suited for its purposes. Something more than beautiful scenery
will come into the mind of the student of local history when viewing it. A
calm survey of the situation allows the mind's eye to trace out, even today,
a ver}' probable route for The Trail to follow in wending- its way toward
the setting of the sun. The traditions of the Caldwell family, whose original
home is nearby, makes it certain that the block-house was of importance to
the first settlers of the neighborhood, and that it was garrisoned by a small
squad of soldiers. Vnd also that it was picketed after the fashion of the
more important blockhouses of those days : that is, surrounding the fort there
was a solid timber-built fence, made up of short logs planted in the ground,
by first setting them on end in a ditch, and then filling Jjack the earth as is
done with fence posts. The topography of the locality, if studied from the
position of the fort, furnishes ample proof that along the foot of this steep
bank, and where the spring is. and where only a short distance below, less
than a mile, it joins on to what is commonly known as The Trail, must have
traveled the main body of Indians, who were wont to go down to John Con-
ner's on the west bank of the White Water, for trade and barter.

Before dismissing the matter of block-houses and the collateral evidence
to be found for the location of The Trail by the presence of these rude forts
of the most trying period of pioneer Indiana, it should be noted in conclu-
sion that Connersville has also the distinction of occupying a site which had
one of them once as a garrisoned fort, and the history of which helps mark
out the exact spot upon which the future town was to arise. It was inside
of what became, in 1813, the first part of Connersville, and it touches the par-
ticular parts denominated "the public square" in the original plat laid out by

FAYi-:TTE CurNTY. INDIANA. T37

Julin Conner. .\s Tlie I' rail came down from the northwest, it tirst tonched
the river bank at Conner's I'ost. wliieli was no doul)t the point of high ground
above Eighth street on Ivistern avenue: from there it made its course towards
the foot of Water street. In doing tliis it crossed tlie ]'"ifth-street school-
building site to reach Water street. At Fourth street, as is still to be noticed,
there is ground somewhat iiigher than the surrounding locality, and of course
but a few hundred feet removed from the Ijank of the river. It was upon
this spot, say one hundred anfl fifty feet north of the Gernian church, and
twenty-five feet eastward, the lilock-liouse was situated tliat was Jiuilt that
}ear, and whicli slieltered a detachment of soldiers sent u]) there by Com-
mandant \\'illiani flelm in iSt2.

W 1 101. 1". FRONTIICR IN .\ TRE.MOR.

That the hostile Indians were in their ugliest mood in the spring and
summer of iSi_> is written in large characters in the traditions of pioneer
Indiana. The severe defeat administered ti> them the ])re\ious fall, on the
battle ground of Tippecanoe, was a bitter recollection to them; but with the
opening of the war with luigland — June iX, iSij, events seemingly brought
them a moment for rejjrisals on the whites.

On July 17th the American ]iost at .Mackinac surrendered to a force oi
British and Indians. A large force menaced Detroit, and early in .\ugust
tlie commander of I'ort 1 >earl)orn~ Chicago — was ordered to abandon that
l^lace and come to the relief of Detroit. But the hostile Indians fell upon
the whole ])art\ of soldiers, men, women and children, leaving only a few-
alive to tell the details of the horror of the massacre. .Vt this time the prin-
cipal outpost of Vincennes was Fort Harrison. This place was treacherously
assaulted by them on .September 4th, but less successfully. And as if to
wreak their vengeance for the failure, the Pigeon Roost massacre, in an out-
lying district, to the eastward ,ind to the south of \'incennes. was enacted on
the same day.

.\s this was .an onslaught on an unsuspecting settlement of white
pioneers, it naturally put into a trenmr the whole of our frontier region.
.And as central Indiana was still the red man's domain, the border, districts,
of which the west fork of the White Water formed the eastern alignment,
were quickly put in a state of open warfare. It is not strange, under the cir-
cumstances, that the pioneers who had just come into the valley all fell to
work building block-houses. There was a double ])urpose served bv it. In
the first ])lace it was jirolection. but secondarily the buildings served later for

I^O FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

other purposes and liesides lielped in the general plan of clearing the ground
for the raising of crops.

CONNER.SVILLE A MILITARY STATION.

To most persons the statement that Connersxille had a military station
at one time will ])e so iKuel that a resume of the ex'idence upon which its
location has been determined ma\' be appropriate. It does not appear any-
where in print what its location was, but the following considerations seem
definitely to settle the point, in the absence of documentary proof.

First-— At the old settlers' meeting in 1862, Doctor Mason makes this
statement:- "One of these block-houses was located near the present site of
our county seat ( i. e., the present court liouse), and was commanded by Col.
William 1-lelni, who resided six miles below tlie present town of Connersville."

Second — In a local paper, of about fifty \ears ago, a short sketch con-
tains the following: ".Aliout that time ( iSu) Rew John Strange, * * *
preached in a block-house, at this point, at another near Laurel and still
another on the present site of Cambridge.'" This person represented the
Methodist denomination, and when the latter erected a building of their own,
in 1825, it was put on the present site of tlie German church.

Third — Hawkins Hackleman. who first saw the block-house, as a boy,
in 1815, has left behind descriptions of its location. The neighborhood had
been built up with other houses during jiis young manhood, and consequently
reconciling- the changed conditions with the (M-iginal aspect of things was
difficult, especially as the names of the streets were changed in his later years.
He described the location of the block-house, usually, however, as "not far
from the road now coming up the hill, from East Connersville."

Fourth — In the sale of lots by John Conner, after 1813, lot No. 8 was
first sold jointly with two other lots, and lirought a price which clearly indi-
cates that one of them had a building upon it. Lot No. 8 carries this apparent
feature again in a sale in 1833 and in 1844. In 1849 David Jennings boug-ht
the rear of lot No. 8 and the rear of lot No. 7, which luade his purchase front
on Fourtli street: and he paid a ])rice in adxance of what lots alone sold for
at that time. A niece of Mr. Jennings, Mrs. Macey, who still lives there,
knows that a large log house stood in the rear i)art of the purchase. The
location of this house consequently would be the rear part of lot No. 8, which
had maintained an enhanced valuation in tlie previous transactions.

The position of this log house in the rear of the lot, one door facing the
present alley, says plainly that it was built liefore Connersville was platted in

FAYETIK rorNTY. TN-DIANA. 139

1813, and tliat when it was put u]) it was made tti trout nu the rei)r,i,ranizcd
liighway of that day. viz. : Tlie 'IVail leadiiis: down to tiie toi'd at tlie foot
of Water street.

Fifth — In the traditions left l)ehind with tiie descendants of the pioneer
family of .Alexander Saxon, it would seem the location gi\-en above is aliout
correct. The traditions are to tlie effect tiiat among- their earliest experiences,
after settling on their land in 1812, east side of the river, south of the present
hall park, were the occasional visits of soldiers from "the fort." .\lso that
they maintained a ferry boat at the ford, which was used by the soldiers.

Sixth — Samuel Merriheld, who still li\es near C<inners\ille, is of the
opinion that in his youth it \\as a generally accei)ted \iew of the matter, that
the block-house built when the Indian disturbances were active was on the
high ground on the north side of Fourth street, betweeti l'"astern a\enue and
Water street.

Seventh — In conclusion, it should be stated that Col. William Helm, who
commanded the force of soldiers in this neighborhood, became an early asso-
ciate judge of l-'ayette county, and he bought lot Xo. 7, which touches the
block-hou.se site on the south side: and lot Xo. <), I)ordering on the north side.
was donated by lolin I'onner to the county for the ftnifl to procure the couutv
seat for Connersville. These facts, in connection with the other one, that the
"public Sfpiare" denominated in the first plat by b'bn Conner touches the
block-house site on the west side, gives the immediate vicinity an air of civic
importance, hardly e(|ualed else\\here.

.\ I'lONEER If.WKN Ol' .S.\KKTV,

That no open liostilities are recorded, that no blood)- deeds mark the
period that brought us these military fortifications, is surely a better heritage
to all who now look out upon the beautiful scene of hills and \-alleys, and
count it a part of home, than would be any number of heroic encounters
whose measure could l)e taken onl\- in .sanguinary acts and in human misery
and death. Viewed from the stand])oint of forestalling possible attack or
as a harbor for fleeing refugees, the block houses of our pioneer history
amply justify their erection: and the two which have been mentioned were
certainly placed with wisdom and with reference to ready access. l'"s])eciallv
is this quality to be noted in the case of the Connersville fort. The trading
l)ost of John Conner, in its position on the best einineiice to be found w'hen
first coming down The Trail frorn the northwest, con-imanded a full \iew- of
the river channel about Fightb street. It served xery well at that ])oint as a

140 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

haven of safety; and the other structure, the one built in 1812 as a block-
liouse for the soldiers near Fourth street, had an equally fine sweep of the
portion of the river bank which led down to the ford at the foot of Water
street. A seemingly conclusive proof that a path passed over the described
district will be found in the fact, that, when the town was founded the next
year, the tirst store to find a home for itself was on the south side of the
alley between Fifth and Sixth streets and on the west side of Eastern avenue.
It was conducted by Joshua Harlan, who came up from Brookville that year.
In this early trading place will be found a true index of what The Trail
stood for in its inner history. The military phase of our history is happily
a minor incident. But with Harlan's store, as a beginning in the new town's
activities. The Trail again asserts itself as the one main artery opening out
upon tlie world; for the Harlan store is midway down from the post toward
the site i>f the blockhouse. This neighborhood constitutes the incipient town
of Connersville.

Harlan (who had been a territorial judge before locating here) was
destined to fill a large place in the affairs of Connersville during the period
now entering. Fie was a man past middle life, of large stature and of wide
experience, beside antecedents and ancestry and early training that peculiarly
fitted him to hel]) bring about a safe fruition of the new venture imdertaken
at this point. His services were of much \alue to John Conner, and they
seem to have been used freely by tlie latter. Harlan oversees the erection of
a brick building for Conner which was the largest, if indeed not also the first,
to grace Connersville's streets. It is located also on the old route of The
Trail, and can still he seen in the older part of the hotel building on the north-
east corner of l'"ifth street and Eastern avenue. Harlan took over from Con-
ner the land lying west of the plat of 1813, and opened up Harlan's Addi-
tion, in 18U). .\s the organization of the county, in the early months of that
year, transferred "the seat of justice" to the present site of the court house,
which is in Harlan's Addition, the older section, of which Eastern avenue
was "Main street" in reality, as well as in name, found a strong rival for the
business and honors of the village.

BUSINES.S GROITp-ED .\BOUT THE TRAIL.

In glancing back tf) the period which represents the formative stages of
Connersville's life, it is ])lain that the first enterprises group themselves about
The Trail. Before the creation of Fayette county and the resultant growth
whicJi came to Connersxille. the original part of the town and the route of

FAYETTE COIJNTY. INDIANA. I4I

The Trail just ahtnT il containeil all there was of inii)rt)vement ami pros^ress.
The improvements may have been inconsiderable at first. In fact, only four
separate buildings can be vouched for as belongings to the second year of its
existence. These were: the post, the block-house, Harlan's store, and prob-
ably a log house on the site of the present old Heinemann corner. The dura-
tion of this state of civic development may ha\e been \ery l)rief, but it was
snfticient to show by its associations the priority of an earlier condition in
which 'i'he Trail was paramoiuU. It is The Trail that brings the travel which
resulted in John Coimer's coming. And the central position of his post, on
the route, is the explanation of its selection for the purpose of a main station.
"Conner's Post" is a name that came to it by easy process, in the language
of the first settlers. It was Fort Conner in the brief period of militancy,
although posterity will know it as Connersville. There are many other
developments that trace their origin directly to the commerce which followed
this ]5rimitive path. And yet. with all the supremacy of The Trail, measured
by the valuations of those da\s, it is soon to be replaced by other distinctions
tt^ which the locality aspires. The town spirit fully possesses itself of the
community's ambitions when Connersville is made the county seat. .\nd
man\ new ventures are planned, which soon change the w'hole tenor of things.
It is well established in the early history of Connersville that an old house
existed on the southwest corner of Fifth street and Eastern avenue. John
Sample owned it from 1820 to 1S24, and conducted an inn there, which has
received frequent mention in the early traditions. As Sample was village
postmaster in 1822, and for several years thereafter, it is a safe inference
that this site \vas also Cnnnersx-illc's ]>ostoffice during that period. [nsliua
Harlan had been postmaster in the years i8i8-r8_'j, at his place of business.
one-half block further up "Main street." I'revious to t8jo, the corner site
was owned by .Misaloni lUu-kiiam and in some statements of the historv of
the corner, it is .said tb.at TUirkham built up the ])lace. But this probablv
means that he added to it: for it is known, also, that Arthur Dickson was
merchandising there at a somewhat earlier day than Burkham. Later on,
Dickson, jointly with another ])ers<ni. liought the adjoining lot to the south,
and set up a store there.

The descendants of William Sparks, who entered land in r8i_>.
below Fast Connersville, have preserxed the tradition that in the earliest
ciations of their family with Connersville. John Conner's trading place

142 FAYETTE COLNTY, INDIANA.

the corner spoken of above. Becau.se of the well known custom of Conner
to use the ser\'ices of other persons to attend to the details of his business, it
is easy to conclude that Conner used this site for his headquarters, after the
town was platted in 1813, .with Arthur Dickson as a helper. It would be
natural enough for Conner to establish himself at this location. From a
business standpoint it would serve his interests very much to do so; it puts
him in a position which is across the street from the "public square," and
one that is central between Harlan's store and the blockhouse. So far as
public meetings entered into the plan of village life, in the beginning, the
block-house must have been used for that purpose. There are no known
records of any form of town government before the organization of the
county in 18 19; and during all of this peritxl John Conner was the guiding
power of the settlement. It is plain that his activities in the promotion of
his venture, the starting of Conners\'ille. could be best directed from the
location described, and doubtlessly it was so used by him.

It is not surprising to find, consec|uently, that changes creep into the
renow n which The Trail liad enjoyed up to this time. Glory is ever fleeting,
and the high estate of the path made by the Indians, in coming down from
the northwest and continuing on down the valley, has seen the limita-
tion of its honors. There was a period of usefulness for it, and even fame,
but it now enters into a term of recession. Its doom is not long delayed.

What helped the mcjst to its efYacement was the changed character of
the po]julation. .\nother race of people, with other equipments in life, have
been attracted by the abundant wealth in nature's storehouse. In point of
time, the Indians were the first to enjoy the largesses Divine Providence
scattered with a lavish hand up and down the valley ; they were alone and
were in the midst of plenty, and in their prosperity they left a trace. It was
a humble means of disbursement and of travel. But civilization learns of it,
and comes in ; and the coming of the latter brings changes. It alters the
primal complexion of the whole country. \\'here trackless forests once
were, and where a dense undergrowth held sway, now there are soon to be
open patches of soil for husbandry, and there are to be known points where
settlements are forming. The white race rearranges things, and, in doing
so, follows a new standard. As a result, cultivated fields, section roads,
established homes, village and town life abound! Our history truly begins.
But with the beginning of history, alas, The Trail ends — it vanishes. It is
too elusive to be held in perfect metes and bounds, it is too transitory to leave
a 'deep' impress; unless, perchance, ; as a.jmemory, and,, at .that, only a memory
of a long past.

CHAl'TER I\'.
■ ' John Coinner.

There is considerable oljscurity surroiiiiding tlie career of Joliii C'diiiier.
the founder of the city wliich bears liis name. As far as is known, tiiere
is no contemporary account of his career, the best account l>eing- tliat of
O. H. Smith in his "luirly Indiana Trials and Sketches." Smith knew Con-
ner personally and what he has to say about him may be taken as the words
of a man who knew him intimately, and for that reason his narrative pos-
sesses more value than any of the other accounts of the old pioneer.

In 1916 Mrs. Sarah Conner Christian, of Indianapolis, a j;;rand-
daughter of John Conner, prepared a sketch of the pioneer's life which is
given in the succeeding pages. Her biography, as she explains, was writ-
ten from information handed down by members of the family and for this
reason is particularly interesting to the readers of b'ayette county.

Proliabl)- tlie liest lixing aiitliority on the life of John L'onner is j. L.
Heineniann, of L'onner>\ illc. who has lieen collecting historical data concern-
ing Conner and the early histor\- of l'"ayette count}- for a number of years. In
the course of his investigations he has unearthed the diary of David Zeis-
berger, a Moravian missionary, who was acfjuainted with the Conner fam-
ily while they lived in Ohio, and after they reached Detroit, following their
capture by Indians. Such parts of this diary as pertain particularly to the
Conner family have been translated and preserved 1)\- Mr. Heincmann, who
also has. added the result of some of his investigations in the life of C"on-
ner.sville's founder.

Still another view of John Conner is presented b}- ISaxnard R. Hall
in his interesting volume. "The Xew r'urchase. or Seven and a Half ^'ears
in the Far West."

co.\.\i-:r's ixi)1.\.\ wifk.

It is n(jt known whether John Conner married his Indian wife in ( )hio ■
or Indiana, nor is the date of their marriage known. It is certain, how-
ever, that Conner married his Indian wife before he became of age. .She
died in 1814, leaving two sons. John and James. John seems to have been
enamored of Indian life and after his mother's death was reared In the Dela-

144 FAYET1E COUNTY, INDIANA.

ware Indians and when they were taken to Missouri he went with them.
He communicated with his half-brother, Wilham Winship Conner, in 1862
from Missouri, where he was then Hving. At that time he was a wealthy
landowner, with a large estate along the Missouri river. He died sometime
■during the sixties. James Conner, the other son of John Conner by his
Indian wife, remained with his father, who often remarked that James was
the best boy he ever saw. The boy died of typhoid fever while still a youth.

After the death of his Indian wife, John Conner married Lavinia Win-
ship, a daughter of Judge Winship of Franklin county. There were three
children by the second marriage, two sons and a daughter, the latter dying
in early childhood. The two sons were Henry I. and William Winship.
Henry Conner became a lawyer and formed a partnership with James B.
Ray for the practice of his profession, but died while still a young man. The
career of William Winship Conner, the father of Sarah Conner Christian,
is related elsewhere in this volume.

It is not generally known that John Conner was one of the best educated
men of his day, but such is a fact. He was a great student and had a fine
library in his home. He was the righthand man of Governor Harrison for
many years and was invaluable to the governor because of his ability to
speak twenty-two different Indian dialects. He could also speak and write
in the French language. In his service in the state Legislature, as a member
of the commission to select the site of the ]jresent State Capital, and as an
interpreter at the signing of various Indian treaties, John Conner proved
himself to be a man of unusual ability.

A SKETCH OF CONNER BY O. H. SMITH.
(Early Indiana Trials and Sketches, page 174)

John Conner, the proprietor of Connersville, was one of nature's strong
men. Taken by the Shawnee Indians when a mere )'outh, he was raised
and educated in Indian life, language, and manners. When dressed in their
costume, and painted, it was difificult to distinguish him from a real savage.
On one occasion, as he told me, he came to Andersontown, then the lodge
of a large band of Indians under Chief Anderson. He was dressed and
painted as a Shawnee, and pretended to be a representative of Tecumseh.
As is usual with the Indians, he took his seat on a log barely in sight of
the Indian encampment, quietly smoked his pipe, waiting the action of
Anderson and his chiefs. After an hour he saw approaching the old chief
himself, in full dress, smoking his pipe. I give his language: "As the old

GRAVK OF JOHN CONNER.

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 145

chief walked up to me I rose from my seat, looked him in the eyes; we ex-
changed pipes, and walked down to the lodge smoking, without a word.
I was pointed to a bearskin — took my seat, with my back to the chiefs. A
few minutes after, L noticed an Indian by the name of Gillaway, who knevf
me well, eyeing me closely. I tried to evade his glances, when he bawled
out in the Indian language, at the top of his voice (interpreted) 'You great
Shawnee Indian, you John Conner.' The next moment the camp was in a
perfect roar of laughter. Chief Anderson ran up to me, throwing off his
dignity. 'You great representative of Tecumseh,' and burst out in a loud
laugh." ]\Ir. Conner was an active, prominent, honest man; represented his
county in the Senate, and gave the casting vote in favor of the ballot system
of voting. He was father of William \Y. Conner, of Hamilton county. He
long since departed this life.

A SKETCH OF CONNER BY MRS. SARAH CONNER CHRISTIAN.

I deem it a very great honor to have the privilege of preparing this
brief sketch of my grandfather, the man who founded the city of Conners-
ville. What I shall have to say has very little of the traditionary in it. I
shall give the plain facts gleaned from historical accounts and records, or
related by my father, who was but six years old at the time of the death of
his father, John Conner. In his (my father's) childhood memories were
manv pleasing incidents, but his mother who lived until he was twenty-one
years of age was his reliable informant. I shall not endeavor to go back
of Richard Conner, the father of the subject of this sketch, but shall begin
with his sojourn at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in fur
trading. In this capacity he often came into contact with the Indians, among
whom he met Margarita Bovoir, a French girl, who at the time of the
massacre of her family, was stolen by the Indians, she being about six years
old at the time. She was sixteen years of age when Richard Conner mar-
ried her.

A couple of years later, Richard Conner pushed his way westward into
Ohio. The Reverend Simpson in his history says that Richard Conner came
to Coshocton county, Ohio, about 1770, bringing with him a small colony
of friends for the purjiose of engaging with him in the fur trade. They
built their cabins close together and the little group was known as Conner-
town. James, the eldest of the tliree sons liorn tliere, was, according to the
Reverend Simpson, the first white child born in what is now the state of
Ohio. William w-as born in 1775 at the same place, and in 1786 or 1787,
John Conner, the founder of Connersville. Indiana, first opened his eyes
(10)

146 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

upon this world at Connertown, Coshocton county, Ohio, in what was known
as Wyoming Valley.

In 1789 occurred the massacre from which the Williams family es-
caped, while the Conners were taken into captivity by a band of Delaware
Indians under the leadership of Simon Girty, a renegade, and one Elliott,
also a renegade. The Conners were taken to Detroit, making the journey
on foot. Upon arriving there they were thoroughly exhausted and almost
dead. They were held for ransom by the Indians under the British. Their
ransom was accomplished by Rev. James Heckwelder, a man of noble birth
and a devoted Moravian missionary at Detroit. The ransom price paid for
the Conners was four hundred dollars in cash, two kegs of powder, fifty
pounds of lead and one keg of brandy. The Elliott who assisted in their
capture was also instrumental in procuring their release.

The family, with two exceptions, settled at Detroit, where some of their
posterity still reside, but the older members are sleeping in the cemetery at Mt.
Clemens, Michigan, where the cross above their resting place attest the faith
that was their anchor throughout their tragic and romantic career. At the
time of the massacre John Conner was between two and three years of age,
with blue eyes and light hair. It was the custom of the Indians to kill the
light-haired children, and the mother, knowing this, procured a piece of lead
and rubbed little John's head and eyebrows. When morning came he was
the black-headed one of the family.

As the captors journeyed on, footsore and weary, William, who was
about fourteen years of age, took little John from his mother's arms to rest
her. No sooner was this done than one of the Indians' snatched the boys
up, put them on a horse, and galloped through the forest to central Indiana,
the hunting ground of the Delawares. The father and mother gave the
children up for dead, supposing the Indians would kill them.

I have no record of how William cared for little John, holding his hand
while his delicate feet stumbled over the ground; how he quieted his cries,
relieved his hunger, of protected him from the cold and rain ; who made his
moccasins or provided them with clothing to keep them warm. Perhaps the
squaws of the tribe gave them the help they required.

When John was old enough the boys made the trip to DetrdTt-on horse-
back in quest of their people. They were fortunate enough to find them in
that city, and it is understood that their father, Richard, put the boys in a
Moravian mission school, where they acquired what education they received.
The boys returned to Indiana some time before 1800 for the purpose of

■ FAYETTK COUNTY. UVDIANA. I47

carrying on fur trading and establishing trading posts. They were among
the first, if not the very first white traders in the White Water valley.

John Conner had a supply store and trading post at Cedar Grove, in
Franklin county, as early as 1804 — and he was not more than seventeen
years of age at the time. This post, in his absence, was carried on by a
Frenchman in his employ known as Pilkey. In 1808 John Conner made his
first appearance on the present site of Connersville, and there is little doubt
tliat the trading post he established here that year was the first white man's
cabin in Connersville.

Connersville was platted March 4, 181 3. He is on record as having
entered the northwest quarter of section 27 (range 12, east, township 13,
north). In 1808 he became of age and as he came to, Connersville in that
year, it is natural to suppose that the entry was where he built the post.
[This \aries slightly from tlie Cdunty record of entries, for which see
page 227,. — Editor.] Fayette county at that time was a part of Frank-
lin county, not being organized until January i, 1819. In the first Legis-
lature that met at Corydon (after the state was admitted to the Union in
1816) there were only ten members of the Senate and John Conner was one
of the ten, being a member from Franklin county, and he was still a member
of the Senate when Fayette county was organized in 1819. It is said that
he cast the deciding vote for the ballot system of voting.

John Conner was married on March 13, 1813, to Louisa Winship, a
daughter of Jabez Winship, of Cedar Grove. It is unnecessary for me to
speak of his life at Connersville for of that you know more than I do. The
exidence of liis labors and ami)ition is here. The site of one of the first
mills in the White Water valley is here, and it was John Conner who
built it.

My father, William Winship Conner, was born at Connersville, May 27,
1820. In 1822 John Conner moved to Hamilton county, Indiana, where he
purchased one thousand acres of land on the west fork of White river about
two miles south of the present site of Noblesville. There was a small mill-
site on the river on his land, and he at once built a large flouring mill and
woolen factory at the same place. He built a large and comfortable resi-
dence there and lived in it until the day of his death. He died in 1826 at
the age of forty.

Throughout his life he was the trusted friend of the Indians, never
defrauding nor betraying their interests. At the outbreak of the Indian war

148 FAYETTE COCINTY, INDIANA.

in Indiana (War of 1812), he used all of his influence to avert trouble
between the Indians and whites; always telling his Indian friends that in
case of trouble he would stand by the United States government and the
settlers. . .

Early in 1808 Governor Harrison addressed a speech to the chief of
the Shawnees. This speech was delivered by John Conner, the messenger
and interpreter, before an assemblage of Shawnee chiefs. The Prophet
dictated an answer which Conner put in writing and delivered to Governor
Harrison. The reply was a denial of the charges, and affirmed good will
and faith toward the whites. The growing dissatisfaction of the Indians
and their increasing hostility began to alarm the people, and John Conner
was chosen, as being the most influential man, to bear the governor's mes-
sage to the Indians, assuring them of the friendship of the United States
and to use his influence to promote harmony and peace.

On November 25, 1812, Governor Harrison placed Colonel Campbell
in command of a detachment of six hundred men, and in giving him instruc-
tions, said : "Inform yourself from Conner of the locality, of the place
and situation of the Indians." John and WiUiam Conner acted as guides
to Colonel Campbell's expedition to the Mississinewa (Grant county, Indiana).
They knew the country well and were conversant with Indian methods of
warfare. Both brothers could speak twenty-two different Indian dialects.

John and William were two of the commissioners appointed by the
General Assembly to locate tlie capital of the state. The commissioners
were instructed by Governor Jennings to meet May 22, 1820, at the home
of William Conner, on the west fork of White river (in what is now Ham-
ilton county).

John Conner was a scout and carried the dispatches from Ft. Wash-
ington, now Cincinnati, to Ft. Wayne. He was a member of the state
militia and fought under Governor Harrison at Tippecanoe. He was a
non-commissioned aide to Harrison in that battle.

Oliver H. Smith, in his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches." in speak-
ing of John Conner, said: "John Conner, the founder of Connersville, was
one of nature's strong men, active in the interest of the people, prominent
in aiifairs of state, a man of integrity and honor, of dauntless courage and
indomitable energy."

John Conner now sleeps in Greenlawn cemetery at Indianapolis, and
the Indian trail, the pack horse and canoe are replaced by the nation's race
tracks, automobiles, locomotives and interurbans. The dear old mill that
gladdened the settlers has given way to the high-class manufactories that

- FAYKTTE COUNTY. INDIANA. I49

help to make your city. When I see the magnificent residence.^, the exten-
sive factories, the schools and churches — when I see the faith the i)eople of
Connersville have in their city and their ambition for it, I know that the
spirit of John Conner is marching- on.

On John Conner's gra\estone is the folldwing inscription: "Blessed
are the dead from henceforth : yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from
their labours; and their works do follow them." Originally there were other
lines on the stone, but exposure to tlie elements has effaced them, the above
lines l)ein.g preser\e(l through the' fact that for m?ny years they were covered
with soil.

FURTHER LIGHT ON THE PIONEER.

The article of Mrs. Christian was submitted to Mr. Heinemann in order
fur him to compare the facts stated therein with the result of his investiga-
tions. He does not hesitate to pronounce her sketch a good statement of
the Cornier family traditions; however, Mr. Heinemann is of the opinion
that additional light on the life of Conner can be gleaned from the diary of
David Zeisberger, who kept a day-by-day account from 1781 to 1798. As
has been stated, Zeisberger was accjuainted with the Conners in Ohio, knew
of their capture by the Indians and was evidently well acquainted with them
after the family lived in Detroit. Mr. Heinemann's extracts from the diary
of the Moravian missionary, together with his comments on the diary, are
given in the succeeding paragraphs.

DIARY OF DAVID ZEISBERGER.

June 14, 1782 — Today and for several days all sorts of rumors have
been flying about; and many preparations made for war. In the ship "San-
dusky," the Conners came here [Detroit] with their children. They had to
come on account of the unrest caused by war.

July II, 1782 — We did not fail to give our Indian brethren news of
us, as often as we have had a chance; and a week before, by some white
prisoners who went there, we had again sent them word ; and yesterday
Conner also was dispatched there on business by the commandant.

April 25, 1783 — Brother Conner arrived [at Clinton river] from the
fort [Detroit] to build himself a house, and soon to bring his family. For
the sake of his maintenance he has had to stay there till now.

April 2H, 1783 — (Clinton River.) We got back home again, haviijg
been much hindered in the lake by head winds, and having had much trouble

150 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

to row against them. But the Indians had to lie still. Both of their canoes
were filled by the waves. We brought us in our boat Brother Conner and his
wife, with provisions which now they get as we do, but which before they
did not draw, so long as they were in Detroit.

July 22, 1783 — Brother Conner came back from Detroit, where he got
supplies, when we last got provisions there, and he at the same time went
with us. Colonel De Peyster refused to let him have them longer, and so
he had to provide himself with them by buying them.

April 2, 1786 — . . . none of us remained behind, save Conner's
family, who himself knew not whither to go, or what to do. In the evening
we camped at the mouth of the River Huron. . . . It is just four years
today that we landed in Detroit and in truth we could not do otherwise than
give the Savior to recognize our thankful hearts for all the kindnesses He
had shown us and that He has done everything so well with us.
We left Conners' family behind.

August 14, 1788 — Four Chippewas came visiting here [Canada], re-
maining a couple of days. One of them was from the Huron river, and
told us, for he spoke very good Delaware, that he lived in Brother Zeisber-
ger's house, that the houses were all occupied by Chippewas; and that no
white people lived there except Conner, to whom they had given leave [to
stay there].

Mr. Heinemann's comments on the above excerpts from the Zeisberger
diary follow :

It will be seen from these entries that the Moravians, with whom the
original Conner family was in touch, moved from American territory into
Canada in 1786; consecjuently that there was no opportunity for Richard
Conner to put his son John into Moravian mission schools at Detroit.

That John Conner had the benefit of school training is evident from his
career — his public services have left many evidences of it — but there are
several good reasons for holding that his education was in fact received in
the school attached to the old Catholic church built by the French in 170T,
which school, about the time in question, was rejuvenated by the new church
authorities from Baltimore. This was just after the War of Independence,
the Baltimore priests superseding the French and English priests from
Quebec.

A large chapter of Detroit history, partly of an educational character,
was inaugurated in 1798 with the arrival of Father Gabriel Richard for the
purpose stated' atmve. Even Ann .'\rbor owes its origin largely to this man's

FAYETTK COUXTY. INniANA. I5I

interest in school work. He was one of the founders of tlie University of
Michigan in 1817, vice-president, and in the beginning was professor of six
of the thirteen departments composing its curriculum.

This remarkable man began his career in Detroit in 1798 as parish priest
of old St. Ann's, the church of the days of French occupation; and in giving
his first attention to the restoration oi the ruin wrought by sieges and wars,
he left an imperishable monument in a career notable in many ways. His
life was closed as a victim of the cholera scourge of 1832. So active were
his resourceful efforts in the beginning, that within three years, between
1798 and 1802, he built a second church for the neighborhood and opened
si.x primary schools and two academies.

This is the period to which the youth of John Conner belongs; and
it would be passing strange, indeed, if any other source be ever found and
proven as the fountain whence were taken the rudiments of knowledge and
the fair penmanship belonging to Connersville's founder.

A SKETCH OF CONNER BY BAYNARD R. HALL.

An interesting and delightful picture of John Conner in his home at
Connersville is given by Baynard Rush Hall in his book entitled "The New
Purchase." Hall was the first professor of the seminary at Bloomington,
which was later to become Indiana College and still later Indiana University.
Hall was also a Presbyterian clerg}-man and it was while on a ministerial
trip that he paid a visit to Connersville and partook of the hospitality of the
trader. It slioulil l)e sa'd. liowever. that as a matter of historical accur-
acy, there is some doubt that Hall was actually ever at Connersville. But
the fact remains that he left the state before the end of the twenties and
that he must have either been at Conner's house or else well acquainted with
some one who knew that Conner disported the silver plate which seems to
have made such a marked impression on the eye of the preacher. It is well
known tliat Conner collected a large (|uaiitit\- of siher and sent it luist to
be made into dishes.

As much of the volume as deals with Hall's sojourn with Conner is
here reproduced verbatim. It may be found on pages 247-249 of the cen-
tennial edition of Hall's "New Purchase," edited by James Albert 'Wood-
burn, professor of history in Indiana University.

Hall calls Conner "Redwhite," while himself he designates as "Carl-
ton.'" It must be admitted that the author gets out of the region of facts
into the field of fiction when he attempts to discuss the domestic life of

152 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Conner, although it is certain that Conner chd have an Indian wife. The
extract follows :

Today tlie eveiiiug service was iu the neigliboiliuud of Mr. Itedwbite, for uiauy
years a trader aiiiung the Iiidiaus. He being present insisted on our passing tlie night
at his house. We consented. For forty years he had lived among the aborigines, and
was master of five or six Indian languages; having adopted also many of their opin-
ions on political and religious points, and believing with the natives themselves and
not u few civilized folks, that the Indians have had abundant provocations for most
of their misdeeds. Hence, Mr. Redwhite and Mr. Carlton soon became 'powerful
thick' — i. e., very intimate friends.

The most interesting thing in Mr. Redwhite"s establishment was his Christian
or white wife. She, in infancy, had escaped the tomahawk at the massacre of Wyom-
ing, and afterwards had been adopted as a child of the Indian tribe. Our friend's
heathen or red wife was a full-blooded savagess — (the bcllc and the savarie) ; and
had deserted her husband to live with her exiled people; and so IJedwhite, poor fellow,
was a widower with one wife — viz, this Miss Wyoming. Much of this lady's life had
passed among the Canadian French ! and she was, therefore, mistress of the Indian,
the French, and the English ; and also of the most elegant cookery, either as regards
substantial dishes or nicnacry. And of this you may judge, when we set on supper.

But first be it said, our host was rich, not only for that country, but for this,
and though he lived iu a cabin, or rather a dozen cabins, he owned tracts of very
valuable land presented to him by his red lady's tribe — territory enough in fact to
form a darling little state of his own, nearly as small as Rhode Island or Delaware.
Beside, he ownetl more real silver — silver done into plate, and some elaborately and
tastefully gravetl and chased, than could be found in ;i pet bank when dear old Fncle
Sam sent some of his cronies to look for it.

Well, now the eatables and drinkables. We had tea, black and green, .lud coffee —
all lirst chop and superbly made, regaling with fragrance, and their delicacy aided by
the just admixture of appropriate sugars, together with richest cream : — the addita-
menta being banded on a silver waiter and in silver bow-Is and cups. The decoctions
and infusions themselves were poured from silver spouts curving gracefully from mas-
sive silver pots and urns. Wheat bread of choice flour and raised with yeast, formed,
some into loaves and some into rolls, was present, to lie siiread with delicious butter
rising in unctuous pyramids, fretted from base to aiiex into .-i kind of a butyrial shell
work — this resting on silver and to be cut with silver. Corn, too, figured in pone and
liudding, and vapoured away in little clouds of steain ; while at judicioiis inter^-als
were handed silver plates of rich and warm flannel or blanket cakes, with so soft and
melting an expression as to win our most tender regards. There stood a plate of
planked venison, there one of dried beef, while at beconnng distances were large china
dishes partly hidden imder steaks of ham and veni.son done on gridirons, and sending
forth most fragrant odors — so that the very hounds, and mastiff's and wolf dogs of the
colony were enticed to the door of our supper cabin by the witcliery of the floating
essence !

But time would fail to tell of the bunns — and .iumbles — and sponge cake — and
fruit ditto — and pound also — and silver baskets — and all these on cloth as white as snow !

Reader! Was ever such a contrast as between the untutored world around and
the array, and splendor, and richness of our sumptuous banquet? And all this in an
Indian country! and prepared by almost a sole survivor from a massacre that exting-
uished a whole Christian village! How like a dream this!

- FAYETTK (XHJNTY. INDIANA. 1 53

And tlmu w;isl s.-nt'il nt W.voiiiin;;: Do 1 Iddk <in tlicc.-- u|miii wIkiso iiuKn-i-iil
fiice of infancy years ago guslieil the warm lilood of tbe mother falling with her bahe
locked to her bosom! Didst thou really hear the fiendish yells of that night? — when
the flames of a father's house revealed the forms of infuriate ones dancing in triumph
among the mangled corpses of their victims! Who washed the congealed gore from
thy cheeks? And what barbarian nurse gave strange nourishment from a breast so
responsive to the bloody call of the warwhoop that made thee motherless?— and now
st> tenderly melting at the crys of the orphan ! And slie tied tliee to a barken cradle
and bore thee far, far away to her dark forest haunts! — and there swinging thee to
the bending branches bade the wild winds rock thee ! — and she became thy mother and
there was thy home ! Oh! wh;it ditt'ovenv destiny thine in the sweet vilhige of thy
birth — but for that night!

And yet. reader, this hostess w;is not so wlmlly Indian and Canadian tli;it when
she talked of Wyoming it was witlioiil emotion I -while I was rejiressing tears! .-ilasl
she had not one faint desire to see the land of her .iiii-estors : Could this lie Camii-
bell's (Sertrude?"

AN INTKKICSTING OLD I.KTTF.R.

Mrs. Sarali Conner Christian, a granddangliter of John Conner, has
a, letter written by James Backhouse to lier grandfather, bearing the date of
July 25, 1824. The letter was written from "Beach Near Brookville," but
just where this place was is not detinitely known. It is certain, however,
that Conner had a store at Cedar Crove, south of Brookxille. and another
store either at or in the immediate \icinity of Brookville. The letter is writ-
ten in a fairly legible hand although there are some words in it which are
not rea<lil\- deci])hered. The whole purport of the letter is to the effect that
Piackhouse was engaged in trans]j()rting merchandise for Conner and that one
of the loads was lost, or partly .so, in crossing Taylor's creek. The letter
with its lack of punctuation, excessive capitalization and misspelled words is
here reproduced verliatiui.

r.eacli Xc.-ir I'.r(M,U\ illc
Mr. .Tohn Connor I set down to try to inforni yon of the most Siiignlar Circnmstani-e
or more jirojierly sijeaking the Act of (Jod on S.-itnrday morning the seventeenth day of
July my W.-igon Started from Fenton's Old .St.-ind l)eyon(l Mianie Town Karly in ordere to
Cross the Itiver before It would I!i.>-(' as there was .in Ajipearance of Heavy Italn llie.v
went on Will Crost Taylors Creek twiste wliicli li:id not Kaiscd or Swolon any Came
opposide to .Jacob's Old Stand Str)rehouse i nr i,' (if .1 nnle lM'l(iW (liys .Mill the
Water by tliat Time began to Swell very fast .is it Itaiiul in Tonenis bnl my ( )ld(.sl Son
very Cautions for fear of any accident Todk mit nnc of the Horses and K'lilc 'riirouixli
in Presents of four Persons besides my otlicr Smi, .ind Miidiii;.' tlic Water nni uiore
than Belly deep he rode back claped I? | in tlie liorse and went cm Well williin a \cry
small distance of dry Land and it appeared as Ihongh the water Kiss over the waggon
and Horses in an Instant swep of the Body through out Some of the goods and With
the most exertions Ininglnable Saved the waggon and cUane<l it fast there is SoUie
of the goods Txjst I have had a very Considerable deal of Trouble with the goods
and And them I^ess Injured then I expected I wish you not be displeased with my

154 F.\^YET-FE COUNTY, INDIANA;

Conduct Nor be ay ways PrejncUced iintill you See or hear from tliem that was
and no ways Interested I want to see yoii here and there is no doubt but you and
myself can make things right if not; I am disposed to do everything that is right I
have it not in my power to Say what is Lost as they have given my boys no memo-
randum of thy Load but no doubt there is an Invoice in the Letters this I will Say
If my boys had not had poles as big as needfool all would have been Lost but that
here after if you have any I-oading to this place and rtisi)osed to send it by them do so
and it will be IJemembrd by yours &

James Backhouse
John Connor Esqr

July 25th 1S24

The above letter is written on "fool's-cap" folio paper and covers the
first and half of the second page of the same. The mark of the orig^inal
fold would indicate that the letter had become wet in transit, suggesting that
the bearer may have been caught in a drenching rain. It later had been
refolded, in a more convenient shape for pigeon-holing or file preservation,
and the page on which the address, "Mr. John Connor, Indianapolis," is writ-
ten bears the indorsement, in another hand (probably that of Mr. Conner)
and in different ink : "Backhouse business." It is worthy of note that Con-
ner's name is spelled throughout "Connor."

CHAPTER V.
County Okganizatiox.

The first mention of Fayette county by name is to be found in the lejfis-
lative act of December 28, i8t8, which defined its Hmits and provided for
its formal organization on the 1st of the following- month, that is, fonr days
later. The fact that such a short time was to elapse Ijetween the passage
of the act creating the county and the time for its actual organization would
seem to indicate that the politicians of the proposed coimt\- had their plans
well in hand for the disposal of the few offices which it would be necessary
to establish in order to get the countv started. Most of tlie first officials
had had some connection witli bVanklin county aft'airs antl some of them Iiail
held i>ositions in that county. Jonathan jMcCart\- and John Conner were
undouI)tedly the men most responsible for the creation of the new count)-.
Conner Ijeing a member of the Senate at the time the act was passed creating
the county.

Nearly one hundred years have passed since I'ayette county came into
existence and it is impossilile at this date to determine the motives of the
men who were I^ehind the movement which resulted in the organization of
the county with the limits as defined in the act of 18 18. W'lien I'ranklin and
Wayne counties were organized in 1810, llie dividing line between tliese two
counties was an extension of the ))re.sent boundary line lietween the town-
ships of Connersville and Harrison in Fayette county. There can 1ie no
question but that it was the original intention (that is, when Wavne and
Franklin were created in 1810) to organize one county — and only one — at
some future date from parts of these two counties. The best evidence
pointing to this conclusion is the fact that tlie village of Waterloo was laid
out with a public square, the proprietor \ery evidently having the idea that
when the new county was created liis town w oidd Ik? in a geographical ])osi-
tion to l>e considered as the county seat.

However, for some reason lost in tlie ninety-eight years which have
elapsed since the Legislatureof i8i8-iq created I'^ayette county, the original
idea of one count\- made frf)n-i parts of Wayne and Franklin counties was
set aside and, instead, there appearetl two — Fayette and I'nion. The first

i;6

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

limits of Fayette count}- did, nevertheless, inckule a part of the present Union
count)- — that part between the Indian treaty line of 1795 and the present
eastern boundary line of Waterloo and Jennings townships. The boundary
of the original Fayette county as defined by the act of December 28, 1818,
was set forth in the following language :

FIRST LIMITS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, that
from and after the First dav of January next ( lanuarv i. 1810) all that tract

•f

The limits of tli
of December 2S. 1
except six section
coiintj — the same \i
time it had been a

In addition the
were later made
county was oreani
east of it.s present

The first meeti
was held February
divided into five to

e county as defined by the legislative act
18. included all of county as at present

county included several sections which

ed January 5. 1821. that part of Fayette
limits became a part of Union.

8, 1819. and at that time the county was
wnsiiips as indicated on map.

\34

32\33

3-^

3S 1 3i

11 J

L ll

1 c

S 1 4

i -n

z 1 '
HIT "vt c\ ir

6
TT 1

TTl

]

.1?

//| 12

ILJ

' 1

IS
22

14-
23

13
24-

18
19

/6
21

14
23

/3
24

18
19

17 1 16

1 h--

20 1 21

M| 13

23\ 24

23 1 28

26^^25

34-

11 w

T 1

34-

1-3^

32 j 33

3-4

3s\ 36

"!'

2
II

4-
S

S 1 4

lliJM

|.ili]itirc

S \3

// 3 IZ

./
/

14-

1 n 1

TTl

if Tl

T \

1
17 1 /6

'i"

24-

J'i^jS^

vf"'

27 i 26 \JM. li. mib.

34-

\'1A

34-

-3

FAVrrTTR CdfXTV. INDIANA.

' .1/

or jwrcel of c<iuntr\- wliicli is enclosed within the tollowin.t; Ixmndaries shall
constitute and torni a new county to he known and designated hy the name
and style of I'ayette, to-wit. he.ijinnino- at tlie southeast corner of section ,^3,
township 13. ran^e 13: thence north three miles; thetice east three miles to
the old boundary line ( the Creenville Indian treaty line of 1795) ; thence north
(really east of north, that is. following- the above mentioned treaty line) to
fractions 28 and 33 (rather the line between these two sections), in town-
ship 15. range 14, east of the second principal meridian; thence west on said
line to a line dividing sections 27 and 28 (that is, to the northwest corner
of section 34). in townshi]) 15. range 12, east of the second principal meri-
dian; thence north on said line to a line dividing townships 15 and i6 (the
present line): thence west six miles; thence sotith eighteen miles; thence
east so far as to intersect the line dividing townships 12 and 13: thence along
said line to the place of beginning."

The above description is not clear in all its particulars and has l>een
emended parentheticall}' to make the limits more definite. However, there is
one line described which baflles explanation. It will l>e noticed that the next
to the last line descril)ed above reads, "thence east so far as to intersect the
line dividing townships T2 and 13." The ]ire\ious line — "thence south
ei.ghteen miles" — clearly debnes the present eighteen-mile line dividing the
counties of Rush and b'ayette, beginning as it does at the northwest corner
of section 3 in Pose}- townshi]) and continuing due south to the southwest
corner of section 34 in ("olumbia township, that is, to the "line dividing
townships 12 and 13." Hence there is no apparent reason why the framers
of the act should have inserted the description "thence east so far as to
intersect the line dividing township 12 anfl 13," since the eighteen-mile line
reaches the point thus defined.

As will be seen from the map. the six sections {22. 2^:1,. 26, 2y. 34 and
35) in the southeastern ])art of Jackson township were not included in the
limits of the county in 1818, being left a part of Franklin county until an
act of the Legislature. January 16, 1826. attached them to Fayette county.
The part of Fayette l}ing between the treaty line of i7<)5 and the present
eastern boundary line of Waterlof) and Jennings townships remained a part
of Fayette county until 1/nion county was created on January 5. 1821. at
which time the territory in (|uestion was detached from I'"a\ette and nride a
part of the newly created l^nion.

.\s has been stated, the act creating l'"a_\ette county pro\ ided that it
should be formally organized on January i. 1819. four da\s after the passage
of the act. Howexer, it was not until Februarv 8. 1810. that the countv

15^ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

commissioners held their first meeting and divided the county into townships,
so, as a matter of fact, the coimty cannot be said to have been a separate
poHtical entity until that date. It is not known just where the commis-
sioners met for this first meeting, but it was evidently at one of the half
dozen houses in Connersville. Conner's hotel, the present Buckley House,
was not yet erected, although it was built in the summer of 1819. Since the
commissioners appointed by the Legislature to select the county seat were to
meet at the house of John McCormick, it may be supposed that the county
commissioners convened at the same place for their first meeting. The loca-
tion of McCormick's house is not definitely known, 1iut it must have been
either within or near the present limits of the county seat.

COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND EARLY PROCEEDINGS.

The first commissioners of the county of Fayette were Basil Roberts,
Herod Newland and John Tyner. Their first meeting was held in Conners-
ville, on Monday, February 8, 181Q, at which the above named commission-
ers were present. However, no business was transacted, for "it appearing
to the board that no clerk had Iseen appointed for the county, and there being
a probability of the clerk elected for the county being- commissioned shortly,
it is ordered that this board adjourn until tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."'

In pursuance to the above the board again assembled on the following
da\- with all of the members present and also Jonathan McCarty, who pro-
iluced his commission, dated February 2, 1819, as clerk of the Fayette county
circuit court, and the following business was transacted : On motion it was
ordered that the county of Fayette be divided into five townships, namely :
Columbia, Connersville, Harrison, Brownsville and Jennings.

It was ordered that the following named persons be appointed inspectors
of elections in and for the different townships : Connersville township,
Marks Crume : Columbia, Morgan Vardiman; Harrison, Joseph Dale;
Brownsville, Richard George Paris: Jennings, Hugh Bell.

It was next ordered that there should be two justices of the peace alloted
to each township, to l>e elected in the respective townships on the first Mon-
day in March ; the sheriff to give notice of the same. It was also ordered
that the following persons be apiwinted constables in their respective town-
ships: Abraham Bays, Columbia township, one year: Joel White, Jennings
township: John McCormick, Connersville township one year: Reason Davis.
Harrison township; Joseph Gassett, Brownsville township. With these
appointments the business of the day was complete.

FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA.

[59

The board Iiaviiii^' conxened the foUowiiif^ da)-, Adariah Morgan was
appointed Hster of the county tdr tlie \ear 1819, he being required to give
bond to the amount of one thousand Ine himdred dollars. Newton Clay-
pool was appointed treasurer of the comity and required to give a bond of
two thousand dollars, with two good freeholders as security. John McCor-
niick, Sr., and John Tyner were a])p(jinted overseers of the poor in Harrison
township for one year: .\l)iather Hathaway and Nicholas Reagen, for Con-
nersville township: Noah runiphrey and John Conner, for Columbia town-
ship; James Haughan and Athariel .Sims, for Brownsville township; Joseph
V'anmeter and Sannicl P>cil. .Sr., for Jennings township. Jonathan McCarty
was authorized to contract for .uul jirocure a .seal, to lie made of copper or
bronze, with the following w urds .uul letters engraved thereon : "Indiana,
Fayette County, B. C.", which was to be known and used as the common
seal of the board of commissioners.

At the May session of the board of commissioners Adariah Morgan was
allowed sixty dollars for his services as lister of the county for the year.
\Villiam W. \Mck was allowed twenty dollars, the sum granted him by the
circuit court for his serxices as ])rosecuting attorney.

TA\'EKN RATES.

At the same session it was ortlered that the following tavern rates be
charged liy the ta\ern keejiers in the county:

For every one-half pint of l<"rench l)randy or wine, rum

and imported wines $0.^0

For every one-half jiint ])each brandy or gin.

For every one-half pint whisky

For porter per (|uart

h'or cider per (|uart

For strong lieer ]>er quart

h'or dinner, 1)reakfast or supper

For lodging ])er night

h'or horse to hay per night

h'or oats or Indian corn per gallon

25
12/3

I2K'

I 2 I/.

EART.Y FINANCES OF THE COliNTY.

In these latter days there is a great deal of talk about the high cost of
living: in fact, the expression has 1)een used so frequently that manv of the

IftO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

])resent ne\vspa]jers simply refer to it as the H. C. L., an abl^reviation which
is instantly recognized by ever}'one who reads the papers. Flowever, it
seems that the same state of affairs existed, or, at least, was threatening, a
half century ago. Tn an address which Dr. Philip Mason delivered at the
first annual fair of Fa>ette county, September 3, 1862, he took occasion to
warn his hearers against heedless and needless extravagance.

"It has been fully realized within the last two years, especially at the
county^ seat, that the great increase in the way of fine buildings, dress and
equipages indicates extravagance in the future; but it is to be hoped that
our people will take timely warning and a\ oid the breakers of luxury,
extravagance and licentiousness by which so many nations have been wrecked
and become desolate."'

:\lthough Fayette county might lie charged with extravagance in 1862,
certainly such an indictment could not have been sustained in the first two
decades of the count_\-'s history. .\n examination of the records in the county
treasurer's office discloses some \er}' interesting facts regarding the amovmt
of money it took to run the county in the twenties, and when a comparison
is made with the expenditiu'es in the county for 1916 it will be seen that our
forefathers could hardly ha\ e "been charged with extravagance.

At the :\Ia\-, 18 19, term of the county commissioners the assessor or
lister, as he was called, made his report of the assessment of taxable property
for the year, but no amount is given in the record, nor is the assessor's book
or tax duplicate for that year, or any year up to 1831, to be found. Adariah
Morgan was the lister and recei\-ed sixty dollars for his year's services. It
is to be regretted that there is practically no way by which to determine the
kind or amount of taxable property there was in the county during this
peritid (iSig-31). At this session (Maw i8ic)) the commissioners levied
the following ta.x for that }-ear : For each horse, mare, colt, mule or ass
over three years of age, the sum of thirty-seven and a half cents; for every
town lot, fifty cents on ever}- one hundred dollars' valuation ; for first-rate
land, fifty cents for every one hundred acres; for second-rate land, forty-
three and three- fourths cents for every one hundred acres; for third-rate
land, thirty-one and one-fourth cents for e\ery one hundred acres; for every
stud horse, the rate they stand for the season.

The tax for 1820 was the same as that levied for 18 19, with the addi-
tion of a tax on carriages ami watches. Neither the amount nor kind of
])ropert\- is mentioned on the record. Benjamin McCarty was the lister and
received sixty-four dollars for his services for the year 1820. The same
tax was continued in 182 1, with the addition of a poll tax of fifty cents,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. l6l

and also a tax on work-oxen. It might be mentioned in this connection that
Jonathan McCarty, later congressman from this district, and then serving
as clerk of the county, was allowed fifty dollars for his services in 1819,
while John Conner, the first sheriff, received the same munificent sum for
his services in i8ig. James C. Rea, who was appointed in June, i8jo, to
take the census of the county, received two dollars for each one hundred
names listed. The associate judges, two in number, received two dollars a
day for the time the\- actually sat on the bench hearing cases.

B\- a settlement made on November 9, 1819, by the county commission-
ers with Newton Claypool, the first county treasurer and the incumbent of
the office for many successive years, there came into the liands of the treasurer,
on account of tax duplicates and tavern licenses, the sum of one thousand
eighty-nine dollars and three cents, exclusive of the donation fund.

DONATION FUND.

-\ word should be said of this "donation fund'", a fund which was to be
found in every newly organized county in the state. The act of the Legis-
lature providing for the organization of a county always named five men,
called "locating commissioners", residents of counties adjoining the proposed
county, wlio were to meet in the new county at a date specified in the act and
select a site for tiie count\- seat. In the case of Fayette county these men
were as follows: William liradley, of Switzerland; James Dill and John
Watts, of Dearliorn : Williamson Dunn, of Jefferson; and John Ross, of
Clark. These men were directed to meet on the third Monday of February,
1819, at the house of John McCormick, in Fayette county, to perform the
duty assigned them by the Legislature. They met at the appointed place on
Februan*- 16, i8ig, and on the following day they selected the present site
for the seat of justice. Their full report follows:

"We proceeded to fi.x anfl establish the permanent seat of justice in
and for Fayette county, to be in the public square laid oft' and recorded by
Joshua Harlan, in the town of (dniiersville, county of Fayette and state of
Indiana, on the northwest corner of section 25, in township 14, range 12,
east of second meridian, in the district of lands oft'ered for sale ;it Cincin-
nati. Said S(|uare is bounded on the northeast by Monroe street, as laid oft'
and recorded by John Conner and Joshua Harlan, and as by the plat of said
town. Permanent seat of justice declared as above, and fixed, b^bruary
17, 1819."
(11)

l62 FAYETTE COUNTY, INPIANA.

This report was submitted to the county commissioners at a special
session, convening on March 2, t8iq, and promptly accq^ted. The commis-
sioners next proceeded to appoint Nicholas Reagan as county agent, his
duties being to manage the "donation fund,'" which had been made by sundry
citizens for and in consideration of the locating of the county seat at Con-
nersville. Part of the donations were in the form of cash, part in land and
part in town lots. The total amount of these donations has not been found,
but it seems to have been amply sufficient to pay for the building of the first
court house and jail, the purpose for which the fuixl was intended.

The second year of the county's history found a substantial increase in
the amount of money raised by taxation. On November 15, 1820, the com-
missioners settled with the county treasurer and the following report gives
the first itemized report of the county's money :

Kalauce remaining, November, 1819 .| ,SG!).o:{

Tavern licenses, taxes and notes and certificates to date 180.25

Duplicates for the year 182(1 !)40.02i

Total received in 1820 •_ $2,004.30*

Orders allowed and disbursed to date .$ 680.06i

Donation charge debited to treasurer in 1819 settlement 105.00

Five per cent, on $900, received and disbursed in 1819-20 45.00

Total disbursements in 1820 $ 830.(X!]

Receipts $2,004.30*

Disbursements 830.061

Balance on November 15. 1820 '_ $l,174.24i

The settlement of the commissioners with the county treasurer in 1821
is given in such a manner that it is impossible to tell what was the amount
of the tax list, but for the year 1822 it is given at $889.76^2. It appears
that there have been delinf|uent taxpayers since the begini|ing of the county's
history. John M. Wilson, the sheriff of the county in 1822. was allowed,
on June 18 of that year, the sum of ^So.gqy^ for the delinquencies in the
payment of taxes for 1819; $90.20 for 1820, and $56.02 for 1821. The
county trea,surer was ordered to credit these three sums on his books. The
lister (or assessor, as now known) was allowed $60.00 for 1819; $64.00 for
1820: $40.00 for 1821 ; $60.00 for 1822.

The treasurer of the county was allowed five per cent, on all moneys
received and paid ottt of the county funds. On this basis he was allowed
$45 at the November, 1820, settlement, and $66.05 for 1821. The .sheriff.

FAYKTTK COUNTY. INIIIANA. 163

who was charfjed witli tlie duty of collcctinj^- the taxes in those early days,
was also <;;^iven a percentaj^e of the money actually collected as his comi>en-
sation. Records have not heen found to show what he received, Init he
undouhtedly received- alx)ut the same as the county treasurer.

As has been stated, the first complete tax duplicate which lias l>een found,
is that of 1 8,^1. In view of the fact that it is practically inaccessible to the
citizens of the county it is here jiresented in full.

TAX ASSESSMKNT FOR THK YKAR 1 83 1 .

County. Stjite

State tax on 1,417 polls .$ 531.37*

State tax on 1,841 acres of first-rate land 14.72|

County tax on 1,841 acres of first-rate land !(, 13.80^

State tax on 67.914 acres of second-rate land 407.48J

County tax on 67,914 acres of second-rate laud 3.39.57

State tax on 47,397 acres of third-rate land ISa.'iSJ

County tax on 47,397 acres of third-rate land 177.73J

County tax 011 1,869 horses, mares, mules, etc 700.87i _.

County tax on 285 work-oxen 53.42}

County tax on- 80 silver watches 20.00

County tax on 3 gold watches .3.00

County tax on 18 covering horses ,39.00

County tax on .$9,507.80 valuation on town lots 47.535

State tax on delinquencies for the year 1830 28.121

County lax on delinquencies for the year 1830 16.00

St;ito tax on unsold lands for the year 18.30 3.69*

state tax

county tax on transcript .$1.414.09J

Road tax a.ssessment on non-resident lands for 18.31 $ 32.75i

Road tax assessment on unsold lands for 1831 1.S4J

Total state tax .$1.174.99§

Total county tax 1,414.99^

Total road tax 34.60^

_$2.624.59i

The next financial statenienl of particular interest is the one of i<Sf)i
and is here given in full in order to show the condition of the county at the
opening of the Civil War. The nunilier of voters had increased only two
hundred and fortv-nine since iSa.

164 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

TAX LIST AND ASSESSMENT FOR THE YEAR 1 86 1.

Number of polls taxable 1,667

Number of acres of land, 131,401; valued at $3,076,210

Value of improvements of same 396,705

Value of town lots 164,265

Value of town lot Improvements 207,710

Value of personal property 2,104,795

Total value of taxables for 1861 $5,949,6.S5

State tax $12,732.87

Sinking fund tax 1,189.87

Total state tax $13,922.74

County tax proper for 1861 $18,682.33

School tax for 1861 6,783.29

Road U\x for 1861 4,159.88

Township tax for 1861 : 1,401.17

Special school tax for 1861 2,417.18

Total amount of county tax for 1861 33,443.85

Total amount of state .ind county tax for 1861 47,366.59

Deliniiuent taxes $2,643.61

Penalty on delinquent taxes 447.39

drand total on duplicate for 1861 .$50,457.59

AMOUNT OF MONEY RAISED AND SPENT BY FAYETTE COUNTY IN I916.

In 1866, just half a century a,^o, the total value of taxable property
amounted to the sum of $6,779,775.00, the total county and state ta.x for that
year being $120,752.41. Fifty years have brought abotit a large increase in
the amount of taxable property, and a corresponding increase in the amount
of taxes. There are many sources of taxation in use at the present time
which were unknown fifty years ago, and likewise many more uses for the
money so collected.

The handling of the money of the county at the present time is done
by the county auditor and county treasurer. During the year 19 16 these
two officials handled $466,265.30, paying out on orders the sum of $409,-
495.59, leaving a lialance in county treasury of $56,769.71. The finances
of the county are in excellent shape, the county's debt being onlv $38,000,
in the shape of bonds, against which there stands the balance above shown.

It must lie understood that some of the townships have individual debts,
largely in the shape of road bonds, but the countv itself is not charged with

- FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 165

tJiis indebtedness. The townships of Connersville. Jackson. Orange. Posey
and Fairview have a total bonded debt for roads amounting to $149,805.50,
but of tliis amount Connersville township alone is charged with $74,444.00.
Fortunately, this indebtedness is stretched over a period of years, and thus
does not work a hardship on the taxpayers. The levy for gravel road bonds
in 1016 netted the county the sum of $15,857.27.

One of the latest methods of raising; revenue is l)y means of the inherit-
ance tax, and this source of revenue brought .$2,1^12.20 into the county
treasury in 1916. Docket fees added $172; liquor license fees, $5,000; while
manv other minor items added varying amounts, all of which added to the
amount derived from direct taxation l)rouglit tlie total u]> to nearly half a
million dollars.

A stud\- of the itemized list of expenditures shows that the county's
monev goes (lut in a wide variety of ways. For instance, the burial of old
soldiers, the maintenance of the free county fair, and the county sanitarium
called for a joint expenditure of ,$^^,400, of which amount $700 was used
for the burial of old soldiers. The taking of cases to other counties, changes
of venue, necessitated an appropriation of $381.10. The county shared the
ex])ense of a number of bridges, appropriating $7,0,^2.28 for this item alone.

Everv taxjjayer should be interested in the m;inner in which tiie money
of his county is expended, and to this end he should study the .mnual joint
report of the audited' and treasurer, which is always publislied in tlie local
papers. The f|uestion of taxes is always a live (piestion and in order to dis-
cuss it intelligentlv the taxpayer must know just how they are levied, and
once collected, how they are expended. The average citizen does not object
to paving taxes if he believes that he gets the worth of his money, and he
cannot possilily know whether he is getting full value, unless he studies the
question from the annual reports of the county officers who handle the taxes.

A mere financial statement does not have the qualities of a romance,
Imt one inmdrcd years from now — in 2017 — the reader who picks u]) this
vohinie will read with a great deal of interest tlic re])ort which follows, giv-
ing in detail how the money of the taxpayers of the count\- was raised and
expended in 1916. The report follows:

Received from Couuty Clerk I"
Received from County Auditor

itor

anil Til

'iixin-ir of /•'.///-

■tir Cijiiiilii.

Iiiiliaiui.

'■ E,i

ilhii/ Dr

rem her .•?!. Iflli

r,.

RMliinccs

Disbin-s..

I'.Mliince.

11 nd

ments

He.'. 31,

Keceii)t.«

191(!

191 (!.

.$1..^.27 !Ki
214 2(1

i66

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Balances

County Revknve. mikI

Receipts

Received from Couuty Treasurer Fees 328 41

Received from County Recorder Fees 1.321 80

Received from County Sheriff Fees 310 19

Received from Township Poor Tax 3,122 10

Received from County Poor Farm 1,046 66

Received from Highways 38 60

Received from Change of Venue 274 60

Received from Special Judges 65 00

Received from County Deiwsitories Interest 1,475 27

Received from Taxes, County Revenue 49,435 93

Received from Miscellaneous 55 02

Balance on Hand January 1st, 1916 17.664 36

Disbursements Countt Revenue, 1916.

Expense of County Clerk, Salary and Office Ex._

Expense of County Auditor. Salary and Office Ex.

Expense of County Treas., Salar.y and Office Ex.^

Expen.se of County Rec. Salary and Office Ex.

Expense of County Sheriff, Salaiiy and Office Ex.

Expen.se of County Surveyor's Office

Expense of Superintendent. Salary and Office Ex.

Expen.se of County Assessor. Salary & Office Ex.

Expense of County Coroner, Salary and Office Ex.

Expense of County Health Com'r. and Office Ex.

Expense of Countj- Com'rs., Sabii-j' and Office Ex.

Expense of County Council and County Atty, Sal.

Expense of County Board of Review

Expense of County Truant Officer, Salary

Expense of Township Assessing

Expense of Township Poor _

Expense of Court House. Janitor Salary, Etc.

Expense of County Jail

Expense of County Poor Farm and New Building

Exprnse of County Orphans

Exiiense of Inmates State Institutions

Expen.se of Insanity Inquests

Expense of Elections

Expense of Soldiers" Burial

iOxpense of Public Printing and Advertising

Expense of Highway, Viewers, Damages, Etc

I'xpense of Farmers' Institute -

lOxpense of Bridge, Superintendent and Engineer.

E.KlK'nse of School Fmids

Expense of G. A. R. Hall

Expense of Taxes Refunded

Donations-to'Psjette- Sanitarium -and Free Fair-.

Expense of Bridges

Expense of Judgments

Disljurse- Balance,

ments Dec. 31,
191C 1916.

$2,453 45

2,744 93

2,462 11

1.384 13

3,453 62

27 87

1,663 31

657 26

177 15

275 94

936 50

370 00

224 00

352 00

2,228 50

1,618 31

2,295 19

17,233 23

1.572 15

1.513 66

657 25

3,566 95

700 00

476 20

74 35

53 76

300 00

126 85

150 00

94 41

2,700 00

7,032 2S

.WKTTF, COUNTY. INDI.^iNA.

167

I-:\|ifnsf of Clinii;.-!' c.f \'cau.'

lupous

Receipts

1916

381 10
2,796 98
3.642 50

1916.

):x|iciisf (if CiiTuit Courl

10\|ifUSf (if ('(.iiiity Hdiids iiikI (.'(

$76,880 (M

.$3,468 63

5.972 10
■ 1,194 07

3.269 8.-!

1.142 39

250 74

714 26

76.r,(»:i 2.S

l.-|.S,^,7 27

."1,000 (10

2,162 2<l

9.901 OS
12,893 77

1.933 98
18,489 31

!),025 62
172 00

1,290 55
11,268 78
42,722 48
49,895 49
12,471 54
16,207 73
726 20

2.714 36
42,250 30
10.960 62

9,298 32
978 77

8,300 24
12,348 38

$67,725 15

$2,9t!8 00

5,8.S6 10

1,194 (H)

2.(546 ."i2

1.142 :!!)

250 74

388 26

36.518 70

13.9.37 79

;!.(i(i(» 00

2.162 20

i-',Mi:; 77

1.9.3;; 98
18.4«9 31

9,023 62
156 00

1,290 55
11,268 78
42.722 48
49,895 49
12,471 54
16,207 73
720 20

2,714 36
42,250 36
10,960 62

9,298 32
978 77

8,300 24

9,589 56

.$9,154 S!)

.$."1(10 o:;

riiiiciii.il I'diiinion School Fund

I'iiu(i|i,il Conj.'i-es.sional .St-liool
I'riiuiii.U I'enunnent Eiulownieut
Interest, Cotuiiion

Interest. Coniire.ssioniil

Fund

School Fund -_

023 31

326 00
39.9.S4 47
l.Olll 4S
1.400 (K)

.Sale of Bonds for ('(instruction of
Taxiition for Itodeniiition of (Jnn
Liquor License

Inheritiince Tax

Gnivel Roads.,
•el Road Bonds_

State Debt Sinking Fund

State Seliool Tax

State Vocational

Townshit) Tax

Road Tax

Connuon School Revenue

SinUins Fund Tax

Townshii) Bond Fund

(;r;nel Uiiad Repair Fund

2,758 82

(Jr.-ind TdtMl (if .\ll I''inids__.

.1!466.265 30
.$38,000 00

74,444 (K)
19,200 00
10,0(19 98
15,751 50
24.400 02

.$409,495 57

$56,769 73

OITSTANUINO TOWNSHH

Connersville Townshiii

• nON'DS.

Jaclcson l^jwnship

Posey Township

Orange Township

Fairview Township

I>cbt

Tdtal Tdwnsliip (Jnivcl INiad

.$149,,S05 ."lO

l68 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Respectfully submitted this the SOtli day of December, 1010.

Glen Zell, Auditor Fayette County, Indiana.
B. W. Cole, Treasurer Fayette County, Indiana.
Examined and approved by the Board of Fayette County Commissioners, in open court,
this, the 1st day of January, 1917.

R. H. Jebman,
D. W. Caldwell,
Chas. W. Mason,
Board of Fayette County Commissioners.

A FEW FIRSTS IN THE COUNTY RECORDS.

The first marria.g^e license recorded in the county was that of Stephen
Philpott to Rebecca Hawkins. The date of the issue of the Hcense was
February g, 1819. The marriage was solemnized by Rev. Adam Banks.

The first deed recorded in the county was an indenture raadf. January
31, 1819, by Paul Davis and his wife, Margaret, of Connersville township,
Fayette county, Indiana, on the one part, and James Davis of the same
township, county and state, on the other part. It was the conveyance of the
south half of the northeast quarter of section 21, township 14, range 12 east,
and the consideration was eighty dollars. The transaction was acknowledged
before John Perin, a justice of the peace. January 31, 1819, and recorded
March 23. 1819, by J. C. Reed.

The first will recorded was that of the last will and testament of George
Kirschman. deceased, of which recurd was made in the court house, August
26, 1819.

THF, FJWST COITKT HOUSE.

During the first year of the county's existence the affairs of govern-
ment were transacted in private homes, but before the end of this period the
necessity of a court house A\as (|uite evident and, with public sentiment fa\'or-
able, plans were made at the Xo\-ember session of the county commissioners
for a com-t house. P>>- this time the donation fund had reached sufficient
proportions to begin the erection of the public liuildings for which this fund
had been established. The ])lan of the building as first outlined was as fol-
lows: The building was to be con.structed of brick, and to \ye fortv feet
.square and two stories high — the first story eighteen feet high, the second,
fourteen feet high. The front half of the lower floor was to be constructed
of l>rick, and the other half of Oak or ash ]>]ank, one inch and a quarter
thick, and not more than eight inches in width. The second floor was to
be laid with oak or ash plank of the same description as the rear half of the

COURT HOUSE. ERECTED IX 1X49.
Remodeled in INSO and 1890, as shown belc

^K|\|,

s^^^^^H

f^^nEflDfeM

_^^

:«.«^.j— --^

•^3

U^u

PRESENT COURT HOUSE.

FAYKTTK COrNTY. INDIANA. 169

lt)\ver floor. In the fust st(ir\- there were to l)e tliree windows in each side
and end, except in front, where in tlie center of tlie Iniilchnf^- there were to
be folding doors, with a window on either side. The windows were each
to contain twenty- four li.i,dits, eiirht hy ten inches in size, and the window
which was to he inimeihately lK.'hind tiie judge's bench was to be two and
one-half feet hioher than the other windows. On each side of the second
story there were to lie three windows of the same size and description as
those given aI)o\ e. There were to l)e two fire]>laces below, in the southwest
and northwest corners of the builcHng. and three fireplaces in the second
story. Two girders, fourteen liy twel\e feet, were to extend through the
center of the house (one above and one below) from side to side, equi-
distant from either sitle of the house, each to be supported by two columns,
which were to l)e well turned and round, thirteen inches in diameter at the
bottom and pro])urtionately small a! the lo]). The roof was to Ik? ]>itched
from either side to the center, from whence was to be raised a cupol;i, eight
feet in diameter and thirty-two feet in height from the i)e<lestal; from the
to|) of the cu|Kila was lo extend a spire ten feet liigh. .\ handsome gilded
ball, fifteen incites in diameter, and a neat \-ane were to ornament the spire:
above the \';me was to be extended across the spire a bar with a gilt ball on
each side, and ;i neat cap was to be ])laced on the to]) of the spire.

Through the center of the house and on the inside, on the ground floor
and along the edge of the wooden floor, were to be a hand rail and banisters,
and immediately under the middle window in the rear side of the house was
to be a raised bench for the judges of the court. The bench was to be two
and one-half feet from the floor, the bench to lie lianistered, and the stair-
way t(j ascend thereto was also to be banistered. This room was to be pro-
\-itled with jury boxes, a criminal box and other re(|uisites. On the second
floor there was to be a ]);u-tition across the house from north to south, the
west portion of which was to be di\-ide(l into two rooms and the east half
of that floor was also to be di\ided by a jiartition. The walls were to lie
painted and penciled, the roof to be painted Si>anish brown color, the cu]iola
white, and the whole of the interior of the building of the same color, except-
ing the judge's l)ench, jtiry boxes ruid banisters, which were to be painted
blue.

The contract for the building was let on the last Saturday in Xoveml)er,
i8t(). Jonathan b)bn was evidentb- the contractor, as the building was
accejited b\- the count)' conmiissioners from him in .\ugust, 1822. The total
cf)St to the county was one thous,-md two hundred sixt\'-twi) dollars ;iud tiftv

I/O FAYKTTF COUNTY, INDIANA.

cents. Ilii.s building' was one among- the early Ijrick structures in the county
and stood on the center front of the public square fronting to the east, the
square having been donated by Joshua Harlan.

Within three years after the first court house was completed it was found
that it was not sufficiently large to accommodate all of the county officials.
Consequently, the l)oard of justices- —who were at that time performing the
duties of the county commissioners — authorized Jonathan McCarty to erect a
separate building of two rooms for the use of the clerk and recorder. The
contract was evidently let soon after the September, 1825, session of the
board, but who secured it or when it was finalh- completed the official records
fail to state. In ^larch, 1827, AlcCart}- was allowed three hundred twenty
dollars and forty and one-half cents for work done on the building, and the
inference is that AicCarty had the contract and that this amount was the
total cost of the structure. The building was a frame structure and was
located on the northwest corner of the public S(|uare. It was evidentlv in
use until replaced by a second building which was ordered constructed in
1833. This second building-, also for the use of the clerk and recorder, was
a one-story two-rO(im brick structure, thirtv b\- twenty feet, and stood on
the southeast corner of the pul:)lic square. It was built b}- Sherman Schofield
under the supervision of Gabriel Ginn, the latter being- appointed bv the
county comraissionefs. This building was used for the po.stoffice after the
new court house was built in 1849.

PRESENT COURT HOUSE.

The present court house has had a curious history — a history which has
had few parallels in the state. Jt is the usual custom in most counties to tear
down a court house when it has outlived its usefulness, but the thrifty people
of Fayette count)-' have not been so prodigal of their public money. When
the first court house of 1822 and the subsequent two small county buildings
were replaced by a substantial brick Iniilding in 18.1.9, the county had a court
house which was one of the finest then in the state. This second court house,
like a majority of the court houses of that ]3€riod, also contained the jail as
well as the sherilT's residence. The contract for its erection was let to John
Elder, of Indianapolis, in the amount of $20,000, and he agreed to have it
readx' for occupancy by October 12, 1840. It was a handsome structure,
with a wing on either side of the main l)ody of the building. The front was
adorned with six large columns, which were set on an extended front of the
first storv and extended to the gable of the Iniilding. Fron-i an artistic view-

l>i)iiit tlie 1841) structure was a uKn-e liandsonK' l)uil(lin^- tlian the ])rcsciU mie.

Tliis secoiul courl hduse was oi sufficient size to meet all the ileinaiuls of
the county for several years without any additions or alterations. However.
])y the latter part of the sexenlies the local newspapers hetjan to make fui;^iti\e
references to the need of a new jail and cnurt Iiouse. (ir at least a new jail.
The agfitation fur increased i|uarter> for county pur])i)ses finally resulted in
the Cdunty CdUiniissicnerN (irderins; the cunstructii m of a jail and the remodel-
ing- i)f the court house. The jail was comi)leted in the sprin.t,'- of iSSi and
as soon as the ]iri^oners were transferred from the cells in the court house
to the new jail, the ])art of the court house formerlx used for jail and resi-
dence purposes was remodeled into offices. There were a few other minor
changes made in the interior part of the court house, while its external ap|)ear-
ance remained as originalh' constructed.

Xineteen }-ears later the court house was com])letely o\erliauled and
given its present apjiearance. It was at lirst ])roposed to tear down the old
1840 structure .and erect a new l)uildin_g;. hut it was found possible to utilize
the old buildings in its entirety — excepting; the senn-( iothic spire--;uul this
plan was finally adopted. The present court house therefore is nothing hut
the 1849 huilding with a few additions and the whole faced with new hrick.
An examination of the two photographs will show the difference between
the 1849 building- and the same after it was remodeled in 1890.

-\ granite block imbedded in the northeast corner of the court house
informs the passerby when the building- was given its present appearance,
who was the architect and contractor, and who constituted the board of
countv commissioners. This tablet reads :

Remodelkd
A. D. 1890

O. A. .M.\RTI.>

F. Y. TnoM.^.s
Coininissit

W. S. K-vriM.\x,
Architcrt.

Downs, IJk.miv & Co.,

Ciintniotors.

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

FIRST COUNTY JAIL.

At a si3€cial meeting of the county commissioners, held March 6, 1819,
the question of tlie erection of a county jail was favorably discussed and it
was ordered that such a building- should be built according to the following
plans :

There shiill be a jail built aiul erected on the public square ou which the seat of
.justice is established, in the town of Connersville. in and for the county of Fayette, and
on the west side of an alley running through the public square, nearly in a north and
south direction, at or next to where the school house now stands; which said jail shall
lie built on the foUowiug plan: To be l)uilt with logs thirty feet long by sixteen, hewn
to ;i square twelve inches thiclc; two partition walls of logs of the same size; floor ami
loft to be laid of logs the same size aforesaid, the middle room to be twelve feet in the
clear, the othei- two "rooms seven feet each in the clear; the logs out of which said jail
is to be built to be of good sound oak, cherry, red elm, houey locust, or ash timber ; the
logs when said jail is raised, to be let in b.v a half dove-tail in such a manner as to let
the logs as near together as conveniently can Ije; the upper and lower floor to be laid so
as the timbers will touch from end to end; to be under-framed with good stone, one foot
under ground and one foot above the surface of the ground; each room of said jail to be
ceiled inside, except the under part of the upper floor, with oak plank an inch and a
half in thickness, well seasoned, and not to exceed twelve inches in width, and to be well
spiketl with iron spikes at least four inches in length and not less than eleven in each
plank; said jail to be at least nine feet between the floors, and one round of logs above
the upper floor, as before mentioned, on which upper round of logs the rafters shall so
far be projected as to give an eave twelve inches clear of the wall; said jail to be cov-
ered with poplar joint shingles not exceeding eighteen inches in length ; two outside
doors to be made of oak plant, one inch and a half in thickness, well doubled and spikeil
with spikes at least four inches in length, to be placed not to exceed four inches apart
and clinched in the inside of each door; each door to be two feet in width, two iron
li.irs to be fixed to each outside door, which bars to be one-half inch by two inches, one
end of each bar to be fa.stened to the logs ou each side of the door by a staple, and the
other end to lie locked to a stajile on the opposite side of the door; one window to be in
each ro(un. twelve inches by eighteen in size, iron grates, of an inch and a quarter in size,
fixed in each window, two inches apart, said grates to be well plastered in at least three
inches on the u|iper ,ind lower part of each of said windows; said jail doors to be well
bung with gdiid and suttic-ient strap hinges; the whole of the work on said jail to be done
in a workmanlike nianncr.

The building of this jail is to be set up and ottered at public sale and outcry to the
lowest biddei- at the public stpiare in the town of Connersville on the 1.5th of this instant
I March lit, ismi to be <-om|ileted by the first of September next at the expense of the
<-omity.

Tht sheriff was commissioned to represent the county in the letting of
the contract. Jonathan John was the successful bidder and the building was
completed within the time specified. The jail was duly examined and accepted
hv the coimt\- commissioners in August, 181Q. and the contractor was allowed
seven hundred and sixt\-four dollars for its construction.

FAYETTF. COrNTV, IXniANA. I73

SECOND JAIL.

The first jail serveil well its purpose for a few years, but, with the gen-
eral trend of progress, a more substantial building was needed. The agita-
tion for such a structure began in the spring of 1834 and in May of that
year the county commissioners offered a prize of ten dollars to the person
submitting the best plans for a jail of three rooms. John Sample, Jr., was
awarded the prize. There seems tu ha\e been a difference of oj^inion con-
cerning the erection of a new jail, because at the fall term of the circuit court
the, judges recommended the rehtting of the old jail according to plans sub-
mitted by Elijah C<jrbin. However, this recommendation was not heeded,
for in November. 1834, ("jeorgc Frybarger and Gabriel Ginn were ai^jjointed
superintendents to supervise the Iniilding of a brick jail, to be a story and
a half high, and to have three apartments, two below and one above. The
building stood on the south side of the public sfpiare and was erected by
Philip Mason at a cost of eight hundred dollars.

THIRD JAIL AND FIRST SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE.

In January, 184^, the court house and the clerk and recorder's otffce
(second) were sold to A. B. Conwell for five hundred and seventv-five dol-
lars and the jail to Sherman Scofield for ninety-six dollars. The old court
house bell was sold to the Presb\terian church for one hundred and seventeen
dollars.

The second court house, the third jail and the lirst jailer's residence were
all combined in the one l)uiKling erected in the summer of 1841) bv bihn
Klder, of Marion county, Indiana, at a cost of twenty thousand dolI;irs. The
center apartment was occupied b\- the jail and the jailer's residence. There
were six cells for prisoners, who could be taken to and from the court
through a rear passage by a door entering immediatel}- into the court room.

In 18S1, improxements were ni;i(le upon the interior (if the court house
and the space that had been utilized for the jail was converted into rooms
for the use of the county officials. But previous to the remodeling, w-ork
had l)een started on the new jail located on Fourth street, directly opposite
the court house, llie building, erected by J. W. I'erkinson, of Indianapolis,
was completed in the spring of 1881 at a total co^t of fourteen thousand nine

174 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

iuindred clfillnrs. The rear of the building- forms the jail; underground is
the dungeon, consisting of a cell about ten feet square. The jail contains
ten cells, four on the lower floor and si.x on the upper, two of which are
for women.

KENEVOLENT IN.STITUTIONS.

One (if the most striking evidences of our Christian civilization is the
care and protection which is extended to those who, for one reason or another,
are unable, to care for themselves. 1"he state of Indiana provides schools
for its blind, its deaf and dumb, its feeble-minded and the orphans of its
soldiers and sailors; it proxides institutions for the insane, for the epileptic,
and for tln)se whose deeds ha\e temjiorarily placed them in such a iX)sition
that the demands of societ}' necessitate their incarceration for definite periods
of time.

While the state thus cares for its dependents, defectives and delincjuents,
each county of the state has its particular institutions of this character main-
tained at the e.xpense of the countv. From the beginning of the history
of Fayette county it has had its share of dependent people and one of the
first acts of the county commissioners was to appoint overseers of the poor
and provitle means for taking care of the indigent. This relief was a mat-
ter largely of townshi]) supervision at first, the county not having an asylum
of any kind to house these unfortimates.

In 1824 the (leneral .Assembly ]iassed an act which provided for a more
uniform system of taking care of the poor. This act of January 30, 1824,
set forth the following provisions:

Seetion 1. That the commissioners of the several comities shall, at their first or
.second session in each and every year, nominate and appoint two substantial inhabitants
of every township within their respective comities to be overseers of the poor of such
townishlp.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the overseer of the poor every year to cause all
poor persons who have or shall hereafter become a public charge to be farmed out. on
contracts to be made on the fir.st Holiday in Alay annually, in such manner as the said
overseers of the poor shall deem liest calculated to promote the general good.

Favette county followed this law in all particulars for the following
decade, l>ut the experience of the various counties of the state — and Fayette
was one of them — showed that the "farming out" system, as it was generally
called, was not conducive to the best interests of society. This method of
caring for the poor was a development of the old indenture system, with
modifications of the apprentice system. This system actually jo/d the poor
to the highest bidder and left the poor creatures to the mercy of their owner.

FAYETTE fOrNTY. INDIANA. 1 73

The whole s\stein of poor rehef was chant^ed in the early lliirties,
l-'ayette county changiii"- its s\ stem as the result of the legislative act of Janu-
ary 23, 1834, entitled, "An Asylum for the Poor of the Counties of Franklin,
I'ayette and Union." This act did away forever with the idea of selling the
services of a poor man and made provisions for a central home where the
])oor should live together at public e.\])ense. that is, the county as a whole
l)ecame responsible for its poor and not some few individuals who might
exploit the unfortunates in some such manner as the slave owner in the South.

On December 26, 1S34, the commissioners of the three counties named
met at Fairfield, in Franklin county, for the ])uri)ose of jointly erecting an
asylum for the poor of the three counties. (/)n January 25, 1835, a farm of
two hundred and eight acres located in township 13, range 13, Jackson town-
ship, Fayette county, was pmchased of Thomas Clark for two thousand and
fifty-three dollars. The commissioners met thereon, August 10, 1835, and
agreed to build an as\ lum which w.is to be in readiness by May, jS,t,(\ The
building, which was of brick, was completed in the specified time and the
farm let to the highest bidder.

On May q, 1836. Isaac (iardner, of Unirm count}, was chosen as the
sui>erintendent of the institution at a salary of five hundred dollars a year.
The first board of directors was composed of Josejih D. Thompson. Martin
Williams and Zachariah Ferguson. The paupers of Fayette county were
ordered removed from the several townships to the asykmi in Mav, 1836.
The maintenance of the asylum was ])rorated among the three counties
in proportion to their \oting po]julation. The first year of o]ieration ( 1836)
Franklin had 1,800 voters, b'ayette had 1.555, <'i"*' Cnion had i,27cj. The
total expense of keeping up the as\lum for the year 1836, and u]) until I<"ebru-
ary 9, 1837. amounted to one thousand seven hundred and nine dollars and
forty-one cents. From February 9, 1837. until March 6. 1838. the total
expense of the asylum was one thousand fort\- dollars and sixteen cents, of
which amount Fayette county's ap]X)rtionment was three hundred and fortv-
nine dollars and three cents. The su]ierintendents of the asylum while con-
trollefl by the three counties, and in the order given, were Isaac Gardner,
1836-40; W^illiam Rigg.sbee, 1840-44; ^^'illiam P.arnard, 1844-55: Thomas
Curry, 1855-56; Samuel Henderson, 1856.

This joint institution remained in operation fr)r t\vent\- \ears ( 1836-56),
but by the latter year it was felt that better results could l)e obtained bv a
separate asylum for each countv. Of course, during these two decades each
county still extended relief to many ])oor within their re.spective counties who

176 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

were not inmates of the asylum, Ijut no longer were the\- "farmed out" to
the highest bidder.

The report of the board of directors of the asylum to the county com-
missioners of the three counties on March 3, 1856, the last report of the
joint asylum, gives the following interesting .facts (the record from which
this was taken is in the Franklin county court house at Brookville ) :

Number admitted during ])ast }ear ( 1855 ) 47

Number dismissed 24

Number of deaths 8

Number in asylum February 26, 1856 64

Number from Franklin county 35

Number from Fayette county 17

Number from Union count}- 12

During the winter and early spring of 1855-56 the commissioners of
the three counties reached an agreement to dissolve the contract under which
they had ijeen maintaining the joint asylum for the previous twenty years.
The final settlement of the matter was made on June 12, 1856, the counties
then entering into an agreement whereby they were to sell the entire prop-
erty and prorate the proceeds, the land and liuildings being disposed of to
private ]>arties. The counties were, howe\-er, to retain possession of the prop-
ert\- until March 10, 1857, at which time the agreement was to go into efifect.

In September, 1856, the commissioners of Fayette county purchased a
portion of the present infirmary farm adjoining Connersville on the west and
tit once contracted with Sherman .Scholield for the erection of a building to
cost seven thousand dollars. It was a two-story brick building and was ready
for occupancy in ,\ugust, 1857. The sixty years which have elapsed since
the present site was chosen have seen the farm increased from time to time
until it comprised one hundred and se\ent)--twc) acres, but some of it was
later sold and at the present time it contains only one hundred and forty-
acres. The building erected in 1856-57 continued in u.se until 1916, when the
present beautiful structure was erected. The contract for the building was
let June 16, IQT5, to S. F. Miller, a contractor of Connersville, for the sum
of $2 1, 90)2.33. A bond issue of $22,200 was authorized to cover the cost
of construction. The building was completed and occupied for the first time
in January, 1916.

There have Ijeen only nine superintendents of the asylum between 1857
and 1917. the present incumbent of the office being Harry Smith, who was
appointed by the county commissioners in 1914 for a term of four years at

FAvi/rn-: county, Indiana. 177

an auiuial salarv ui nine hundred dollars. The previous eight supcriiUend-
ents served in tiic tulKiwini; order, the dates of tenure of the hrst five not
heing given: William Custer, I'eter Reed, William Morse, Jacob Ridge,
John B. Salver. J-".. .M. .McCreadx ii8S7-()7), J, M. .Sanders (1897-1906),
and George .\. ( )stheinKT ( j<)o(>-i4). The salary in 1897 was fixed at six
hundred dollars; in ujoh it was increased to seven hundred dollars; in 1914
it was raised to nine hundred dollars. In ever\- instance the wife of the
superintendent has served as matron.

The last financial statement shtnved thai the receipts for i<>i6 were
$i,046;6f), while the county still owed $17,2,^3.23 on the new building and its
ecjuipment. The inmates vary in number from year to year, but there is
usually a sufficient number of able-bodied men to take care of the farm.
The last report (January 24. 1917) of the superintendent t;ives the number
of inmates as follow: Six males, nine females and si.\ children. The chil-
dren are held in tiic institution until they ma\' be placed in homes.

IIOMH FOR nEPENDKNT CHILDREN.

b'ayette county has never maintained a separate home for its dependent
children. When the I^egislature passed the law in 1901 forbidding the keep-
ing of children in the poor as\lnm, Fayette county decided to place its depend-
ent cliildren in homes in other counties rather than erect a separate building
for their housing. The law made ])rovision for such a procedure, it lieing
very evident that many counties would not ba\e a sufficient number of
dependent children to warrant the erection of a s])ecial building for their care.
Vov a number of years the county contracted with .Mrs. .Marv -\. Cotton to
keep the poor children in her own home. The general superxision of tlie
children is placed in the hands of a count}' board of charities, ajipointed by
the circuit judge. At the present time i 11)17) the county has contracts with
the boards of charities in Delaware. .Miann' and Marion counties for the care
of the dependent children of the county. The home in .Miami countv is
located at Mexico, the homes in the other two counties l)eing at the county
seats.

F.WETTE CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.

The historx- of the present city hospital of Connersville may be traced
back more than eighteen years and during all of these years there has been
some kind of an institution in the city that might be called a sanitarium
which also did hospital work. In the nineties there came to Connersville
Dr. D. D. McDougall, who o]iened a sanitarium on Central avenue l)etween
(12)

178 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Fourth Street and Fifth street. He was not a regular practicing physician,
but had been trained in a Battle Creek (Michigan) sanitarium and seemed
to have been well qualified to conduct such an institution as he proposed. He
made free use of electricity, massaging, baths and such treatments as are
now associated with mechano-therapy. He installed electric machines as
soon as their efficacy was demonstrated, and, if statements of persons treated
by him are to be credited, he was well worthy of the extensive patronage he
enjoyed.

Doctor McDougall continued in charge of his private sanitarium until
about 1903, when he associated himself with a group of Seventh-Day Ad-
ventists, most of whom were non-residents of Connersville, in an association
for the purpose of establishing a permanent sanitarium. A board of direc-
tors was constituted to manage the institution, five of whom were members
of the religious denomination, while the two remaining members were B. F.
Thiebaud and E. D. Johnson, the idea of the promoters of the sanitarium
being to establish an institution not only for members of the Seventh-Day
Adventist church, but also for the public at large. Shortly after this second
institution was put into operation the members of the church conceived the
idea of making it the state Sanitarium for their church.

With the idea of enlarging the institution and increasing its usefulness
the directors jilanned to secure the present home of the Elmhurst School
for Girls, when that buildino- was jjlaced on the market in [905. This effort.
however, proved luisuccessful, tlie l)uilding finally lieing bid off by George B.
Markle, and the Adventists at once gave up the idea of trying to make Con-
nersville the home of their proposed state sanitarium. They abandoned the
sanitarium in Connersville and selected Lafayette as the site for their insti-
tution, and the second chapter in the Fayette sanitarium project thus came
to an end. Soon after this change came. Doctor McDougall, who had l>een
prominently identified with the sanitarium work in Conners\-ille for more than
ten years, located in Cincinnati, where he is still engaged in sanitarium work.

MOVEMENT FOR PUBLIC HOSPITAL.

When the Seventh-Day Adventists left the city the local organization
came to an abrupt end, but it was felt by the citizens that some provision
must be made at once to provide some kind of a public hospital. Interested
citizens took up the matter and the Commercial Club and others were induced
to ask some one who was competent to manage such an institution to locate
at Connersville. After considering the offers of several persons, arrange-

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 179

ments were finally concluded with W. P. Schuster, a reputed sanitarium
e.xpert, to superintend and conduct a sanitarium and iiospital in the former
residence of E. W. Ansted. This building was rented from the owner by
Mr. Schuster for the nominal sum of twenty-five dollars a month and the
manufacturers of the city and the city council agreed to give five hundred
dollars each, annuallw for charity purposes toward the maintenance of this
institution. Schuster remained in charge only two years, disposing of his
interests to the Sahli sisters, both of whom had lieen trained in sanitarium
methods at Battle Creek.

The Sahli sisters managed the instituticjii until March i, 1912, When
they assumed control in 1907 the Commercial Club appointed an advisory
board to assist in supervising the affairs of the hospital, the manufacturers
and city, at the same time, agreeing to continue their annual appropriations
of five hundred dollars each. During their regime the institution enjoyed a
reasonably prosperous career and maintained a reputable standing for the
character of its work. When the Sahli sisters decided to give up the work
in the spring of kh-' the citizens of the city, under tlie leadershii) of the late
Alvin E. Barrows, raised ;ibout one tliousand dollars liy snbscri])li()n to pur-
chase their interest in sanitarium and hospital ap])aratus. The investment
included the amount the\- had paid Schuster, together with such eritiipment
as they had installed during their five years of cx-cupancy. The home of the
hos])itai was still in the old .\nsted home, where it had been established in
1905. Erom the time the .Seventh-Day .Adventists abandoned the sanitarium
]jroject in Conners\-ille until the citizens jiurchased tlie entire sanitariniii and
hospital outfit from the Sahli .Sifters in 1912, the institution was ;i ])ri\ate
affair aided and ;!ssisteil liy tlie city council, tlie Commercial Club and the
manufacturers of the city.

FAYETTE SANITARIUM A.SSOCIATION.

G. L. Brown, the present superintendent of the hospital, assumed
charge on .March i, !()ij. He was appointed by representatives of the Com-
mercial Club, the city council and the manufacturers, after making a thor-
ough investigation as to his fitness for the position. Mr. Brown received
his training in sanitarium and hospital methods in an Eastern institution
where the Battle Creek sanitarium methods were employed. He had had
extensive ex]3erience in managing hospitals and superintending nurses I)e-
fore he took charge of the local instittuion in h)I_'.

Tn 1914 the present association was perfected under the laws of the
state. A charter was secured under an act by the 1909 Legislature, the

l8o FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

passage of which was largely due to the efforts of the citizens of Richmond,
who were interested in securing aid for the maintenance of the Reid
Memorial Hospital. This act provided that city councils and county com-
missioners might make appropriations for charitable purposes to a hospital
coming under this provision, the appropriation so granted to be used for the
maintenance of any hospital in a county which might apply for aid. In
compliance with this act the city council of Connersville appropriated five
hundred dollars and the county commissioners fifteen hundred dollars
annually for the support of the institution.

The association is known as the Fayette Sanitarium Association. The
directorate consisted originally of seven trustees, made up of a representative
of each of the following organizations ; The Commercial Club, the
I'^ayette Covmty Medical Society, the Masons, the Loyal Order of Moose,
the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the city council and the county commis-
sioners. Improvements were necessary for the buildings and E. W. Ansted
proposed to deed the building and grounds to this association and accept
five per cent, first-mortgage bonds for the consideration of the transfer.
Mr. Ansted's proposition was accepted and the grounds and buildings be-
came the property of the Fayette Sanitarium Association on November
lo, 1914.

I'Voni the time Mr. Brown took charge of the Fayette sanitarium it
bid fair to liecome a popular and helpful instituti(jn for Connersville. At
the end of two years of his management it was felt that a larger and more
complete hospital must lie provided for the needs of Connersville, and in
the latter part of 19 15 and early in 19 16 the demands became so pronounced
tliat committees were ap])ointed to formulate plans to provide for more
commodious and up-to-date quarters for Connersville's sick and unfortunate.
Appeals were made to the county commissioners for appropriations for the
building of a county hospital. Init owing to the large expenditure then
being made for the new county infirmar}- this body felt they could not
make such an appronriation. Not to lie daunted by the decision of the
commissioners to assist the project, the hospital soliciting committee at
once laid plans for a campaign to raise the necessary funds by public sub-
scription. The campaign opened in Jime, 1916, but it was not until the
latter part of that month that an event occurred which really put the cam-
paign forcefulK- before the people of the county.

FAYETTE COINTY, TNOIANA. l8l

MR. ANSTED STARTS KAI

It was on June 26. 1916, that the chairman nf the hospital committee
received the following letter :

Ml-, c. c. Hull,

Ohiiinuiiii Hospital I'oniuiittee, City.
You perliaps kuow I have long been interested in our present hospital and sani-
tarium. In connection with the movement to appropriate funds for the erection of a
new hospital 1 beg to advise that 1 will donate to the good of the cause all of the
mortgage bonds that I hold on the Fayette sanit;iriuni. These bonds represent the
full valuation of all buildings and two himdred tifty feet of ground on Virginia
avenue. The only stipulation that I ask is that the citizens of Payette county raise
in subscription the sum of thirty-six tliousand dollars. I feel that this is tJie least
amount of money that you should have to carry the pro.1eot through in a creditJible
way. This offer holds good until August 15. 1016.

Yours truly.

E. W. Anstkd.

'{"he announcement of this mnnificenl i>;\h of tweKe thousand dollars'
wortli of property by Mr. Ansted to the people of Fayette ■ county so
inspired the soliciting committees that on July 5. the closing day of the
centennial celebration of Indiana's statehood, the committee had pledges to
the hospital fund to the amount of more than twenty thousand dollars and
were ready to guarantee the fulfillment of the recpiirements of Mr. Ansted
in the announcement of his gift. It was at eleven o'clock on July 5. 1916,
that appropriate dedicatory services were held on the ground of the old
Ansted homestead announcing the certainty of a splendid hospital for Con-
nersville and Fayette county and naming it the Fayette Centennial
Memorial Hospital.

APPROPRI.\TE DEDICATORY CEREMONIES.

It was at the above-mentioned time and place that a large number of
Fayette county's citizens gathered to witness the brief but l>eautiful cere-
monies attending the dedication of the hospital. E. P. Hawkins spoke of the
magnitude of the gift and F. B. Ansted, son of E. W. Ansted, delivered
to the hospital committee the bonds delivering the property free of debt.
C. C. Hull, as chairman of the hospital committee, accepted the gift;
B. F. Thiebaud accepting as chairman of the lx)ard of trustees for the hos-
pital association, and Mrs. W. E. Ochiltree accepting in behalf of the
women's associations of the city. The donor, E. W. Ansted, was present

l82 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and was deeply ino'ed by the exercises, as he lieard the kindly and apprecia-
tive expressions of his friends and neighbors.

After the dedicatory services had been completed and Mr. Ansted had
returned to his palatial home on Central avenue he was given an ovation by
his neighbors and friends, who were so filled with gratitude toward him for
his part in so great an enterprise that their feeling had to be manifested in
outward expressions.

From the time the hospital project assumed definite form to this time
(February i, 1917) the subscription fund has steadily grown until it is
now about forty thousand dollars. The centennial celebration committee
donated nearly one thousand dollars to the fund, the amount left after all
the expenses of the celebration were paid. The building committee has
aiccepted plans and the work of constructing a magnificent hospital that
will care for forty patients will soon be realized. This work was all made
possible by the greatness of one man's soul and the ready response of the
good people of Fayette county, for in this movement there is no community
in all the county that has not liad a definite part in this benevolent enter-
prise.

Tt is in trutli and in deed the people's hospital — which is as Mr. .\nsted
would have it. The man in the factory, the farmer, the merchant, the
banker, the manufacturer, the man and woman of every walk and vocatipn
f>f life, all ha\e done nobly in lending substantial aid to tiiis much needed
institution.

The main structure will cost forty thousand dollars; the interior fix-
tures and equipment, seven thousand five hundred dollars. The women of
the city and county, through their various organizations, propose to raise
the means for the greater part of the interior fixtures and ec[uipment. The
building is to be made of brick, trimmed with Bedford stone, and will have
every advantage in the way of appointments shared by our most elaborate
and up-to-date hospitals. Every foot of space will be utilized for some
practical purpose, and the people of Connersville and Fayette county will
have, in October, 1917, one of the most beautiful, useful and complete
hospitals in the Hoosier state.

POPULATION STATISTICS.

I'axette county was organized about a year before the 1820 federal cen-
sus was taken and consequently figured for the first time in the returns for
that decade. There was a rapid influx of people into the territory now

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 183

included within the count) in the spring- and summer of 1819. In Octol>er,
18 1 8. the United States government had bought all the central part of the
state from the Indians and opened it ready for settlement, Fayette county
being the first county organized out of a part of the "New Purchase." The
1820 census returned a population of 3.950 for the county and each decade
since year has shown an increase. The returns for the ten decades follow :
1820, 3,950; 1830. g,ii_': 1840, 9,837: 1850, 10,217; i860, 10,225; 1870,
10,476; 1880, 11.394; 1890, 12.630; 1900, 13.495; 1910, 14,415.

The first censiis available which made returns by townships was in 1850.
At that time Fairview township was not yet organized, its territory still being
a part of Orange and Harrison townships. It first appears in the census
of i860, and its org-anization out of Orange and Harrison partly explains the
sharp decline in the population of Orange and Harrison townships in i860.
.\ comparison of the population of the nine townships between 1850 and
1910 reveals the fact that every one but one, Harrison, has suffered a decline.
The small increase in Harrison is fully explained by the fact that the city of
Connersville has extended its limits into it. In 1850 the rural ix>pulation
(that is, the total outside of Connersville city) was 8,921 ; in 1910 it was only
6,677, ^ decrease of 2,244. It is said that some of the townships in the
county actually had a larger population in 1830 than they do today, but in
the absence of .statistics this fact cannot be proved. The following talile
exhibits the poi)ulation by townsliips from 1830 to 1880 :

POPUI.ATIOX BY DECVDES, I85O-1880.

1850

C-olumbiii 88!)

Connersville l.OC.T

Connersville (City) 1.306

F;iirview

Harrison 1.544

Jackson 1,284

Everton

Jennings 8'.i:{

Orange 1.12fi

Posey 1.184

Waterloo 883

Total 10.217 10.22.-I ]0.4(i7 11.;51i-l

The tabulated returns for the last three decades are shown in the follow-
ing table :

1800

1870

1880

912

020

8o:i

1,162

1.211

1.42.-!

2,119

2,400

3.228

662

601

030

889

867

0!K)

1,199

1.037

OSL'

230

140

700

8.3(i

840

701

881

812

1,080

047

081

651

071

ti72

184 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1890 1900 1910

Total 12.630 13,495 14.4ir>

Columbia township 65S 541 522

Connersville township 1 1.518 891 90S

Connersville township, including East Connersville town
and wards 1 to 3 and part of ward 4 of Connersville

city 6,524 7,700 S,(i()9

Connersville city (part of) 4,548 6,313 7,(1.55

Total for Connersville city in Connersville and

Harrison townships 4,548 6,836 7.738

East Connersville town 458 556 706

Fairview township, including i)art of Glenwood town — .598 560 .506

Glenwood town (part of) 8

Total for Glenwood town in Fairview and Orange
townships, Fayette county, and Union township.

Rush county 260

Harrison township, including part of ward 4 of Conners-
ville city 1.119 1,280 1.567

connersville city (part of) 523 (;.S3

Jaclison towmship 841 789 7.52

Jennings township 731 658 .593

Orange township, including part of Glenwood town 751 646 ()3!l

Glenwood town (part of) 41

Posey township 861 750 72S

Waterloo township 547 511 43!)

Of the total population of 14,415 in igio, 7,130 were white males and
6,824 white females; 210 colored males and 230 colored females; and one
Chinese. Practically all were native-born citizens, only 363 being returned
as foreign-born. The total population was made up of 3,761 families, occupy-
ing 3,647 dwellings.

NATURALI2.\TION OF FOUF.IGNERS IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

The population of Fayette county includes very few citizens of foreign
birth. The extensive manufacturing interests of Conuet^4He have not
attracted the foreign element as has been the case in so many other cities of
the state, the owners preferring native Americans to the illiterate workman
from foreign shores. The few foreigners in the county are a good, sub-
stantial class of citizens and make a valuable acquisition to the citizenry of
the countv. A sttidy of the naturalization records of the county discloses
the fact that since 1904 there have been only twenty-four citizens who have
become naturalized, and most of these were in presidential election years.
In 1904 there were eight and there were no more until 1908. In the laitter

- FAYrTTK CorXTY, INDIANA. 185

)'ear there were six wIki declared their intentitm nl" hecdiiiin.o- citizens, lliereb\-
allowing them the right to vote. l)iit onl\ one who became a full-Hedged
citizen. Since ic^oS the reconl stands as follows: 19OQ — First papers, 3;
full citizenship, i. i<)io — I irst jiapers, 2: full citizenship, 2. 191 1 — First
papers, 12; full citizenship. 1 _>. kjij — First papers, 7; full citizenship, o.
1913 — First papers, 5; full citizensiiip. _>. 1Q14 — First papers. 4; full citizen-
ship, I. T015 — First i)ai)ers. i; full citizenship, 3. 1916 — First papers. 8;
full citizenship, i.

CHAPTER VI.

Ol-KICIAL ROSTKR OF FaYKTTE CoUNTY.

The first official on the records in the office of secretary of state at Indi-
anapolis which is credited to Fayette count}- is that of justice of peace. For
some reason, and presumably because it was known that the county was just
about to be organized, Governor Jennings issued a commission as justice of
peace to Richard Tyner on J^ecember 25. 1818, although it was not until
three days later that the General Assembly passed the act creating the county.
I'>om that date there is a record of most of the county officials on file in the
secretary of state's office. The commissions of all justices of peace are also
on file, because the office is provided by the Constitution. For the purpose
of preserving to the peo])le of Fayette county this record from the secretary
of state's office the full record up to 1852 (the period of the 1816 Constitu-
tion) has been copied and is given verbatim. There is also an occasional
entry of court matters and they are likewise given.

In many cases it is imjiossible to decipher the names: in other instances
there is no indication as to when the officer was to assume the office for
Avhich he was commissioned ; in still other instances it is impossible to tell
whether an appointee is following a deceased, resigned or removed official.
The first record on Fayette comity is the commissioning of a justice of the
peace on December 25, 1818. three days before the bill for the creation of
the count}' was signed by the governor. The record is given by years.

1818.

December 25 — Richard Tyner. justice of peace.

December 30 — John Conner, sheriff, to ser\-e until his successor is elected
and qualified.

December 30 — Jonathan John, coroner, to ser\e imtil his successor is
elected and qualified.

J819.

February 2 — Jonathan AlcCarty, clerk.
February 2 — Joseph C. Reed, recorder.
February 2 — Train Caldwell, associate judge.

.\yv:ttk county, Indiana. 187

February _' — Kdwanl \\el)l). associate judge.
March 5 — James Leviston, surveyor.
-\pril 17 — John I'errin. justice of peace.
April 17 — FMelding Ilazehigg, justice of peace.
April 17 — James Webster, justice of peace.
April 17 — John Conner, justice of peace.
April 17 — Joseph Rell, justice of |)eace.
April 17 — David Wilson, justice of peace.
April 17 — -Joseph Hawkins, justice of peace.
April 17 — Ephraim Reed, justice oi peace.
April 17 — John Sleetii. justice of peace.
April 17 — .'\nthon\' iunby, justice of peace.

i2o.

February 13 — John M. Wilson, sheriff, vice John Conner, resigned.

April IT — lulmund Harrison, justice of peace.

August i<y — William Helm, justice of ]ieace, vice James Webster.

September 7 — John .\1. Wilson, sheriff.

October 11 — Thomas I. Larrimore, justice of peace.

October 1 i — l''li Keiicli, justice of peace.

1821.

March 23 — William Helm, associate judge, vice Train Caldwell.

April 17 — Moses l-"ay, justice of peace.

April 17— -Wilson Wadons ( ?), justice of peace.

May 25 — William Logan, trustee nf public seminary fund.

On May 25. 1S21, an entry reads: "h'ull and complete pardon granted
to Henry Myers of b'ayette County sentenced by the Honble the Circuit
Court of said county at their March term, 1821, to receive one stripe on
his bare back, also the fine of $9.75. Remitted. T.arceny."

July 9 — Thomas Hinkston, survex or.

September 7 — Jonathan McCarty, recorder, vice J. C, Reed.

September 7 — Daniel Skinner, justice of ])eace.

September 7 — Thomas I'atton. justice of peace, vice Joseph lieli.

September 7 — David Xohle, justice of peace, vice D. Wilson.

September 12 — Jonathan .McCarty, recorder, vice J. C. Reed (second
commission. )

September 12 — John Sample, coroner.

l88 FAYETTE C0I;NTY, INDIANA.

On September u, 182 1, an entry reads: "Fine of $200 inflicted on
Sniitli ik Kidd by the Honble the Circuit Court for the County of Fayette
on a recoi^nizance for the appearance of John Harris. Remitted."

1822.

June 19 — Samuel Fuller, justice 01 peace.

June 19 — Isaac Thomas, justice of peace.

Au.sjust 26 — Samuel Fuller, justice of peace, (second commission.)

September it — John M. Wilson, sherifif.

November 26 — William lulwards, justice of peace.

November 26 — John Royd, justice of peace.

Noveml)er 26 — John Davidson, justice of peace.

1823.

April 18 — James Buchanan, justice of peace.

June i,^ — William AlcC^ann, justice of peace.

June ] T, — Manlove Caldwell, justice of peace.

C^n July 8, 1823. an entry reads: "AVhereas. judgment was rendered
against John Adair and James Adair, Sr., in the sum of $1,000 on a recog-
nizance for the ajJiiearance of James Adair, Jr., at the term of

the Fayette Circuit Court (1820) charged with larceny. $900 thereof
remitted."

September ]o — John Samjjle, coroner.

December 23 —Thomas S. Francis, trustee of public seminary fund.

1824.

Ma}' 17 — Henry 7'hornburg, justice of peace.

July 26 — Marks Crume, justice of peace.

July 26 — Justus Wright, justice of peace.

July 26- — Robert D. Helm, ju.stice of peace.

July 26 — Joseph Hawkins, justice of peace.

July 26 — Jacob Goodlander, justice of peace.

July 26 — Jonathan Hougham ( ?), justice of peace.

Jul}' 26 — James t'urnutt ( ?), justice of peace.

July 26 — Daniel Nolea ( ?), justice of peace.

July 26 — Wil-son W. Adams (?), justice of peace.

August 2T,- — Willia:iTi Caldwell, sherifif.

FAVETTF. COUXTV, INDIANA.

[825.

March 8 — William Arnold, justice of ixface.

March 8 — Gabriel Ginn. justice of peace.

July 14 — Triplet Lockhart, justice of peace.

Septeml)€r 14 — John Milner, coroner.

December u — I'dward Webb, associate judo;e. to serve se\en years fnun
February 2, 182(5.

December 12 — James l')ro\\nlee, associate jud^e, to serve se\en years
from Fel)ruar\- 2. 1826.

December 12 — Jonathan McG.irty. clerk, to serve seven years from
February 2, 1826.

December 12 — Jonathan Mc('arty. recorder, to ser\-e seven years from
February 2. 1826 I the two olnces were combined in I'ayette as in many other
counties in the state, i

December 2q — Thomas Aloflitt. jn.stice of ])eace.

December 29 — John Gonner. justice of peace.

1826.

April 22 — Aloses h'a\-. justice of ])eace.
.Vpril 22 — Jacob Shinkle ( ?), justice of peace.
July 24 — Samuel Loi^an, justice of peace.
August 27 — AV'illiam Gakhvell. sheriiT.
September 24 — Thomas liinkstnn. survexor.

1827.

March 7 — Daniel .Skinner, justice of |>eace.

?^Iarch 7 — Elijah Gorbin, justice of peace.

July 21 — Writ issued for an election on first .Saturday of .Septeml)er,
1827. to fill vacancy in office of associate judge caused by death of James
Brownlee.

Xo\'ember i — .\brahani T!oys. coroner.

-Vovemlier 1 — \\'illiam Miller, associate judge, to serve seven years from
F'ebruar\- 2, 1826.

1828.

Feliruary 22 — .\\ery Clates, justice f)f jjcace.

.Vpril .:; — Writ issued for an election on fir.st Monday of August, 1828.
to fill vacancy in office of clerk caused by resignation of Jonathan McCarty.

igO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

June 1 7 — Second order for election ordered on April 2.

June 28 — Manlove Caldwell, justice of peace.

June 28 — John Treadwa}-, justice of peace.

June 28 — Horatio Mason, justice of peace.

June 28 — Samuel Hutchings, justice of peace.

June 28 — Joseph Noble, justice of peace.

August 26— Robert D. Helm, sheriff.

August 26 — William Caldwell, clerk.

August 26 — L)-mder ( ?) Carpenter, justice of peace.

1820.

January 6 — \Vrit issued for an election on last Saturday of February,
1829, to vacancy in office of recorder, caused by the resignation of Jonathan
McCarty.

March 18 — Second writ for election for recorder issued; mistake in
making returns of election : two iiighest candidates agreed to a second elec-
tion rather than contest first one.

May 1 1 — John Tate, recorder.

June 29 — Jacob Goodlander, justice of i>eace.

June 29 — Joseph Hawkins, justice of peace.

June 29 — Maiuhias Dawson, justice of peace.

August 18- -Philip Mason, probate judge.

August 18 — Robert Miller, coroner.

18.30.

September 8 — Gabriel Ginn, sheriff.

October 2 — George H. Cook, justice of peace.

October 2 — John Swayzee, justice of peace.

1831.

March 7 — Thomas Moffitt, justice of peace. •

March 7 — John Davison, justice of peace.

^lay 24 — Moses F"a}-, justice of peace.

September 22 — George L. Fearis, coroner.

(October 28 — Joseph D. Thompson, justice of peace.

October 28 — John Loder, justice of peace.

November 2 — Thomas Grewell ( ?), justice of peace.

December 2_^ — Moses \Villiamson, justice of peace. '

FAYETTE COl^NTY, INDIANA. I9I

1832.

April 23 — Ebenezer Heatdii. justice of peace.
April 23 — \\'i]liani Beckett, ju.-;tice oi peace.
Aiio;iist 23 — (lahriel (linn, clerk, tn serve seven years from I""el)ruary 2.

.August 23-— l'~(l\\ard W'elil). as>ociate juclge, to serve seven years from
February 2, 1S33.

.\ugusl 22, — John Treadway. .associate judge, to ser\-e seven years from
February 2. 1833.

.August 23— \Villiam Dickey, sheriff.

Octol>er 24 — James Hacklenian. justice of peace.

October 24 — Isaac Afedcalf ( ?). justice of peace.

October 24 — Daniel .Skinner, justice of ]ieace.

1833.
June 20 — Jonathan Shields, justice of peace.
July 2~i — Horatio Alason, justice of peace.

August 22 — George I.. Fearis, coroner, to serve two vears from .August
5. 1833.'

December Kj— James C. Ross, justice of (x-ace.

T834.
April 28 — Micajah Jackson, justice of peace.
Alay 26 — i'hilip Mason filed resignation as [irobate judge.
June 8 — F.lisha \ance. justice of peace.
Julv 12 — Collin liannister, justice of jieace.
July 12 — James C. Rea, justice of peace.

August 8 — Justus Wright, ])r()bate judge from .\ugust 4, 1834.
.\ugiist T5 -John Willey. sherifl'.

January 28 — William 11. ('oomlis. notary public (first commission of
notary public. )

February 27, — (ieorge l)a^•is. justice of peace.
.\ugust 22 — John Tate, rec(;rder from Ma)' ti, 1836.
August 22 — George L. l-'earis, coroner.
October 24 — George K. Cook, justice of ])eace.

192 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1836.

March 5 — John Hillis, justice of peace.

March 25 — John Conner, justice of peace.

March 25 — Thomas Moffitt, justice of peace.

August 29 — John Willey, sheriff'.

October 3 — Isaac Le\'iston, justice of peace.

October 24 — James M. Conner, justice of peace.

November 26 — Joseph I). Thompson, justice f)f peace.

1837.

A]jril- 18 — John Treadway tiled resignation as associate judge.

May 5 — El:)enezer Heaton, justice of peace.

3Tay 25 — Benjamin Caldwell, justice of peace.

May 2C, — David Wilson, justice of peace.

June 2^^ — George Talbott, justice of peace.

June 2T, — Stanhope l^oyster, associate judge, to ser\-e seven years from
Februar}' 2, 1832; \ice John Tread\va\-, resigned, l:)ut Royster served until
l-'ebruary 2, 1840.

.\ugnst 12 — \Villiam Tullex', coroner.

1838.

January 20 — Ivubert S. Cox, notar}- public.

A'larch 7 — Risden L^ord, justice of peace.

June 6 — Jonathan .Shields, justice of peace.

Jul}" 2JI, — Mordecai Millard, justice of peace.

August 14 — Thomas Tines, sheriff, vice John \Villey, resigned.

August 20— Horatio Mason, justice of peace.

September 20 — John Scott, justice of peace.

December 13 — John Mclvankey ( ?), justice of i>eace.

1839-
I'"ebruary 21 — John Burk, justice of peace.
April II — Isaac Ivay, justice of peace.
April II — William Cook, justice of peace.
June 18 — Elisha Vance, justice of peace.

July 10 — JMartilla Remington, justice of ])eace, vice R. Ford, resigned.
July 24 — James C. Rea, justice of peace.

,^ATER RIVER. LOOKING NORTH FROM EAST CONNERSVILLE BRIDGE.

WINTER SCENE NEAR LONGWOOD.

FAYiiTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. I93

July 24 — Collin B;innister, justice of peace.

AugTist 17 — Gabriel Ginn, clerk, to serve seven years from February 2,
1840.

August 17 — jereniiab A, Wilson, associate judge, to serve seven years
from February 2, 1840.

August 17 — I'xUvarcl \\''el)l), associate judge, to serve seven years from
February 2, 1840.

August 17 — William Tulley, coroner.

December 4 — Edwin F. Gabriel, notary public.

1840.

April 27 — Calvin Smitb, justice of peace.

August 17 — Thomas TJnes, sheriff.

August 17 — Ephraim Turner, justice of peace.

Novemljer 25 — Henry Beitzel, coroner, vice Tulley removed.

December 8 — Edward White, justice of peace.

1841.

May 10 — Zimri Utter, justice of peace.

May 10 — William Freeman, justice of peace.

July 14 — James Tuttle, justice of peace.

.August 1 1- — Henrv Beitzel, coroner, to serve two vears from August
2, 1841.'

August 23 — Justus Wright, probate judge, to serve seven years from
August 4, 1841.

1842.

January 20 — Joshua ATcIntosh, apix)inted sheriff vice Thomas Lines,
resigned.

February 10 — Jared P. Tharp, coroner, vice H. Beitzel, resigned.

July 13 — Israel W'. Bonham, justice of peace.

July 13 — William Hart, justice of peace.

July 13 — Jonathan \'each, justice of peace.

.Vugust 9 — William 'W. .Smith, sheriff, to ser\'e two vears from August
I. 1842.

August C) — Henry Beitzel, coroner, to serve two vears from August
I, 1842.^

(13) ...

194 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

August 9 — John Tate, recorder, to serve seven years from May ii,
1843.

September 23 — David Wilson, justice of peace.

October 19 — William Hart's commission returned, he having failed to
qualify. '

October 20 — Enoch Applegate, justice of peace.

Noveber 24 — William Robinson, justice of peace.

1843-
February 23 — William L. Spooner, notary public.
March 23 — Lewis C. Fouts, notary public.
August 4 — Jonathan Shields, justice of peace.

August 15 — George W. Ginn, clerk, to serve seven years from Februarj^
2, 1840, vice Gabriel Ginn, deceased.

September 14 — Forest Webb, justice of peace.
Octol)er 20 — John Scott, justice of peace.

1844.
January 13 — ^John McConkey, justice of peace.
January 17 — EHjah Corbin, justice of peace.
March 28 — Jacob W. Blew, justice of peace.
May 24 — Mirtilla Remington, justice of peace.
July 17 — ^Joseph Justice, justice of peace.
August 17 — William M. Smith, sheriff.
August 17 — Henry Beitzel, coroner.
August 23 — Charles M. Stone, justice of peace.
August 23 — Charles Williams, justice of peace.
October 8 — Robert G. Hedrick, notary public.
December 11 — William Conner, justice of peace.

1845.

March 15 — John I. Burk, justice of peace.

May 19 — Thomas I. Crister, justice of peace.

August 18 — Amos R. Edwards, clerk, to serve seven years from
February 2, 1840.

August 18 — Thomas P. Silvey, coroner, to serve two years from date.

October 16 — Ephraim Turner, justice of i>eace, to serve five years from
date.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. I95

Octolier 22 — James JNl. Green, justice of peace, to serve five years from
date.

December lo — T-ouis C. Fonts, appointed recorder, vice Joiin Tate,
deceased. '

1846.

January 12 — Thomas Dill, notary public, to sen'e five years from date.

March 17 — Jacob B. Powers, justice of peace, to serve five years frortx
date.

.\pril 1 1 — Lewis B. Tupper, notary public, to serve five years from
date.

April 25 — Ellis R. Lake, justice of peace, to serve five years from May
10, 1846.

April 25 — William Freeman, justice of jieace, to serve five years from
May 10, 1846.

July 17 — Zimri Utter, justice of peace, to serve five years from date.

.Vugust 18 — John Scott, associate judg-e. to serve two years from Febru-
ary 2, 1847.

August 18 — Joshua Mcintosh, associate judge, to serve two years from
February 2, 1847.

August 18 — ^^loseph Tate, recorder, to serve seven years from date.

August 18 — Amos R. F^dwards. clerk, to serve seven years from Febru-
ary 2, 1847.

August 18 — Joseph H. Clark, sherifif. to serve two years from date.

August 18 — James Beard, coroner, to serve two years from date.

September 26 — Richard Nash, justice of peace, to serve five years from
date.

1847.

July 30 — George Woodberry. justice of peace, resigned May i, 1851.
August 19 — Wilson Limpus. coroner, to serve two years from date.
August 30 — Israel \\ . Conham, justice of peace.
December 4 — William A. H. Tate, justice of peace.
December 17 — Richard R. Nuzam. justice of peace.

T848.

January 17 — A\'illiam Roljinson. justice of j)eace.

F'ebruary i — Joseph Forr\-. justice of peace, died prior to August 7,
1849.

.196 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

April 18 — Jonathan Shields, justice of peace.

August 24 — Joseph H. Clark, sheriff, to serve two years from date.

August 24 — Wilson Limpus, coroner, to serve two years from date.

August 24 — William S. Burrows, prosecuting attorney, to serve three
years from August 2"/, 1848. (This is the only prosecuting attorney ever
elected in the county ; he performed the duties of the circuit prosecutor, but
was in reality only a county prosecutor.)

August 24 — Justus Wright, probate judge, to serve seven years from
date.

October 2j — -Caleb E. Clements, justice of peace.

1849.

April 16 — ^John McConkey, justice of peace.

April 16 — Martillo Remington, justice of peace, failed to qualify.

April 16 — James Beard, justice of peace.

April 16 — Charles M. Stone, justice of peace.

April 16 — Collin Bannister, justice of peace.

April 16 — William Conner, justice of peace, successor elected February
9, 1850.

July 3 — Writ issued for election of coroner; vice Wilson Limpus,
resigned.

July 16 — Solomon Maker, notary public.

August 15 — Daniel Welty, notary public.

August 1 7 — Josiah Mullikin ( ? ) , coroner, to serve two vears from
date; resigned June 12, 1852.

December 22 — William H. Thomas, justice of peace.

December 22 — Amos Chapman, justice of peace.

December 22 — James C. Rea, justice of peace.

1850.

February 23 — Archibald F. Martin, justice of peace.
April 19 — Joseph \i. Sutcliff, justice of peace, refused to qualify.
April 19 — David Wilson, justice of peace, resigned November 17, 1851.
April 19 — James M. Green, justice of peace.

August 21 — Lewis W. i\lcCormick, sheriff, to serve two vears from
August 24, 1850.

August 21 — Abraham Boys, coroner, to serve two years from date.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. I97

April 25 — Henry O'Brient ( ?), justice of peace.

April 25 — James AI. Cockefair, justice of peace.

April 25 — William Freeman, justice of peace.

April 25 — James Limpus, justice of peace.

April 25 — Lorenzo D. Springer, justice of peace.

May 15— Alexander W. Lemon, justice of peace.

June 13 — Alexander Matney, justice of peace.

October 22 — Joseph P. Daniels, justice of peace.

October 22 — David Rawls, coroner, to serve two years from date.

1852.

Januar\- \6 — Thomas T. Courtne\-, justice of peace, to serve four years
from date.

January 21 — John Sprintjer, justice of peace, to serve four years from
date.

April 2J — Samuel Herron, notary public.

April 22 — Lewis D. \llen, notary public.

April 23 — William A. H. Tate, justice of peace.

April 23 — Moore King, justice of peace.

.\pril 2T, — Moses Greer, justice of peace.

.\pril 23 — Raney Gillum, justice of peace.

October-25 — Zimri Litter, justice of i>eace.

October 28^ — Joseph T. Tate, recorder, to serve four vears from August
18, 1853,

Octol>er 2h' — Lalvin McClain, coroner, to serve two vears from October
12, 1852.

Novemlier 17 — Thomas E. McConnell, justice of peace.

November 17 — Linville Ferguson, justice of peace.

Noveml)er 23 — William H. Reck, trejisurer. to serve two years from
September 3, 1853.

Novemlier 23 — William Frwin. surveyor, to serve two years from the
cx])iration of the term of the present incumbent. ( No commissions for sur-
veyor are on record in the office of the secretary of state from September
24, 1826, and November 2^, 18^2.) " '■'

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

t853-

February 17 — Benjamin F. Claypool, notary public.
March 29 — John H. Ray, justice of peace.
April 18 — John Beck, justice of peace.
April 18 — James Hamilton, justice of peace.
April 25 — William Newkirk, notary public.
September 20 — E. M. \'ance, notary public.

November 8 — Amos R. Rdwards, clerk, to serve four years from Febru-
ary 2, 1854.

November 8 — Henry Morris, surveyor, to serve until December 31, 1854.
November 11 — William M. Smith, notary public.
December 12 — Ezra Perrin, notary public.
December 19— Joseph Marshall, notary public.

The succeeding pages list the county officials in groups, giving their
respective years of service. It will be noticed that up to 1901 there is no
uniformity in the time their terms begin, but that after 1901 all terms except
that of recorder begin on January i. The legislative act of March 11, 1901,
provided that the county auditor, clerk, sheriff, recorder, prosecuting attornev,
assessor, coroner, surveyor and county commissioners should begin their
term of office on January i, 1902, following the term of office of the present
incumbent. I'he circuit, probate, associate and common pleas judges and
prosecuting and common pleas attorneys are not given in this connection, but
may be found in the chapter on the bench and bar of the county. The county
superintendents of schools are listerl in the chapter on education.

CLERKS OF CIRCUIT COURT.

The clerk of the circuit court under the 1816 Constitution had a seven-
year tenure and the length of the term remained unchanged until 1852, when
it was made four years. In the early history of the county the clerk also
performed the duties later assigned to the recorder by the act of 1841. In
the entire history of the county there have been only two Democratic clerks,
James G. T. Veach and \A^illiam Reeder, the present incumbent. In the
November, 1914, election the vote lor clerk was very close, the first count
giving .\mbrose Elliott the office by a majority of three over William
Reeder. The election was contested and his opponent, William Reeder. was
declared elected. The complete list of clerks since 1819 follows:

Jonathan McCarty, February 2. i8iq, resigned April 3, 1828.

!•' \YFT'

IK rnrNTY, Indiana.

William fa

Idwtll.

\llgUsl

Jo. 1X2X — l'"ehniary

(iahriel (iin

n. f'ch

rnaiy J.

183J. tiied in office,

(leoro-e W .

' 'liiin.

Au.i^ust

13, i84_:; — August 18

199

1843.
18. 1845.

Anids K. lulwanlN Vugusl 18. 1845— I'ehruary _', 1858.
fimfucius I'.. I'.dwards. I'eliruary 2. 1858 — ]'"ebruary J. 1866.
(jilbert Trusler, I'ehruary 2, 1866 — November 2. 1874.
James C. T. Veacli. Xo\eniber j, 1874 — Novemlier 2, 1878.
Xelson T. Barnard. November 2, 1878. removed January 31. 1881.
Tbomas Al. Little, appointed January 31, 1881 — November r.^, i8()o.
James M. Mcintosh, November 13, 1890 — November 13. 1894.
Miles K. Moffett, Novemlier 13, 1894, resioued May 22. 1898.
\\'illiani F. Downs, appointed ^[ay 22. i8(;8. died in office, Marcli, 1905.
All)ert I .. Clirisnian, apjxiintcd l\[arch J4. 11)05 — JcHiuary 1, 1907.
W. '■'.. Sparks, janu.iry 1. 11)07 — January 1, 191 5.

Ambrose I'dliott. januar\- I, i')i5, rcninved as result of contested elec-
lidu, March 10. 11)13.

William Reeder. March \o. 1015.

TRKASUKERS.

The office of Cdunty treasurer was hlled by api)ointment at the hands
of the county commissiiniers under the 1816 Constitution, that is, from 1819
t'l 1 832. I'onseipiently, there is no record of their \ears of service in the
office of secretary of state. The treasurers during this period were as fol-
lows: Newton Clay])ool, 1810-24; Samuel Vance, 1824-25; Abraham W.
Harrison. 1826-27; Gabriel Ginn, 1827-28; George Davis, 1828-29; Larkin
Sims, 1829-31: Henry Goodlander, 1831-47: William M. Smith, 1847-50;
Joseph Clark. 1850-53. Heginning with 1853 the record has been taken from
the commissions in the office id" the secretary (if state. W. II. Beck and
Hen Ccile, the recent incumbent, are the onl\- Democrats elected under the
])resent Constitution. The list <if treasurers since 1853 follows:

Willi.im H. Beck. September 3. 1853 — September 3, 1859.

loseph T. Tate, September 3. 1859 — September 3, 1861.

William Watton, Sei)tember 3. 1861 — September 3. 1863.

Alfred B. Gates. Se])tember 3. 18^^13 — Septemljer 3, 1865.

James K. Rhodes, Se])tenil)er 3, 1865 — September 3, i86g.

William Cotton, September 3, 1869 — September 3, 1873.

George M. Nelson. September 3. 1873 — September 3. 1877.

James D. Henr\, Se])tember 3, 1877 — September 3, 1881.

200 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Robert Utter, September 3, 1881 — September 3. 1885.
Preston H. Kensler, September 3, 1885 — September 3, 1889.
William N. Young, September 3, 1889 — September 3, 1893.
Benjamin F. Thiebaud, September 3, 1893 — September 3, 1897.
Simon Ostheimer, September 3, 1897 — January i, 1902.
Florance R. Beeson, January i, 1902 — January i, 1906.
Samuel E. DeHaven, January i, 1906 — January i, 1910.
William G. Starr, January i, 1910, died in office, January 6, 1910.
Monroe A. Starr, appointed January 7, 19 10- — January i, 191 5.
Ben W. Cole, January i, 1915 — January i, 1917.
E. Clyde Masters, January i, to 17.

RECORDERS.

The office of recorder has been in existence from the beginning of the
county's history. Under the old Constitution the tenure was seven years
and one incumbent, John Tate, served continuously from 1829 until his
death in 1845. Although the legislative act of 1901 specifically provided
that the term of county officials should begin on January i, the office of
recorder in Fayette county is an exception to the act. The complete list of
recorders since the organization of the county is as follow :

Joseph t'. Reed, February 2, 181*9, resigned, 1821.

Jonathan McCartv, appointed September 7, 1821, resigned 'January 6,
1829;

John Tate, appointed May 11, 1829. died in office, 1845.

Louis C. Fonts, appointed Decemlier to, 1845 — .\ugust 18, 1846.

Joseph Tate, August 18, 1846 — .\ugust 18, 1857. /

James K. Rhodes, August 18, 1857 — August 18, 1865. I

Daniel Rench, .Vugust 18, 1865. resigned March, 1872.

Charles E. Smith, appointed March 29, 1872 — October 28, 1872.

Charles B. Sanders, October 28, 1872— October 28, 1880.

William N. Young, October 28, 1880— October 28,, 1888.

Fremont Cliftord, October 28. 1888— October 28. 1896.

Jacob Ridge, October 28, 1896 — January i, 1905.

Charles H. Smith, January i, 1005 — October 28, 1912

William J. Cain, October 28. 1912 — term expires October 28, 1920.

FAYETTE COUNTY,

A aimplete list of the o unity surveyors has not )>een found eillier in
the records in the office of the secretary of state or in the local county
records. It appears that Thomas Hinkston served after 1828, but the official
records coverin,ij the period from i8_'8 to 1852 have not been found, although
the commission of William I'Lrwin in 1852 says that he was "to serve two
years from the exj^iration of term of present incumbent." The name of this
"present incuml>ent" does not appear.

James Leviston, March 5. i8ig — July 9, 1821.

Thomas Hinkston, July <), 1821 — September 24, 1828.

(No commissions found between September 24, 1826, and November
23, 1852.)

W-illiam b>win. commissioned .\'o\ember 23. 1852, "to serve two years
from expiration of term nf present incumljent."

Henr\' Morris, November 8, 1853 — December 31, 1858.

AVilliam Erwin. December 31, 183S — December 31, 1862.

Elihu W. Shrader, December 31, 1862 — December, 1864.

James Harrell. Decemlier, 1864 — (Jctober 26, 1865.

Rlihu W. Shrader, October 26. 1865. resigned l-'ebruary, 1869.

Michael 11. O'Toole, appointed March 4, 1869 — October 24, 1870.

Charles 1\. Williams, (October 24, 1870 — November 2. 1874.

Edwin I^llis, November 2, 1874, resigned January, 1877.

Michael 11. ()"Tiiole, appointed January 25, 1877 — November 2, 1880.

Oliver W.'. .Morris, ?s^ovember 2, 1880 — December 2^, 1880.

John Z. I'errin. api)ointed Deceml>er 2^. 1880 — November 13, 1884.

Charles ]<. Williams, Nox cniber 13, 1884 — November 13, 1892.

Roy Williams, .November 13. 1802 — November 13. 1898.

Charles \\'illiams, Jr.. NoxemlxT 13, 1898 — Januar\- i. T(;o5.

Karl L. Hanson, January i, 1905 — Januar\- 1, 1913.

Paul F. Carlos, January i, 1913, failed to (|ualify.

\\'illiam J. Little. January i, 1915. resigned March i, 1916.

Robert J. Greenwood. a]ipointecl March i, 1976 — Januarv i, 1917.

Plarry M. Grififin. January i, 19 17.

Paul J. Carlos was commissioned to take the office on January i, ic;i3,
but failed to fpialify and Hanson continued in office until Januarv i, 191 v

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIAN/

AUDITORS.

The office of county auditor was not in existence in I-'ayette county
for several years after the counts- was organized, the duties later assigned
to the office being transacted lay the other county officials, most of them
.being in the hands of the clerk of the circuit court. Under the 1816 Con-
stitution there was no uniformit\' in the transaction of county affairs, the
Legislature pro\iding for one set of officers for one county and another for
other counties, li was not until 1S41 that the Legislature provided for an
auditor for l''a\ette cnunty, the lirst incumbent being Daniel Rench, an old
newspaper mrui. He ser\ed from 1841 tn 1852, at which time Job Stout
was elected. The first commission of Stout on record in the office of the
secretary of state bears the date of November 1, 1855. The complete list
of auditors since that time, together with their respective tenures follows:

Job Stout, November i, 1855 — November i, 1859.

James P^lliott, November i, 1859 — November i, 1867.

\Villiam H. Green, November i, 1867 — November 2, 1875.

Charles R. Williams. Noxember 2, 1875 — No\ember i, 1883.

John \V. Payne, November t, 1883 — Noxember i, 1891.

James Backhouse, November r, t8qi — November i, 1895.

Homer M. Broaddus. Nxvvember 1, 1895, ^''^d in office July 2t,. 1903.

Richard E. McClure, appointed July 2y. 1903 — January i, 1904.

John W. Ross, January i, 1904 — Januar}- 1, 1908.

Jasper L. Kennedy, January i, 1908 — Januar}- i, 1916.

Glenn Zell, Januar)- i, 1916, term exjiires January i, 1920.

COUNTY ASSE.SSORS.

The office of county assessor as now established dates only from 1891,
the General Assembly of that year creating the office. From 1852 to 1891
the duties now performed by the assessor were in the hands of the county
auditor. A county board of review, consisting of the assessor, auditor and
treasurer, and two members appointed by the circuit judge, annually ecpializes
the valuation of real and personal property assessed in the county. The
board passes on each individual \aluation, hears complaints, and re\ises the
assessment list. It also et[ualizes as between townships or di\-isions of town-
ships and determines a rate per cent, to be added to or deducted from the
A'arious classes of property throughout the township. And if necessary, the

KAYl TTE COLNTV. IN'OIAXA. 20^

board may e\ en set aside tlie assessment of the whole county and order a
new one, Init it has no ]iower to depart from tlie true casli vahie in hxinj,^
assessments. The ])rci|)eny is assessed by the townsliij) assessors, wlio work
under the immediate su))er\ision of the county assessor, who lias tlie ])o\\er
to list sequestereil or omitted pro]»eriy. The county assessor in turn is under
the direction of tlie state hoard of tax commissioners.

There have been only four county assessors in Fayette county since iS'U.
one incumbent tilling the oi'lice fc^r fifteen consecutive \ears. The present
assessor is a son of the first incumbent. The foiu- assessors are as follow:
H. T. Thomas. i8gi-Qj.; luiwin M. Stone. i8<)4-t)8: William T. Murray.
i8q8-iOi4: Scott Thomas, since I<)14.

SITEKIFFS.

The office of sheriff was provided for in the (/(institutions of iSi() and
185 J. The tenure has ahvax s l)een two years in the state. It will Ix- noticed
that John ( 'onner, the founder of ronuersville, was the first incumbent nf
the office, his ap]]ointnient b\- the oo^ernor lieint;- dated two flays before the
county was to be formally urganized. The sheriti" is the nnly count\ official
who is provided with ;i liouse at the expense of the c<ninty. The list of
sheriflfs follows :

John Conner, ap[)(jinted Decenilier .^o. 1818. resig-ned. 1820.

John M, Wilson, appointed February 13, 1820 — Aug^ust 23, 1824.

William Caldwell, August 2,^. 1824— .\ugust 28. 1828.

Robert D. Helm. August jS. 1828- -September 8, 1830.

Gabriel Ginn, September 8, 1830 — August 23, 1832.

William Dickey, -\ugust 23, 1832 — .\ugust 21), 1834.

Jdhn \\'illey. \ugust 20. 1834, resigned, 1838.

Thomas Lines. August 14. 1838, resigned January, 1842.

Joshua Mcintosh, appointed January 20, 1842 — August <). 1842.

William M. Smith, August 0, 1842 — August 17, 1846.

Joseph H. Clark, August 17. 1846 — .August 24, i85(x

Lewis W. McCormick, .\ugust 24, 1850 — October u, 1854.

William ■\lcCleary, Octol)€r 19. 1854 — November 6. 1858.

William J. Orr. Xoveml)er 6, 1858 — Xovember 6. i860.

John Savage, November 6. 1860 — Xo\ ember 6. 1864.

William Cotton. November 6. 1864 — November 6, i8h8.

\\'i]liam McCrfir\ , No\ ember 6, 1868, resigned January 30. iRfx).

Jnnatban .S. Miller, appointed l"ebruar\- 10, i86<; — No\eml)er 2, 1874.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Doctor B. Ball, November 2, 1874- — November 2, 1878.
John T. Lair, November 2, 1878 — November 13, 1882.
Samuel Kirkham, November 13, 1882 — November 13, 1886.
Matthias T. Lair, November 13, 1886 — November 13, 1890.
Knos M. McCready, Noveml^er 13, 1890 — November 13, 1894.
Charles S. Lewis, November 13. 1894 — Noveml^er 13, 1898.
Daniel D. tiall, November 13, 1898 — November 13, 1900.
George W. Oldham, November 13, 1900 — Tanuar}' i, 1905.
Cyrus Jeffrey, January i, 1905 — January i, 1909.
Anson B. Miller, January i, 1909 — January i, 191 3.
Perry D. Ferguson, January i, 1913 — January i, 1915.
William Hendrickson. January i, 191 5.

The coroner's office is provided for by the Constitution and in certain
stipulated cases the coroner is authorized to perform the duties of the sheriff.
The office is usually associated with the medical profession, but a great
majority of the incumbents of the office in Fayette county have not been
physicians. If there is any one man in the list of coroners of Fayette county
who deserves sjiecial mention it is John Farner. an old-fashioned German,
who held the office for twenty years. .\s far as known, he had no other
occupation than that of attending to the duties of the office during these
twenty years, but he managed in some way to make enough to eke out an
existence. The complete list of coroners since the organization of the county
follows :

Jonathan John, appointed December 30, 1818 — September 12, 1821.

John Sample, September 12, 1S21 — September 14, 1825.

John Milner, September 14, 1825 — November i, 1827.

Abraham Bays, November i. 1827 — Augu.st 18, 1829.

I'iobert Miller, August 18. 1829 — September 22, 1831.

Cieorge L. Fearis, September 22, 1831 — August 12, 1837.

William Tulley, August 12, 1837, resigned November, 1840.

Henrv Beitzel, appointed November'2-5. 1840— ^August 18, 1845.

Th(;nias 1'. Silvey. August 18. 1845— August i^- 1846.

James Beard, August 18, 1846 — August 19, 1847.

Wilson Limpus, August 19, 1847, resigned July 3, 1849.

Josiah Mullikin, August 17, 1849, resigned June 12, 1850.

Abraham Bays, August 2i, i850^0ctober 21, 1851.

FAYKTTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 2O5

Davitl Rawls. October 22. 1831— Oct()l)er 12. i85_>.

Calvin C. McClain, October 12. 1852^-October 24, 1S54.

John H. Fattig, October 24. 1854 — November 1. 1855.

Calvin C. McClain, Xovember i, 1855— November 6. 1856.

David H. Dawson, Xovember 6, 1856 — November 6. 1858.

Benjamin H. Gardner. Xovember 6, 1858- — X'ovember Ti, 1859.

Walter Lockhart, November 6, 1859 — November 6, 1861.

John B. Tate. November 6. 1861 — Novemlaer 6. 1862.

Isaiah McCameron, November 6, 1862 — Noveml>er 6. 1864.

Jacob Schmidt, .November 6. 1 864— November 6. •1866.

John Farner, November 6, 1866— November 13, 1886.

Dr. Joseph D. T,arimore, November 13, 1886 — November 13. 1890.

Dr. Alexander D. Tyrrel, November 13, 1890 — November 13. 1894.

Lyman Cooley, November 13. 1894 — November 13, 1896.

Dr. Alexander D. Tyrrel, November 13. 1896 — Janiiarv i, 1903.

Lyman Coole\-. January i, 1903 — January i. 1903.

Dr. Eugene Everett Hamilton, January i. 1905 — January i. 1909.

Chester M. Spicely, January i, 1909— January i, 1913.

Dr. Harry M. Lamberson. January i. 1913 — January i, 191 5.

Charles Myers. January i, 191 5- —January t, 1917.

Dr. Benjamin W. Cooper, January i, 1917.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

Tiie county commissioners occui)y a \ery important place in tiie affairs
of the county ant! in the ninety-se\en years which have elapsed since the
county was oroanizcd they have had general charge of ail the affairs of the
county. This l)ody of tiu'ee men among other things l)uild all the countx'
]>ublic buildings, oxersee the construction of mads and bridges and |)ass on
all bills to be ])aid out of county funds. As stated in the succeeding list
of commissioners, there was a short time in the history of the county when
the commissioners were replaced by a board consisting of one justice of
peace from each township in the county. This system, however, was too
ex])ensive and besides the board was too cumbersome to do good work. The
complete list of commissioners is given by years.

1819 — Basil Rol)erts,-fIerod-Newland. J<>lin Tyner.

1820 — ^ftasil Roberts, Herod Xewltind. Joim Tyner.

182T — Basil Roberts. John i'yner. Stanhope Royster. Herod .Vewlind.
James M. Ray ( Newland was succeeded in May by James M. i\a\ . wlio
was appointed until the .\ugust election, and was succeeded bv Rovster. )

206 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1H22 — Basil Roberts, .Stanhope Royster, Samuel \ ance, the latter, being
appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Tyner, was succeeded in
August by Jonathan John.

1823 — :Basi\ Roberts, StanhopesKoyster, Jonathan John, the latter l^ejng
s^ucceeded in August by Alexander Dale.

1824 — Basil Roberts, Stanhope Royster, Alexander Dale. In 1824 a
Ixiard composed of one justice of peace from each township, was given
charge of all county aB'airs and performed all the duties formerly transacted
by the county commissioners. There was a provision that the oldest justice
in each township should ha^•e a seat on this county board of justices. From
September, 1824, until November, 1S27, the county was governed by this
board of justices. During this period the presidents of the board were as
follows: Moses Fay, 1824-25; Justus Wright, 1825-26; Gabriel Ginn, Sep-
tember-November, T826; Marks Crume, 1826-27. The office of county com-
missioner was re-established by an act of the 1827 Legislature and has been
in continuous operation since that date.

1827 — ^.Hezekiah Mount, ^'^'^lliam Dickey, , David Ferree.

1828 — Hezekiah Mount, William Dickey, David Ferree (until Septem-
lier), Gharles Hubbartt.

1829 — Hezekiah Mount, William Dickey, Charles Hubbartt.

1830 — William Dickey, Charles Hubbartt, Hezekiah Mount (until
August), Charles Salyer.

i83i--Charles Salyer. William Dickey. Charles Hubbartt.

1 832— Charles Salyer. Charles Hubbartt. \A^illiam Dickey (until Sep-
temlier ) , William Dale.

1833 — Charles Sal\er. Charles Hulibartt, William Dale.

1834 — Charles Salyer, Charles Hubbartt, William Dale.

1835 — Charles Salyer, Charles Hul)bartt, William Dale (until Septem-
ber), Hezekiah Mount.

1836 — Charles Salyer, Charles Hubbartt, Hezekiah Mount.

1837 — Charles Salyer, Charles Hulibartt, Hezekiah Mount.

1838 — Charles Salyer, Charles Hul)bartt, Hezekiah Mount (until Sep-
temlier), Alexander Dale.

1839 — Charles Hubbartt, .Mexander Dale, Charles Salyer (until Sep-
teml)er), James Veatch.

1840 — Alexander Dale, James Veatch. Charles Hubbartt (until Sep-
temlwr), Henry Simpson.

FAYFTTK KlfNTV, INDIANA. 207

1841 -hiiiifs \c.ttcli. llciirv Sinips.m. Ak'xan.lcr Dak- mntil Aus^iist),
riKiiiias Moffett.

iS4_' — Jame.-- \eatcli. Henry Sinipsi.n. 'I'lioinas Mdffett.

1843 — James W-atcli. 'I'honias Mdffctt. I lairy Siini)snii (until SeiUnii-
ber ). Jacob Troxell.

1844— James \eatch. Ilionias Al.ittett. Jaci.h Troxell.

1845 — Thomas Moffett, Jacob Troxell. James \'eatcli (until Septem-
ber ), John Jemison.

1846 — Thomas Aloffett, John Jemison, Jacob Troxell (until Septem-
ber). Daniel H. White.

1847 — Thomas Moffett, John lemison, Daniel 11. \\hite.

i848--Thomas Moffett, Daniel H. White, John Jemison (until Sep-
tember). James Steele.

184(1 — Thomas .Moffett. Daniel U. White. James Steele.

1850 — Daniel II. White. James Steele. Thomas Moffett (until Sep-
tember). W. W. Thrasher.

1851 — Daniel 11. A\'hite. A\'. \\'. Thrasher. James Steele (until .Kusiust),
A. T. Beckett.

185J— \\'. W. Thnisher. .\. T. Beckett. Daniel H. White (until \ovem-
ber). A\'illiam H. Huston. Thrasher was succeeded by Joseph Dale in
December. 1852.

1853— Joseph Dale, .\. T. Beckett, William H. Huston,

1854— Joseph Dale. A. T. Beckett. William H. Huston.

1855— Joseph Dale. .\. T. Beckett. William TI. Huston ('until Septem-
Ijer ) . John Stoops.

1856 — John Stoo])s. A. T. Beckett. Jose])h Dale.

1857 — John Stoops. Joseph Dale. A. T. Beckett (until September).
George .Scott.

1858 — George Scott. Joseph Dale. John Stoops (until September).
Joseph M. Sutclift'e.

i85()-— Joseph M. Sutclifte. George Scotl. Jose]>h Dale (until Se])tem-
ber). W. T. Hensley.

i86o--\\'. T. Hen.sley. George Scott. Joseph M. Sutcliffe.

1861 — W. T. Hensley. George Scott. Joseph M. Sutcliffe (until Sej)-
teml)er). Raney Gillman.

i86> — Raney Gillman. George Scott. \\'. T. Hensley (until December),
Ephraim Jeffrey.

1863- — Ephraim Jeffrey, Ranc)- Gillman. A. T. Beckett ( ajipointed in
June in place of George Scott, deceased.)

2o8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1864 — Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland.

1865 — Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland.

1866— Ephraim Jeffrey, A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland.

T867 — Ephraim Jeffrey. A. T. Beckett, Robert Holland (nntil Septem-
ber), John Beck.

1868 — John Beck, A. T. Beckett, Ephraim Jeffrey (until December),
Ezra Martin.

1869 — John Beck, Ezra JMartin. A. T. Beckett (until September),
Hiram B. .Langston.

1870 — Hiram B. Langston, John Beck, Ezra Martin.

1 87 1- — Hiram B. Langston, John Beck, Ezra Martin.

1872 — Hiram B. Langston, Ezra Martin, John Beck (until June),
William A. Holland. Langston was succeeded in Novemljer by John Spivey.

1873 — John Spivey, William A. Holland, Ezra Martin.

1874 — John Spivey, William .\. Holland, and until December, Ezra
Martin, when succeeded by Linville Eerguson.

1875 — William A. Holland. Linville Ferguson, and until September,
John Spivey, vvhen sucTeeded b}' John Sims.

1876-77 — William .\. Holland. John Sims, and until December, Lin-
Aalle Ferguson, when succeeded by McHenry Saxon.

1878 — McHenry Sa.xon. William A. Holland, and until September, John
Sims, when succeeded by Samuel P. Jemison.

1879-82 — William A. Llolland, Samuel P. Jemison, McHenry Saxon.

1883 — William A. Flolland, Samuel P. Jemison, and until December,
McHenry Saxon, when succeeded by Henry C. Rees.

1884 — William A. Holland, Samuel P. Jemison, Henry C. Rees.

1885— William A. Holland, Henry C. Rees, O. A. Martin.

1886— Williani .\. Holland, Henry C. Rees, O. A. Martin.

1887— William A. Holland, Henry C. Rees, O. A. Martin.

188S— O. A, ^lartin, Henry C. Rees, Thomas J. Caldwell.

1889—0. .V. Martin. Henr\- C. Rees. Thomas J. Caldwell.

1890 — O. A. Martin, Thomas J. Caldwell, F. Y. Thomas.

1891 — F. Y. Thomas, D. Ker.scliner, S. E. Thomas.

1892 — F. Y. Thomas, D. Kerschner, S. E. Thomas.

1893 — F. Y. Thomas, D. Kerschner, S. V.. Thomas.

1894 — F. Y. Thomas. D. Kerschner, S. E. Thomas.

1895 — F. ^'. Thomas. D. Kerschner, S. E. Thomas.

1896 — F. "W Thomas, I). Kerschner, E. L Chance.

1897— l'. Y. Thomas, E. L Chance, H. L. Hurst.

- FAYETTK COCNTY. INDIANA. 2O9

1S9S— I-'. ^■. Tlionia^. i:. I. Chance, H. L. Hurst.
180Q— 1-\ \ . TlKimas, [■:. I. Chance, M. I.. Hur.st.
1900 — F. ^'. Tlionias, !•:. 1. Cliance, H. L. Hur.st.
i()or — h\ ^'. Tlionias. V.. I. Cliance, li. L. Hurst.
i()02— K. I. Chance. H. L. Hurst. W. D. Thomas.
1903— H. L, Hurst. W. I). Thomas, J. AT. White.
i()04-H. T,. Hurst. W. IX Thomas. J. M. White.
1905--H. 1.. Hurst, W. D. Thomas. J. M. White.
1906— H. 1.. Hurst. W. D. Thomas, J. M. WMiite.
1907— H. T. Hurst. W. D. Thomas. J. M. White.
1908 — L. D. S])rin.i>er. i^aniel Fiant, John A. Kellum.
1909— L. D. SpriuLjer, Daniel 1^'iant, John A. KeUum.
191&— L. D. Sjirinijei-, Daniel Fiant, John A. Kellum.
toil — L. D. S])rinser. John A>. Kellum, James V. Holland.
ic)i2 — L. D. S]irin,iier. John A. Kellum, W. (". ^Vhipple.
ic)r3--L. D. .S])rint;"er. John .\. Kellum. ^^^ C. \Miip]>le.
K) 1 4 -John A. Kellum, U". C. Whipple, H. Shipley.
1015— H. Shipley. U. 11. Jerman. \-.. W. Caldwell.
1916 -H. Shipley, K. H. Jerman, 1'.. W. Caldwell.
1017— R. H. Jtrnian, F. W. Caldwell, Charles W. Alason.

FAYK'I'TK roV.N'TY IX I'llE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Fayette count}- had its first representation in the state Legislature in
the session of i8i(). the fourth regular session. This session had only ten
members in the Senate and twenty-nine in the House. During- the ninety-
seven }ears which lia\e elapsed since the count}- was first represented in tiie
Legislature it has al\\a}s heeii iniited with one or more counties in a sen-
atorial district, and usuall}- with one or more in a representative district.
The following tahle shows the nrunes of tlie members of the Legislature
representing the districts to which hayette county has been attached, the
dates of their inciimbenc\-, and the countv from which thev were elected:

SENATE.

Member.

Session.

Year.

Counties of District

^\•illiam C. Drew . .

■ • • 4-5

1819-20

Fayette. Franklin

Patrick Baird

• • • 5

1820

Part of Fayette, and
Wayne and Randolph

(14)

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Member. Session.

Lewis Johnson 7-8-9

Ross Smiley lo-i 1-12

Newton Claypool 1 3- 1 4- 1 5

James Leviston 16- 17- 18

William Caldwell 19-20

Newton Claypool 21

William Watt 22-23-24

Samuel W. Parker .... 25-26-27

James Leviston 28-29-30

Henry Simpson 31-32-33

John S. Reid 34-35-36

Minor Meeker 37-3^

John Yaryan 39

Thomas ^V. Bennett ... 40
Benjamin F. Claypool. .41-43
Thomas W. Bennett . . . 44-45

James Elliott 46-4/

Richard M. Haworth .. 48-49

Milton Trussler 50-51

Jesse J. Spann 52-53

James N. Huston 54

James N. Hu.ston 55

William Grose 56-57

Leonidas P. Newby . . . 58-59-60
Leonidas P. Newby ...61
.Albert D. Ogborn .... 62-63
Edward E. Moore .... 64
Edward E. Moore .... 65-66

Ca ry Jackson 67-69

Walter McConaha 70

Oliver H. Smith 7

James Brownlee 8

Newton Claypool g-io^ii-

Year.

Counties

of District

1821

1822-25

Fayette,

Lfnion

1825-27

Fayette,

Union

1828-30

Fayette,

LTnion

1831-33

p-ayette,

Union

1834-35

Fayette,

Union

1836

Fayette,

Union

1837-39

Fayette,

Union

1840-42

Fayette,

Union

1843-45

Fayette,

Union

1846-48

Fayette.

Union

1849-51

Fayette,

Union

1853-55

Fayette,

Union

1857

Fayette,

Union

1859

Fayette,

Union

1861-63

Fayette,

Union

1865-67

Fayette,

Union

1869-71

Fayette.

L'nion

1873-75

F^ayette,

Union

1877-79

Fayette,

Union,

Rush

1881-83

Fayette,

Union,

Rush

1885

Fayette,

Union,

Rush

1887

Fayette,

Henry

1889-91

Fayette,

Henry

1893-97

Fayette,

Henry

1899

Fayette,

Henry,

LInion

1901-03

Fayette,

Henry,

Union

1905

Fayette,

Henry.

Union

1907-09

Fayette.

Ru.sh. H

[ancock

1909-15

Fayette,

Ru.sh. F

[ancock

iqr-

Fayette.

Ru.sh, H

[ancock

1822

Fayette

1823

F^ayette

1825-27

F^ayette

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Member. Session.

Marks Crume 13-14-1:

17-18-IC

Philip Mason 20

Caleb B. Smith 21

Wilson Thompson .... 22

John \Mlley 23

Matthew R. Hull 24

Caleb B. Smith 25

Wilson Thompson .... 26

Xewton Claypool 2-j

Sanniel W . Parker 2^

Samuel Little 29

W'illiam Stewart 30-31

Samuel Little 32

Thomas D. Hankins. . . .33

Charles M. Stone 34-35

John V. Lindsey 36

Archibald F. Martin ■ . .t^";

Nelson Trusler 38

Charles M. Stone 39

George \\'. Treadway . .40
Richard M. Haworth . .41

Russell P.. Perry .43

Gilbert Trusler 44

Richard X. Elliott .. ..64-65
W^oodson W. Tiirasher . . 43

B. F. Williams 46-47

Warner H. Broddus . . .48

Milton Trusler 49

James P. Kennedy .... 50
Joseiih W. Conaway ...51

James X. Huston 5--53

R. M. Haworth 54

William Grose 35

Jefferson H. Claypool .. 36-37

-\. C. Lindemuth 38

James M. Mcintosh . . . . 39
I'^rancis T. Roots 60-61

Year.

Counties of District

1828-34

F'ayette

1835

Fayette

1836

Fayette

1837

Fayette

1838

Fayette

1839

h'ayette

1840

Fayette

184 1

Fayette

1842

Fayette

1843

Fayette

1844

Fayette

1843-46

Fayette

1847

Fayette

1848

Fayette

1849-30

Fayette

I85I

F""ayette

1853

Fayette

1855

Fayette

1857

Fayette

1859

Fayette.

Union

1869

Fayette,

Union

1863

Fayette,

Union

1863

Fayette.

Union

1903-07

Fayette,

Union

1867

Fayette.

Union

1869-71

Fayette,

Union

1873

Fayette,

Union

T873

Fayette.

L^nion

1877

F^ayette,

LTnion

1879

Fayette.

Union

T88I-8:; -

Fayette.

Union

1883

Fayette,

Henry

T887

Fayette,

Henry

T 889-9 1

Fayette,

Wayne

1893

i-'ayette.

Wayne

1895

Fayette,

Wayne

1897-99

Fayette,

Wayne

^15

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Member. Session.

Roscoe E. Kirkham . . . 62-63
Richard N. Elliott .. ..64-65
-Vlonzo M. Gardner . . .66-67

Earl Crawford 68

James K. Mason 69-70

Year.
1901-03
1905-07
1 909- 1 1
1913
1915-17

Counties of District
Fayette, Wayne
Fayette, Wayne
Fa}'ette. Wayne
Fayette, Wayne
Favette. ^Vavne

>.MEN FROM FAYETTE COUNTY.

Fayette county can claim six congressmen who have Ijeen elected from
the county: Oliver H. Smith, Jonathan McCarty, Caleb B. Smith, Samuel
W. Parker, Jeremiah M. ' Wilson and Finly H. Gray. At least two other
congressmen lived for a siiort time in the county, viz., Andrew Kenned}'
and Samuel C. Sample.

When Fayette county was organized in 1819 Indiana was represented
by only one congressman, William Hendricks, and it was not until after the
congressional apportionment of 1821 that the state was first divided into
districts. The first apportionment gave the state three congressmen and
placed Fayette county in the third district with the counties of Randolph,
Franklin, Dearborn, ^^'ay^e, Switzerland, Ripley and Delaware. John Test,
of Brookville, was the first congressman of the new district and served two
terms (1823-27), being followed by Oliver H. Smith for one term (1827-
2()). Test was then elected for another term, giving way in 1831 to Jona-
than McCarty, who served three consecutive terms (1831-37). During his
second term the state was allotted seven congressmen (act of January i,
1833). the act attaching Iviyette tci the newly created fifth district, which
included the counties of Fayette, Union, Wayne, Henry, Delaware. Grant,
Randolph. Huntington, Allen and Lagrange.

McCarty was followed in 1837 '^.v James Rariden, of Wayne county,
who maintained his seat through two terms (1837-41). Andrew Kennedy
succeeded Rariden in 1841 and represented the fifth district one term, the
ap])ortionment of February 8, 1842, taking his county, Delaware, out of the
fifth and placing it in the newly organized tenth district, leaving Fayette in
the fourth with the counties of Henry, Union and Wayne. In the fall of
1842 the third congressman from Fayette county was elected, Caleb B. Smith,
and he served three terms ( 1843-19). George W. Julian, of Wayne county,
represented . the district the Tiext two years, being followed by Samuel W.
Parker, of Conner.sville, in 1851 for two terms.

During Parker's first term the state was redistricted for congressional
purposes with the act of February 9. 1852, Fayette being placed in the fifth

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 2I3

with the LX)unties of Henry, Union, Wayne, Delaware and Randolph. David
1'. Holloway followed Parker in 1855 for one term and Diivid Kilgore, the
"Delaware Chief" of Delaware county, served the next two terms (1857-61).
The next five terms (1861-71) saw George W. Jitlian as the congressman
from the district. During his term the act of h'ebruary 20. 1867, reorgan-
ized the congressional districts of the state and ])laced Fayette county again
in the fourth, along with the counties of Shelby, Rush. Franklin, Union,
Wayne and Hancock.

Jeremiah AT. Wilson, the fourth congressman to be elected from Fay-
ette count}-, followed Julian in 1871 for two terms. The act of Decemljer
22, 1872, again rearranged the congressional districts, Fayette county being
put back into the fifth district with Dearborn, Franklin, Union, Wayne and
Randolph. This was the lirst apjxjrtionment which gave the state thirteen
congressmen, the same number which it has since been allotted.

William S. Holman, of Dearborn county, followed Wilson in 1875 for
one term, giving way to Thomas M. Browne in 1877. Browne ser\'ed t.h^
district loijger than any other congressman, being in congress . continuously
from 1877 to i8qi. During his long congressional career two changes wer^
made in the district, but his county, Randolph, ^remained in the district with
bayette. The act of March 20, 1870, made Fayette a part of the sixth dis-
trict, where it has since remained, although a number of different counties
have been in the district. The act of 1879 united the counties of Fayette,
Delaware. Randolph, Henry, Wayne and Rush in the sixth ; no changes
were made in the composition of the district with the acts of March 6, 1885,
or March 6, 1891.

Browne was followed in 1891 by Henry U. Johnson, of Wayne county,
who served four consecutive terms ( 1891-99). The act of Alarch 9, 1895,
took Randolph and Delaware out of the sLxtli district, and reconstituted it
to consist of the counties of Fayette, Henry, \\'ayne. Rush, Hancock, Shelbv.
Union and Franklin.

James E. Watson, of Rush county, served five consecutive terms ( 1899^
1909), being succeeded in 1909 by William O. Barnard, of Henry county.
The act of March 5, 1901, attached Decatur count}- to the sixth district, but
the act of March 6, 191 1, detached it, leaving tlie district as it was in i8()5
and as at present constituted.

Barnard served only one term ( iqoo-ii ), liis successor being Finly H.
Gray, of Fayette county. Gray represented the district three terms (1911-
17), being defeated for re-election by Daniel W. Comstock, of Wavne
county. Comstock began his term of two years on March 4, 191 7.

CHAPTER VII.
Townships of Fayette County.

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

Columbia township, one of the five townships organized by the county
cou^ittissioners on February 8, 1819, originally included all of its present
limits, more than half of Jackson and all but the two northern tiers of sec-
tions of Orang-e township. Its limits as defined originally were as follows :
"Beginning at the southeast corner of section 33 in township 13, range 13;
thence west along the line dividing the counties of Franklin and Fayette to
the western boundary of the county of Fayette; thence north along said
county line five miles ; thence along a direct line east to the northwest corner
of section 8, in township 13, range 12; thence east along the line dividing
sections 8 and 9 in township 13, range 13; thence south along the line divid-
ing said sections 8 and 9, to the southwest corner of section 16, township
and range last aforesaid; thence east to the line dividing the counties of
Franklin and Fayette; thence south along the said line to the place of
beginning."

When Jackson township was organized by the commissioners at their
August, 1820, session it was made to embrace all that part of Columbia
township east of White Water. Two years later, February 18, 1822, Orange
township was organized by the commissioners, leaving Columbia township
with its present limits. •

All of tlie recent township falls \\ithin the Twelve-mile Purchase of
1809, except a small portion of sections 18 and 7, in the northwestern part
of the township. All of the seventeen sections and six fractional sections
of land in the township lie in township 13. range 12.

The first land entries were recorded in 1811, eleven settlers having
entered upon land during that year. .\ complete list of the land entries of
the township, designated by sections, is as follows :

Section 7 (fractions) — Sold in 1817. 1830 and 1832 to S. Todd, Will-
iam C. Drew, Thomas Hibhs and John G. Grav.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 215

Section 8 — Sold in 1814 and 1817 to Benjamin McCarty, Samuel
Logan, Samuel Newhouse and Cale Smith.

Section 9 — Sold in 1812 and 1814 to Benjamin McCarty, R. Marshall.

Section 10 — Sold in 1813 to John Knox. James Hamilton, James New-
house and Christopher Ladd.

Section 11 — Sold in 181 3 to VV. S. Hand and Benjamin Sailor (one-
half section.)

Section 14 — Sold in 181 1 to Nicholas Reagen and William Eagen (one-
half section.)

Section 15 — Sold in 181 J, 1813. 1814 and 181 5 to Morgan Vardiman,
William Helm, William Conner and Benjamin Sailor.

Section 16 — Reserved for school purposes.

Section 17 — Sold in 1814. 1817, 1832-1835 to James Buchanan, Gale
Hamilton. H. N. Burgo\ ne. W. C. Plummer and James Conwell.

Section 18 — Sold in 1814 to Charles Hardy (fractional).

Section 19 — Sold in 1818 and 1820-1835 to Wilson Waddams, Charles
Hardy, Benjamin F. Utter. James Conwell, George Klum, John G. Gray,
John Ronald, John Combs, il. N. Burgoyne and William Jacobs.

Section 20 — Sold in 1S13, 1814 and 1832 to John Bridges. Elijah
Stevens, Wilson Waddams.

Section 21 — Sold in 181 4. 1829-1834 to James Wiley, Wil.'^on Wad-
dams, James Conwell, and Isaac Eimpus.

Section 22 — St)ld in 181 1, 1813 and 1814 to Charles Scott, R. Russell,
Reuben Conner and John Conner.

Section 2t, — Sold in 181 r, 1812 to William Helm, Gabriel Ginn.

Section 27 — Sold in 1811, 1813, i8i4,'i8i8. 1831 to John Grist, .Mien
Crisler, William Conner. William WHierrett.

Section 28 — Sold in 181 1, 1812, 1816 to Moses Martin, Enoch Limpus
and Elijah Allen.

Section 29 — Sold in 1813, 1816. 1831-1834 to Jonathan Gillani, Enoch
Hills. Lewis Bishop. Cornelius Rinerson and Rinerd Rinerson.

Section 30 — Sold in 1815. 1832-1836 to Rol^ert Glidwell. Charles
Stevens, Benjamin Tharpe, Job Waltz and James Conwell.

Section 31 — Sold in 1826- 1836 to James Moore, Charles Meloncl, T<imes
Linville, Charles Morrow and S. Resum.

Section ^2 — Sold in 1K32-1836 to Rinerd Rinerson. Moses Harrell,
John J. Shaw. V. A. Conwell, James Wells, Jr.

Section 33— Sold in 181 1, i8i8. 1819 and 1831 to Edward Webb,

2l6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Enoch Limpus, Horatio Mason, James Conwell, Henry Vandalson, Hugh
Reed and Isaac Thomas.

Section 34 — Sold in 181 1, 1812 to Elijah I.impus, M. Huston, H. J-
Byram, Hugh Reed and John Richardson.

One of the iirst things to be noticed in connection with the settlement
of the township is that nearly all of the land entries made in 181 1 were
along the water courses. William Eagen is thought by many of the pioneers
to have been the earliest settler in this township. With only a few excei>-
tions, nearly all of the early settlers came from Kentucky. Among the num-
ber were William Helm, Edward Webb, John Conner, .\llen Crisler, Joshua
Crigler, Vincent Cooper and Michael Hackleman. From Virginia came
Abraham Bays, Charles Scott, Jonathan, David and James Newhouse, Isaac,
Enoch. Levi, Elijah and Jonathan IJmpus.

Philip and Horatio Mason, with their wi\es, settled on Garrison creek
in i8ig. They emigrated from Herkimer county. New York, in the spring
of 1 8 16, going by sleigh to some point on the Allegheny river, ithence to
Cincinnati by raft and to the vicinity of Laurel by wagon. Samuel Jenks,
a brother-in-law of Philip Mason, was a resident of that vicinity and with
him Philip stopped and shared their cabin until January, 181 7, when he
removed to a cabin that stood near Ciarrison creek.

In 1819, Joshua Heizer, a native of Virginia and a soldier of the War
of 1812, settled in the township, as also did Reuben Conner, from Kentucky.

AN OI.D RESIDENCE.

During the early part of the century Judge Webb constructed what was
considered to be the most substantial cabin of that day in that settlement.
The cabin occupied a site on the fertile bottom land along White Water
river, a situation connnanding a beautiful view. It was of the second class
of pioneer cabins, constructed of hewed logs, two stories high and the build-
ing being eighteen by twenty-eight feet in size. On the north end of the
building was a large chimney, constructed of stone of various sizes, built
on the outside of the house. Two doors from without opened into the
House, one on either side. Below on either side was a window, though of
different sizes, and on the east side of the second door were two half or
garret windows. \Vithin the house were three apartments, one above and
two below, each floor being provided with one fireplace, large below and
small on the second floor.

Just below Nulltown. and not far from the old graveyard, was the old

FAYF.TTK COUNTY, INDIANA.

hlockliouse Iniilt liv tlie settleiiicnt f<ir ihe i)rotectioii atjainst the Indi
diirintr the ^^'ar (if 1812.

The industries durino- tlie early days were confined mostly to mills
and distilleries. The first mill in the township is thoujjht to have been a
saw-mill erected 1>\ .\llcn t'risler and which stood at the north end of the
village of Alpine. Doctor .Mason became the owner of the mill in 1X16 and
operated a flour-mill in connection. A still-house and a hemp-mill were
added, all four beinsj operated under the i^eneral luanaijement of Colonel
Crisler, until a change in the course of the ri\er destroyed the power and
then all went out of use.

.\t a very early day a saw-mill was luiilt at .Xulltown by Thomas Silvey,
who sold it to Null brothers, .\fter they became the owners they added a
very small grist-mill and then, after Crisler's mill went out of oi>eration,
thev built a large flouring- and grist-mill. Avhich was not in operation manv
years, the canal and hydraulic destroying the ])ower.

.\l)Out 1H44 a grist-mill was built at Alpine by Thomas Crisler. James
and John Timpus. In 1863 the mill was purchased by Thomas and .\. X.
Briuier. who operated the same for many years.

During the period of early settlement several men operated copper
stills, aiuong whom were \Villiam Helm, on Garrison creek, and John Con-
ner. Wilson \\'addams also o])erated a corn cracker in connection with his
still.

.\ saw- antl grist-mill w;is erected by H. X. P>urgo\-ne about 1833 in
section iq. on the south fork of Garrison's creek. The mill changed owners
many times antl finally Xathan Lewis and brother became the proprietors.
.\fter operating the mill alwiut two years, they built a new saw-mill.

E.VUI.V SCHOOLS.

The first school house built in the township was near the 1-ranklin
church, iust below Xulltown. erected in 1S15. The first school teacher seems
to have been Gabriel (Hun. \ few years later a school was conducted in
an old cabin about a mile southwest of \l])ine by Mark Whitacre. Robert
Helm and a lady by the name of Klum also taught in the same comnuuiitv.
About i8_'i a log school house was built one mile west of .\lpine and among
the first teachers were Daniel McTntyre and Dr. Philip Mason.

2l8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDiANA.

Probably the ttrst school in the northern part of the township was held
in the little log house that stood on the farm of Hinkson Halstead. John
Ronald was the first teacher.

This little \ illa^e of Coluniliia. located north of the center of Columbia
township, has a histor}' not uncommon to the other villages of the county.
At one time it served well- its purpose as a local commercial and trading-
center. The. little hamlet was laid out on laild beldn_^ittg- to ISaac Limpus
and James Buchanan and was surveyed b\- Isaac Fowler, June 15, 1832.
An addition was made to the original plat in 1849 liy a man by the name
of Martin.

The first man to build a house in the village was Isaac Limpus, and in
it he conducted an inn. He was also the first postmaster, the postoffice hav-
ing l)een established on February t6. 1833. For several )'ears following he
conducted a grocery and saloon. In 1835, John Hardy was granted a license
as a merchant, a privilege which was renewed for several years. Later mer-
chants were George Scott, David Smith and George Logan.

In 1843 the hamlet had two general stores kept by George Scott and
Horatio and John Hardy ; one shoe-shop and postoffice combined, by Will-
iam Wherrett; one blacksmith shop, by Joseph Little; a general repair shop,
l)y IX O. Darby; one wagon shop, by Louis Black. What was once a lix'ely
commercial center has long since fallen into decay, and at the present lime
the little hamlet consists of a Methodist church, one store conducted by Will
Larmore, and a few houses.

It is doubtful if any postoffice in the count}- has been served by as
n-iany postn-iasters as has Columbia. Following- is the list with their period
of service: Isaac Limpus, 1833-1837; \\'illiam Wherrett, 1837-1850;
George W. Logan, 1850-1851; Caleb R. Clements, 1851-1852; Lafayette
Mount, 1852-1854; Daniel O. Darby. 1854- January 9, 1861 (discontinued) ;
John D. Darby, F'ebruarv i, 1861 (re-established), to November 14, 1861 ;
Benedict Hutchinson, 1861-1863; John W. Thomas, 1863-1864: George W".
Tucker, 1 864-1 865 ; John I. Thomas, February 21, 1865- December 5, 1865;
John S. Perrett, 1865-1866; George W. Tucker, 1866-1867; Benedict Hutch-
inson, 1867-1874; John Perin, 1874-1875; John H. Sterett, 1875-1877;
David S. Alzeno, 1877- 1880; Samuel E. Perin, 1880- 1883; .Sarah Ronan,
A])ril 12, T883- December i-j. 1883; John Z. Perin, 1883-1900; Mrs. Mary
Wiles, 11)00-1904, when the office was discontinued.

FAYRTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 2Xq

.\s Macaula} has (lei)icteil ancient Ronie in all of its tiillncss, sn has
William H. Tate preserxed for all (generations a <:^rai)hic descrijition of the
little village of C'ohimhia as outlined in the following- poem:

THK VILLAGE OI-' COLUMBIA.

.Tune liftei'iith eifrlileeii liuiulred ;uul thirty-lwd,

Ike Fowler, with his compass true.

Ran lines a('r()ss and through.

Upon the lands then rather new.

Of Isaac IJnipns and .Tames Buchanan, too.

Ike Linipus then ((uite .voungsmd- stout.

Within the new town thus laid out.

Built the Hrst house thereabout

And changed it to an inn throughout

To shelter travelers from the storms without.

On February sixteenth, eighteen hundred and thirty-three.

Was established there, as to told to me.

A postoffice. which distributed free.

Such mail as might come to the community —

And Ike Liuipus. postmaster, was the tirst in this c.ipacity.

Witn liostofflce aiid grocery store.

Saloon and patrons by the score,

The trade of Limpus tore

And to the heavens seemed to soar ;

For well he thrived that .year and many more.

Sometime in eighteen hundred and thirty-five,
.John Hardy, who was then nli\e.
Thought he himself would liU(> to tlii-ivo.
And oi)ene<l up a store to drive
Ike Limpus from his hive.

Soon after Hardy cast here his lot.
The store of Linipus was quite forgot ;
Then came another, knowni as George Scott,
Followed by Dave Smith and (Jeorge Logan. I wot —
And all playing for the self-same pot.

In forty-three this town was young indeed.

With but two stores in it to meet tlie iiublic need;

Tet busine.ss ran with rapid speed

Despite man's well known avarice anil iirccd.

For there was nothing serious to impede.

In eighteen fifty canre the tci rHili-cliniax :
f It was awful, .-ind our Inniu it almost racks

To think the town wimld so m>«\\ wax
And then get into trouble and leave its tracks
To run on switches and suddenly relax.

220 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA:

The old town liiiU conclemuecl to use
Still stands, a model of excuse;
For social welfare's plain abuse,
I-iike a game wliere playing's loose
And the ace is taken by the deuce.

In nineteen seventeen there is but one store
Kept open now by one Will Larmore;
This makes it seem like times of yore
When Henry Crago swung his door
To welcome customers upon his floor.

Xo blood has slained the sacred soil
In this old town of ceaseless toil.
No troi)ic heat has risen up to boil.
No arctic breezes are here to foil.
No wells are here to give us oil.

The hum of spindjes can't be heard.
The only sound is simg of bird;
The woodman's axe is .seldom incurred
The rattle of cars lias never occurred
To disturli our people in (piiet interred.

The light has well been fought

15y m-ju with greatness fraught

Who either doctored, preached or taught

< >!• licMt out irons, or .sold and bought,

'i'liongh of this now there's almost naught.

Columbia sets on a beautiful hill.

Has set there long and sets there still ;

The store, church, school house and old grist-ndll

t'ould tell a story, but they probably never will

Because it is forgotten: it is gone, it is nil.

NULLTOWN.

Xnlltowii, a village of seventy-eight people, is located in the north-
western part of Cohimliia township and is five miles south of the county
seat. It is also another village that owes its (jrigin to the mills erected dur-
ing the period of early settlement. The village apparently was named in
honor of the Null brothers, Israel and Michael, who became the owners of
a saw-mill built at this point at an early date and later the ]>roprietors of a
riouring- and grist-mill. .V jjostofiice was estal)lished here, February 26.
1847, and called Ashland, later known as Null's Mills and finally desig-
nated as Nulltown. James .\i. Conner was appointed the first postmaster
and was succeeded by the following: William O'Neal, January 24, 1848-49;

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 221

Caleb P). Clements. i84()-i8si: Snlnnion I'.rown. i(S5i-i<S5_' ; Oliver (iritiliii.
1852-1854: Solomon Hn-wn. 1854-1855; Oliver C. McUvvain, 1855^857:
Nelson M. Smith. 1857-1858: Anthony j. Cavender, 1858-1861: Oliver II.
Millspaugh, 1861 to May 4, 1864 ; discontinued ) : Henry Alcllwain, March
19, 1867 (re-established) to 1870: Samuel Cra.sjo, 1870-1873: John W.
Tilton, 1873-1874: Sere]>ta King, 1874-1881 : Jacob Faikert. 1881-1884;
Andrew J. Salver, 1884. Among later i)ostmasters were VAun Turner and
Jacob I<"aikert, the last incumlient of the office. The vfllage and the ci im-
munity is now being ser\ ed by a rural route out <it the count)- seat. Dora
l-'aikert has the only store in the hamlet : b'aikert Brothers handle farming
inT]>lejnents. coal and building supplies.

ALPINE.

The \'illage of .\lpine. located iu the eastern jiart of Columbia town-
ship, owes its origin to the mills erected there during the early settlement
of the count\-. The lirst luill in the township was a saw-mill erected about
1814 by Allen Crisler at the north end of the \illage. A postoffice was
established ^'ebruar^• J4. 1868. with William T. l.imjius ;is postmaster.

Alpine is a station mi tlie Cbicag(j, Cincinnati, Clexeland and St. Louis
railroad, about seven miles south of Connersville and foiu" miles north of
Laurel, the banking point for the village. Idie noi)ulation is about sixty.
E. 1. Chance conducts a general store and is also postmaster, railroad and
e.Kpress agent. The industries include two saw-mills, one operated b\ Sher-
wood Brothers and the other by Shuttleworth & Stone.

A postoffice was established here on I'"ebruary 24, 1868, and the fol-
lowing postmasters with their dates of ser\ice are herewith included: Will-
iam T. I.impus, 1868-1876: l-jlwin J. Thom])son. 1876- i87f): Jejjtba 1).
Newhouse, 1879-1880: luiphrates I. Chance, i88o-i()i7.

HEREIN.

Berlin was one of the villages which came into existence as the result
of the building of the canal. It was laid out In Dr. I'hilip Ma.son, who
was also the proprietor, and recorded October 2(), 1838. It was a ])reten-
tious village — on paper — of seventy-three lots and was located about half
way lietween Nulltown and \l])ine (section 23, township 13, range 12). on
the west side of the canal. It may be better defmeil to the ])resent generation
as being located at the crossing of the second road south of Xulltown and
the river road. There was never much of a \illage at this point. The best
evidence on the village gives it a shoe sho]) owned by Morgan T. N'ardiman.

222 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

a store 1>elonging to S. Brown, a i)hysician named John Turner and a few
dwellins^ houses. As a 'trading center it could not comi>ete with Nulltown
to the north and Alpine to the south, and within a few years it ceased to
have anything which might give it the right to be called a village. Appar-
ently it was born only to die and can hardly he called a town at any stage
of its brief career.

CONNEKSVII.I.E TOWNSHIP.

Connersville township, one of the five townships of the county organ-
ized February 9. 1810, was set off as follows: "Beginning at the south-
west comer of section 5, township i_^. range 13: thence west to the western
extremity of said county of Fayette; thence north four miles; thence east
to the line dividing sections 20 and 17, in township 14, range 12; thence east
to the northeast corner of section 20. in townshi]) 14, range 13; thence south
to place of beginning." Thus the township included as much territory as
it does today, with the addition of the two northern tiers of sections of
Orange township, and the two southern tiers of sections of Fairview town-
ship. W^ith the creation of Orange township February 18, 1822, Conners-
ville township was left with its present limits.

The township is the largest in the county, containing thirty-two full
sections of land. An examination of the original entries of the township
discloses the fact that practicalh- all of the township had been entered before
the county was organized in iSiQ. Tiie first' land entities wei-e recorded in
181 I, no less than twenty settlers entering land in that }-ear. The last entry
was made in 1833. .\ comj)lete list of the land entries of the township,
described by township, range and section, is exhibited in the following table:

■Vm-

Scifions

'/ T,

:f'ush

> !.^

.\'

irth. Raii^

ic 12 Easf.

.Section i-

-Sold in

81 t.

1813

and

7 to Jere

m'ah Worsham. James

'i'eudy. Nathan

Aldridge

and

Basil

Roberts

Section 2-

-Sold in

t8ii

and

j8i2

tfi

V/illiam

McConkey. Roberts &

Birson, Arthur

Dixon ar

d J(jhn Reed.

Section 3-

-Sold in

.811

anil

t8i

4 t

0 Joshua

Porter. John V^ance,

Sanuiel Snodgrass ami J

unes

Kitch

en.

Section ).-

-Sold in

18,3

and

1814

William

onner, John Thomas,

Josejih X'ance and Thomas Oully.
Section 5— Si^ld in 1814 and
and William Dailev.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 223

T7V0 Scctii)i!s of Toziiislnf^ 13 Xortli. Range 13 East.

Section 5 — Sold in 1814 and 1S15 to Daniel Xorris, John Milliner and
Cornelius Cummins.

Section 6- Sold in ]8ii, i8i.:^ and 1814 to Samuel llarlan, Richard
Thomas. Cornelius \\'illianis and Thomas Bray.

Eic/litrrii Sections of 7'o:K'iisliip 14 North. Range 12 East.

Section ii)-— Sold in i8_>i, 1822, 1824 and 1830 to John Huston, .Scott
Horsely, Isaac Martin, A. R. ( )rr. David, Milton and Benjamin Huston.

Section 20 — Sold in 1811 and 1813 to Timothy Orr, Zachariah Glover.
John Henderson and William Demnan.

Section 21 — Sold in 181 1 and 1813 to David Milton, Paul Davis,
HenjaiTiin Bond and William Bennett.

Section 22— Sold in 1811 and 1814 to Richard Tyner, Piatt B. Dixon,
.Adam Hamilton and James DeHaven.

Section it, — .Sold in. 181 j. 1812 and 1815 to Lewis Johnson. John
Conner, Benjamin Sailor, l.arkin Sims and .\. Baily.

Section 24 — Sold in 181 1 and 1812 to Jacob Cass. Jacob Hacklenian,
Benjamin Sailor and Noah Beaucamp.

Section 25 — Sold in 181 1 and 1812 to James .\dair. Alexander Saxon.
John Conner and A. Thar]).

Section 26— Sold in 1811. 1814 and 1815 to A. Hathaway. Jonas Will-
iams, Jolm Perin and James Port.

Section 27 -Sold in 1813, 1814 and 1815 to -Xbner I'.rdl. John Hender-
son, Smith 1-ane and William Hall.

Section 28 — Sold in 1813, 1814. 1815 and 1816 to John Fallen. James
-Alexander, Thomas .Smith and James Smith.

Section 29 — Sold in 1813. i8ij. 1815 and i8i() to Alexander Saxon,
James .Alexander, James Smith and Jonas Williams. Jr.

Section 30 — Sold in 18 14. 1820 and 1823 to William Sparks. Jonathan
I'.ddy. Ira ^^'i!cox. John AlcOary and John McMillan.

Section 31 — Sold in r8i2, 1820, 1821 and \^2t, to Hezekiah .Mount,
John Crejj^-,, T<mathan Wilson- and Sanu»el -finnis.

Section 32 — Sold in 1813. 181 4, 1816 and 1833 to John \'ance. Will-
iam Weir, William Bridges and James (ireer.

Section 33 — Sold in 181 1, 1814 and 1817 to Joseph Justice, William
Snodgrass, John Huehes and Piatt E. Dixon.

224 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Section _:;4 — Sold in ]8ii, 1813 and 1814 to Thomas Reed, Moses
Lockiiart, James Brownlee and Thomas Hinkson.

Section 35 — Sold in 181 1 and 1813 to John Russell, Joseph Miner,
John Perin, H. Sailor and B. Sailor.

Section 36 — Sold in 1811 and 1813 to .Arthur Di.xon, William Sparks,
Larkin .Sims and W'illiam Denman.

Sis Si\-fi(>iis (if 'fdiciishit' 14 Nortli. Range 13 East.

Section 19 — Sold in 181 1 to .Abraham Heaton, David Heaton. Robert
Brown and Jacob Case.

Section 20 — Sold in 1812 and 1813 to (leorgc Death. K. Homar, James
Death, .Sr., and Thomas Brown.

Section jq — Sold in 1813, 1814 and 1815 to Isaac Martin, Joel White,
James Ward and I'hineas McCra\-.

Section 30 — Sold in rSii to Robert Brown, George Fragin, John
Hughes and George R. Adair.

Section 31 — Sold in 181 1 to Samuel Harlan.

Section 32 —.Sold in 1814 and i8r5 to James Freel, Daniel Conner,
Roliert Williams and John ^^'iison.

The first settlement in the to\vnshi]> w;is clustered around the trading-
post estahlLshed Ijv John Conner. The history of Connersx'ille township is
larg-elv the history of the count}- seal, which for many x'ears has contained
more than half of the ]K)pulation of the cinii-ity. In 1910 the total popula-
tion of the county was 14,415, while the population of Conner.sville and East
Conners\-ille combined was 8,444.

The list of original land entries has been given, but in this township, as
in all other t(-)w-nships of the count}-, many of those who entered land never
settled on it. Since there was no land in the county open for entry before
181 1, all of the settlers prior to that date were "squatters" :uid were nomin-
allv under the jurisdiction of either b'ranklin or Wa}ne counties, both of
which were organized in 181 1. In fact, if the year 1808 is taken as the
date for the hrst .settlement in tlie count}-, that of John Conner, it follows
that there was a period of more than ten }-ears that the territory now compre-
hended within tl-ie limits of Fayette count}- was a j^arl of either Franklin or
W'a}ne counties.

When John Conner conceixed the idea of la}-ing- out a tow-n in 1813,
he ]irobabl\- had no idea that it would ever lie a county seat. If tradition
ma\- be trusted in any wa\', the town of Waterloo rather than Conners^'ille
was l(-)oked upon as the future count}- seat of a count}- which was to l)e
org-anized out of parts of bTanklin and Wayne C(junties. In the organization

CENTRAL AVENUE, LOOKING NORTH IN AN EARLY DAY.

: OVER WHITE WATER RIVER, TORN DOWN IN 1887.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 225

of the county tlie fact was set forth that the iiurtheni limit of l*"rankiin
county was the present houndary hue I>etween Conners\'ille and Harrison
townships of Fayette county. Consequently, the history of Connersville
township from 1808 until haxette county was ort;anized on February 8. i8i(;.
is a part of the history of franklin cotinty.

As has been stated, practically all of the land in the townshi]) had been
entered prior to the ori^ani/ation of the county, although as late as 181 5, it
seems that there were not more than three or four houses on the present
site of Ctmnersville. A large number of the men who entered land during"
the War of 1812^— that is, Ijetween the years of 1812 and 1815 — did not
settle on their holdings until after the close of the war. While there is no
record of any trouble with the Indians during this period, yet there is no
doubt that it was because of the Indians that the tirst settlers did not locate
with their families until after the treaty of peace with England. In the
history of other townships of the coitnty references have been made to block
houses which were built to provide protection against the Indians, and, as
far as is now known, the block house which stood on the present site of
Connersville was built for the purpose of housing all of the settlers of the
vicinity in case of an Indian uprising.

Prior to 1815 the following families located within the liiuits of Con-
nersville township :

John Conner probably settled on the site of Connersville in 1808 and
for at least three years was the only white man li\ iiig in the township. He
had an Indian wife, talked her language and existed solely b\- bartering with
his Indian friends. In 181 r .Mexander Saxon came with his famil\- from
Georgia and settled on the southeast (|uarter'of section 25, now within the
limits of Conners\ille. and established a ferry across the river near his cabin.
The onl}- other settler to \enlure into the township in 1811 for permanent
settlement appears to have been John Perin, a native of Massachusetts, who
entered a part of section 26 in that year and at once located upon it. This
section adjoins the city of Conners\'ille on the southwest.

The War of 181 2 naturally hindered the settlement of the township,
Init a few sturdy settlers )>raved the Indians and located in the townshij) in
the year the war o])ened. ibises I.ockhart and Thomas K'eed. both of Ken-
tucky, were among the lirst to arrive in the township in the s])ring of 181 2.
Joseph Minor. John and Thomas Reed, Parkin Sims and Tobias Smith
appeared to have made up the group of settlers who ctnie into the town-
ship (luring 1812. It is not known whether all of these men liroug-lit their
(15)

226 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

families with them, but they became permanent settlers and either l)r(iu£jht
their families at this time or the following year.

The }'ear 1813 saw a few more settlers locating in the township.
Thomas .Sargent, a native of North Carolina, later a resident of Virginia,
still later ( 1807) a resident of Kentucky, came to Connersville township in
1813 and settled along the river south of the county seat. After Rush county
was organized he entered land in that county and soon afterward left Fayette
county for his new home. There were undoubtedly other settlers in tlie
township in 1813, but it is impossilile to determine who they were.

The year 1814 saw the close of the War of 1812, Init there was still
sufficient apprehension of the Indians to keep the settlers who had entered
land in the township from settling on it. Among those who located here
in that year were Thomas Hinkson, a native of Ireland, who had come to
America in 1791 and located in .\dams county, Ohio. In February, 1814.
he came to Connersville township and settled in section 34 on land which
he had entered two years previously. Hinkson became the first surveyor of
the comity and served in this capacity for several years. He did much of
the early surveying, not only in Fayette county but also in adjoining counties.
He laid out the tirst addition to Connersville. He died in 1850. John Phil-
pott, a native of Kentucky, arrived in the township in the fall of 18 14.
About the same time William Sj^arks, James Adair and Samuel Harlan, all
of South Carolina, settled in the township. Still others to reach the town-
ship in the fall of 1814 were Nathan Aldridge, James Tweedy, Cornelius
Williams, William Kdwards. J. F. Marshall and Benjamin Booe.

It was not until the spring of 1815 that it was known that the War
of 18 1 2 -had closed, General Jackson fighting the battle of New Orleans on
January 7, 1815, and this occurring about three weeks after the treaty had
been signed. From this year emigration to Fayette county was very rapid
and by the time the county was organized in 1819 there were settlers scat-
tered all over Connersville township. In fact, they came in so fast that it
is impossible to trace them year b\- year. Among those who located here
in 1815 may l)e mentioned the following: Nathaniel Hamilton, two of
whose sons were in the War of 1812, the family then living in Franklin
county ; .Stanhope and Robert Royster, the former of whom served as asso-
ciate judge and county commissioner : Benjamin Sailor, who had lived in
Franklin county for a number of years ; Paul Davis and James Alexaufler.
1x)th of South Carolina : Zachariah Glover and two others., Hazielrigg and
Lacy by name.

It is not possible, even if it were profitable, to list the heads of all of

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 227

the families who located in the township prior to 1820. The population
of the county in 1820 was three thousand nine hundred and fifty and it is
undoubtedl)- true that C^oimersville townshi]) had a heavier population than
anv other township in the comity. \n enumeration of some of the leading
families of the township who settled here before 1820 is given in the suc-
ceeding paragraphs.

James Brownlee. a native of Ohio, first settled in Franklin county,
whence he was sent as one of the delegates to frame the state Constitution.
He moved on to this coiuJt} and town^ip about 18 16. and ..soon aftcFward
was chosen as one of the associate judges. In 1813 Douglass Burton, a
native of South Carolina, moved his family to Kentucky and from thence
to land north of Conners\ ille. where the father died the following summer;
the widow with her family thus moved onto what is now the farm of the
county infirmary. John Swift, along with his parents, natives of New Jer-
sey, first made a tempc^rary settlement in Ohio and in 1818 settled i>er-
manently in ConnersviHe township. .Although coming from Virginia, the
same • can be-'said-of William- Jones,- who came -here with -his parents frrtm
Kentucky in 1 816.

Jonathan John came from Kentucky in 1816 and settled near the village
of ConnersviHe. He was one of the first business men of the village and
was an intimate friend of John Conner. He died in 1838. The Ru.ssell,
Martin and McCrory families settled in the township about i8ig. Jeremiah
Worghaman, a \"irginian, was one of the very early settlers along the river,
entering land about iSii. John Baily removed from Kentucky to the village
of ConnersviHe in 1819 and shortly afterward located on a farm five miles
north. Those who settled in the township in 181 7 were, William Edwards,
from IVIaryland, Rawlston Shields, from Pennsylvania, and probably -W. H.
H. Tate. Another early settler was Thomas White, a native of Tennessee.

What is thought to be the first frame house in the township, outside
of the village of Conners\ ille, was erected on the farm of Larkin Sims alxint
1818 and was built by John Perin.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

As early as 181 5 there were a sufficient number of families along Will-
iams creek and in the Hinkson neighborhood to justify a school, of which
Thomas Hinkson. Sr.. was the teacher. Hinkson had received a liberal
education in the Catholic schools of his native state .and taught in the settle-
ment for a niunber of vears. A small school was taught close to this settle-

228 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ment in 1819 by a young lady whose name was Ingham. John Justice,
Hannah Hathaway and Alilhe Perin were also early teachers in the same
school. Located in the southeastern part of the township was another
school built at an early date and taught by Jonathan Shields.

EARLY INDU.STRIE.S.

Doubtless the first industry of any kind in the township was a grist-
mill owned by John Reed and built in 18 14. The first building was built of
logs in their natural state, but during the following year a frame building-
was constructed. The exact location cannot be ascertained, but it was on
Williams . creek alx)Ut three or four miles below Connersville. John A.
White was one of the early carpenters and assisted in the construction of
the saw-mill which was added. Prior to 1819 and as early as 1820 John
Vance and John Hughes operated grist-mills on the same stream.

It is quite a noticeable fact that all of the early industries were located
along Williams creek. In 1818 James Brownlee built a carding and fulling-
mill and also a saw-mill in connection. About 1825 the same man erected
a building for a grist-mill, but the mill was never put into operation. A
man.bv the name of Buckley later purchased the property and removed the
carding machine into the building built for the grist-mill. Saw-mills were
also operated by Avery Gates and Miller & Clink. Subsequently William
Miller became the owner of the latter and added a still-house and an oil-mill.
In the northwestern part of the township and on the same stream an early
saw-mill was built bv John Kellum. He also operated a grist-mill in the
same neighborhood.

Thomas Moffett was the owner of two grist-mills, one in Harrison
township, built by John Philpott, and the other in Connersville township,
erected in 1847. There was also a saw- and grist-mill located on Village
creek, built and operated, in 1829 by Qiristian Furry. ]\Ioses Wolverton is
supposed to have been the first owner.

Stills were so numerous that it is impossible to mention all of the
owners, but among the many were Thomas Burris, Glover Perin, John Perin,
John Reed, William Miller, Tobias Smith, Larkin Sims, William Thompson
and James Vance.

LONGWOOD.

The hamlet of Longwood is located in the northwestern part ofCon-
nfersville township on the Indianapolis and Cincinnati electric line. On

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 229

December [5, 1832, a ijostoffice was established at rhilix)tts Mills. William
Philpott Ijcing the postmaster from 1832 to 1837. On April 3, 1837, the
office was changed to Longwood. The following persons served as post-
masters: Ross Smiley, 1837-1861; Thomas Mofifett, 1861- September 28,
1868 (discontinued); Philip N. Marks, March 25, 1872 (re-established),
to 1873; Samuel M. Atherton, 1873-1876; Matthew P. Hawkins, 1876-1879;
William C. Moftett. 1870.

EAST CONNER.SVILI.E.

East Connersville, a village of about seven hundred people, is located
a half mile east of Connersville, on the east side of the West- fork of -White
Water, and on the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western railroad. The town is
really a part of Connersville, but has its sejKirate town government. The
village was laid out and platted by Basil McCann in October, 1857. Not
many years passed until the little town was provided with a brick school
building and several thriving industries. The industries of the present time
include the following: C. C. Miller, general store; Charles H. Rigor,
grocer; John W. Jones, grocer; J. S. Petro, grocer; Dora Ball, grocer;
Walter Newell, confectionery; East Side Fuel Company ( E. E. and A. V.
Henry) ; National Burial Vault Company, Joseph Woodward. The latest
industry in the town is the Moorish tile factory, which began operations in
the spring of 1917. Its plant is located along the Cincinnati, Indianapolis &
Western tracks at the east side of the town. This plant manufactures all
kinds of plain and decorative tiling for floors and a wide variety for other
interior furnishings.

East Conners\-ille is connected with Conners\'ille by a cement highway,
which is continued south through the town to the cor]X)ration limits.

Within the last few years several handsome residences have been built
in the town. .\n excellent school is maintained, including instruction in
all of the common branches. The religioijs life is cared ff>r by an active
church organization.

FAIiniEW TOWNSIIII

I'airview. the last township organized in the count), was created l)y the
county conmiissioners on December 4, 1851, out of jiarts of Harrison and
Orange townships. Its boundaries as first defined lia\e not been clianged

230 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and are as follows: "Beginning- at the southeast corner of section 25, town-
ship 14, range 11. running thence west three miles to the Fa3'ette and Rush
county lines: thence north six miles on said line to the southwest corner of
Posey township ; thence east three miles to the range line ; thence south six
miles to the place of beginning."

This is the only township in the county which lies wholh' within the
new purchase of 1818, and consec|uently none of its territory was entered
until after 1820. However within three years practically the entire town-
.sliip had been disposed of to enterprising settlers. The complete list of land
entries follows:

Township 14 North. Range ii East.

Section i — Sold in 1820 and 1821 to Hugh and William Dickey,
Stephen Hull and James B. Reynolds.

Section 2 — Sold in 1820, 1821 and 1824 to John Stephens, Samuel
Shortridge, James B. Revnokls, Jonathan Wallace, .\nanias Gifford and
Harrison Baker.

Section 3 — Sold in 1821 and 1823 to John Wheeler, John Smelser and
Benjamin B. Isles.

Section 10 — Sold in 1822. 1824, 1825 and 1828 to Jeremiah Jeffery,
John Wallace, John Hair, Ira .\lward, William Jeffery and Zachariah Parish.

Section 11 — Sold in 1820. 182Q and 1831 to Michael Brown, Hugh
Dickey, Solomon Gifford and I^ewis Robinson.

Section 12 — Sold in 1820, 182T, 1830, 1832 and 1833 to James Smith,
John Darter, Minor Meeker, Daniel Campbell, David Scott. Philip Bilby and
Samuel Davis.

Section 13 — Sold in 1820, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1829 and 1830 to William
Smiley, John Ellis, John Bogar, John Philpott, John Smith. Andrew JNfoffitt
and Joshua Wallace.

Section 14 — Sold in 1820 and 1823 to Ross Smiley. Jacob Kinder,
Thomas Smilev. Thomas Keaton. James Putman and Houseworth.

Section 15 — Sold in 1820. 1821, 1823 and 1830 to James Smiley,
Thomas McConnell, William Parker, Jacob \si)augh, John Clifford, J. Justice
and A. Sloan.

Section 22 — Sold in 1822 and 1S30 to Joseph Putenny, Robert McCrory,
George Heizer, John Rees and Samuel Heizer.

Section 23 — Sold in 1821 and 1822 to Thomas McConnell, Thomas
Moffitt and fohn Morrison.

FAVKTTI-; COIXTY. INDIANA. 2_^T

Section 24 — Sold in iSjo, i8_m. i8j_> and 1831 to Jonatlian luldy, John
Jake, John Kee.s, Jr., David Stewart. John Darter and John Kee.s.

Section 25 — Sold in 1820 and 1827 to \.\'iniani F. Conashv, John
Ryburn, Alexantler Rnssell and William Iannis.

Section 26 — Sold in 1820, 1821, 1822 and 1828 to Ale.xander Russell,
William H. Pulenny, l^phraim Frazee, John Rees and William \ash.

Section 2y — Sold in 1821, ^822 and 1823 to William Banks. John
Morris. W^illiam Finder. Ixichard Xash and John McColm.

T(m')isliip 15 Xorlli. Raiujc 11 Hast.

Section 34 — Sold in 1822 and 1823 to Ira Starr, John (iifford, John
i'attison, Samuel B. Fouden, John Murphy and Fdward Pattison.

Section 35 — Sold in 1822, 1823 and 1824 to Joseph Relfe, James Beak-
ley, William Brooks, Thomas Fegg, William Feer and .\braham Baker.

Section 36 — Sold in 1821 and 1822 to William Dickey, Trueman Mnn-
.ger, lulward R. Mnnger and William Berkle)-.

The period of immigration into l<"airvie\v township began about 1820
and, roughly speaking, extended o\ er a period of nearly ten years. FIow-
c\-er, it ma\- be saifl that there were a few settlers prior to the date men-
tioned and among tiiem was C'b.arles Williams, a young man from New
^'ork. lie settled in section 12 and to him is given the credit of being
the first .settler in the township. He was a caqDenter by trade and during
the pioneer days was identified with the erection of many of the earl_\^ houses
in this section of the country.

.\mong the settlers who became permanent residents ui the township
in 1810 were ^^'illiam Xels<in. William and Alexander Russell, who located
in the northern ])art of the township, and John Ryburn. Two vears later
another tide of immigrants came in, among whom were Andrew Nelson,
Robert Mctrory, Sr., John Rees, Sr., and his son John, Rol>ert Hastings.
Matthew Hastings, Richard Nash and Ananias Gifford. Not far from the
same time came .Sanuiel Knot, .Xbraham Kinder, from \'irginia, and Samuel
and George Heizer, from .\'ew Jersey. All located southeast of the village
of Fairview.

In 1825 Josiah I'i]>er and family and Fllis D. McConnell settled in the
vicinity of Falmouth and in the northern part of the township respectivclv.
Hugh and William Dickew emigrating from Kentucky, located in the north-
ern tier of sections in 1X25.

.\mong other pioneers in this localitx' were Ross Shiile\-, William Fear,

232 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Collin Banister, Jacob Ashpaw, John Hawkins, Samuel Shortridge, James
Runnels, John Rees, G. Saxon, Zachariah Parish, Thomas Keaton, John
Baker, David Baker. James McConnell, the Jacks family, Andrew Moffett,
P. M. Wiles, Joseph Booe, Ezekiel Parish, John Gifford, John Bates and
Daniel Rhea.

There being no roads at the time of the advent of the early settlers,
they were obliged to cut out the undergrowth in order to reach their respec-
tive homes. The pioneers underwent hardships and endured inconveniences
that seem almost unbelievable in the present day. An instance is told of
how the Pipers resided for some time !:>}■ the side of a large poplar tree that
had fallen, or until their cabin was built and ready for occupancy. They
were compelled to carry water for family use about three-fourths of a mile
and the onh' vessel was a five-gallon-Jteg'. They were so far distant from
their neighbors that weeks and even months passed without seeing anvone
outside of their own family.

There were very few industries during the early i>eriod. Frank Jeffre\-
operated a tan-yard on the Jeffrey land. There have been very few mills
and industries in this section. The pioneers and subsequent residents of the
township have depended upon the mills of neighboring subdivisions for such
conveniences, in about 1838 John Mofititt operated a saw-mill on Williams
creek and on the Nelson land. Joshua Wallace also operated a saw-mill
near the one owned by John Moffitt.

THE FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE.

The first school house in the township was erected in 1825 and stood
a half mile east of jNIoftitt's crossing, and was then in the third district of
Orange township. A vivid description given by an old pioneer follows :
"It was of round logs, afterward hewed down; clap-l)oard roof; no chim-
ney, but a stone fireplace in the center of the ])uncheon floor; a flue, built
of sticks and mortar, rested on six posts; the fire lieing in the center of the
house, all parts of the room were heated equalh-. The crevices of the house
were closed with mortar except those fn^nting the writing-desks, where
they were enlarged to furnish light, which was -a<4mitAed^.tbrougii grea.sed
paper which was pasted to frames fitted to those apertures." Jonas Price
taught the first school in this house in the fall of 1826.

The first school house in what is now Fairview township was Jmilt in
about 1827 on the Jefifre}- land and the first school was taught b\- Thomas

FAYF.TTK COfNTY. INDIANA. 233

Dawson. Alxuit twn \ears later a sciioul liouse was ercctL'tl in the northern
part (if the tnwnsliip and Jdlm [.et;.y was one of the first teachers.

The village of I*"air\ iew is a settlement in l-'airview township on the
Rush county line. ilie hamlet was laid out on land owned by \V. W.
Thrasher, but the date is not known. The first house built in the village
was a log structure, erected b\- William Towers about 1828. The first
merchant to o|)en a store was John McClure ;ind lie was succeeded by Bird-
sail &- Company, in 1835. William Mofifitt became tiie successor to this
firm. A man named X'anvalkenlnirt;- was probalilx' tlie first l)Iacksmith. He
was followed by Brown ISrothers ami tiiey 1)\- William Irwin. l'"airview was
made a postoftice, l-eliruarv 17. 1835. with Woodson W. 'I'hraslier as [xist-
master. The office was discontinued, .August 3. 1836. A postoffice was
again estal)lished here, b'ebruary 7, 1840, under the name of Groves. John
McClure was the postmaster and served until 1845. i fe was followed by
Arthur Miller, who served only about a \ear. \\'i!liam Clifford was the
next postmaster and served until May 14, 1847. At this time the name of
the postoffice was changed to Melrose, with John Abernathv as postmaster.
He held the office until Jmie 12. 1840, when the name of the office was again
given the name of Croves and \\'illi;uii Clift'ord. Jr.. became the postmaster.
Following is a com])lete list of jiostmasters with their dates of service:
William Clifford. Jr.. t84()-i8:;2: Jacob B. Power, .\ugust 7, 1852. to
November 12, 18^2: William B. Clifford, 1832-1853: William A. Bu.sh.
1853-1858: Smith b>y. i838-i85(): T.eander C. McConnell, 1859-1860:
Thomas Moffett, i86o-r8f)i: Chri.stian Wiles, 1861-1865; John McClure.
1865-1871 ; Joseph W. droves, 1871-1878; T.afayette Groves, 1878-1880;
b'hn McClure, 1880-1881 : Caroline Caldwell. 1881.

The \illage of b'almoutb is located in the northwestern part of Fair-
view to-wnship,, on tlie- Rush county line and is a station on the Httsburgh,
Chicago, Cincinnati and .^t. Louis railroatl. The town-site was surveyed by
Thomas Hink.son, July 24. 1832. on the land belonging to James and Flijah
Patterson and Patrick McCann. Vdditions were made in 1838 by Kdward
L. McGee. Stephen Isles and Jeremiah Jeffery.

William Smith bears the distinction of Iwilding the first house on the

::'34 fayette county, Indiana.

I'avette county side. Among the first merchants were P. Shawhan, WilHani
Stewart and John Birdsall. .\n early caljinet-maker was John Carr, who
had a tnrning-lathe and manufactured all kinds of furniture.

The village is in the center of a rich farming community and a large
amount of grain and live stock is shipped each year from this place. It
has one bank. A. E. Bilby, cashier, and a number of industries. Among its
business enterprises may be enumerated the following: Wilbur E. Chance,
general store and postmaster; Jacoli Gross, grain elevator and coal: Eal-
mouth Mutual Telephone Company; E. H. Hackleman, undertaker; Shelby
D. Davidson. wag(in-maker and blacksmith: Charles W. PJeck, general store;
Lenna Benson, grocer: .Mfred Collyer, general store: G. H. Cummings,
cigars and pool; W. S. Thompson, blacksmith; \\'illiam Higle\- & Son,
blacksmith and implements; h'almouth Natural Gas Comjiany; D. C. Allen
is the express and telegraph agent.

HARRISON TOWNSHII'.

Harrison township, one of the five townships organized liy the com-
missioners in 1819, at iirst included all of its present territory, all of Posey
township, the northern two-thirds of l^'airview township and that part of
Waterloo township l>etween \Vhite Water and the range line dividing sec-
tions T,2, 5, 8 and 17 and sections 33, 4, Q and 16. It was reduced in size
at the time Waterloo township was organized, h'ebruary 12, 1821, at which
time all that part of Harrison east of ^Vhite \\'ater became a part of Water-
loo township. Harrison was next decreased when Posey township was
organized, h^ebruary, 1823, the new township of Posey being given its present
limits. The third and last change in the boundary of Harrison township
was result of the organization of Eairview township, December, 185 1.

Harrison township lies within the twelve-mile purchase with the excep-
tion of about five sections along the western side of the township. It was
practically all entered at the time the county was organized, all or a part of
every section having been sold before i8i().

A complete list of the land entries is shown in the following schedule;

Tuzviixli-ip 15 Xortli, Range 12 East.

Section 31 — Sold in 1821 and 1822 to A\"illiam Dickey, Hugh Dickey,
Minor Meeker, lohn Dailev, Ebenezer W. b'inev and Collen Smith.

l-'AVIM TK COlNri'. INliIAXA. _',^5

Section j^_' — Sold in 1S14, iSji and iNjj tn Willi.nn liakcr. Minor
Thomas, Tiioinas Shijilcx- and tra Starn.

Section ,:3-Sol,l in iSii to Jolm Tvner, Jo.scph (ai.iweli. Richard
Tvner.

Section 34— Sold in iSii. iNij and 181,:; to John l'hilli|.s. Train Cald-
well. Solomon Hornlx and Isaac Willson.

Section 35 — Sold in i8i_', iNi,:^ and 1814 to Reason Davis. Charles
Davis. William Willson .and John Ward,

Section j,(> — Sold in 1811 to Larkin Sims. Thomas Carter and Isaac
Willson.

Section 31 — Sold in 1811 and i8r_' to John I'eard. John Hardin and
E. Harding'.

7'ira'iisltif> T4 Xort!:. Raiii^c [3 luist.

Section h— Sold in 1811. 1812 and 1816 to J.)hn Grcwell. Andrew
Tliorp and Edward Wehh.

Section 7— Sold in i8ii and \>'\2 to Silas C,re,t;-g-. l^dward Wehh. /a-
dock Smith.

Section 18-— Sold in 1811 to Ehenezer Heaton .and Archihald Reed.

'/'('Ti'H.v/n'/i 14 North. Ruiii^c u Hast.

Section i — Sold in 181 1 and 1813 to George Geage. Jacoh Shreller and
Charles Roysdon.

Section 2 — Sold in 181 1 and 1815 to James Daugherty. John White
and Wier Cassady.

Section ^--Sold in 1811. 1813 and 1814 to James Caldwell. Jesse
\\'ehl), and Isaac Hackleman.

Section 4— Sold in 181 1, 1813 .and i8]4 lo Alexander Dale. William
Henderson. Jose])h Caldwell and Joseph Dale.

Section 5 — Sold in 1811 .and 1820 (fractional) to Willi.am .McCarty.
John McCarty. William Jeti'rey <ind John I. Morrison.

Section 6 — Sold in 1820 and 1821 to William Birch. John 1 Johnson.
Hugh Dickey, David Anderson. Ira Starr and M. Meeker.

Section 7 — Sold in 1820 and 1822 to John Hawkins. .Matthew Haw-
kins. William Dickey, John I. [ohnson and Erancis Ellinwcmd.

Section 8 — Sold in 181;, and 1820 to William Dickey (fractional).

Section <) — Sold in i8r2 rind 1814 to James Joh. Alexander Dale. John
Murphy and John Under.

236 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Section 10 — Sold in 181 4 to Isaac Seward, John Peawell, Eli Scotten,
William Bell and Richard Tyner.

Section 11 — Sold in 1812 and 1813 to Samuel DeHaven, John Brad-
burn and William Henderson.

Section 12 — Sold in 181 1, 1812 and 1813 to William Webb, James
Nichols, Archibald Johnson and George Hollingsworth.

Section 13 — Sold in 181 1, 1812 and 1813 to John Perkins, Robert
McCormick and John McCormick.

Section 14 — Sold in t8ii, 1812 and 1813 to Joel Dickens, Lewis John-
son, Asa Stone and Forest Webb.

Section 15 — Sold in 181 1 and 1815 to Forest Webb, Lewis Johnson
and James Smith.

Section If) — Reserved for school purposes.

Section 17 — Sold in 1813 to John Orr and Alatthew Hawkins (frac-
tional ) .

Section 18 — Sold in 1820, 1821 and 1829 to John Darter, John Haw-
kins, William Saxon, William Philpott, Stephen Philpott and John Philpott.

.\mong the earliest settlers of the township were the Caldwells, who
lirst emigrated from North Carolina to Preble county, Ohio, and in 181 1
removed to what is now the present township. There were four brothers,
all of whom had families. L^pon the approach of the War , of 1812 they all
returned to Ohio, Ixit in 1814 returned to their possessions. Li order to
be secure a block house was built on section 34. 'Hie block house was of
the usual style, being picketed by an outer fence.

A year after the coming of the Caldwells, came Patrick McCarty and
John C, Smith. Smith was a scjldier of the War of 181 2. His son, W'ill-
iam Al., long identified with the hi.story of the county, was born in a bliKk-
house some miles west of Brook\'ilIe in the fall of 1812.

John Tyner and wife, natives of North Carolina, first settled in Frank-
lin county, and in 1913 relocated in what became Fayette county. Tyner
became one of the first board of commissioners and died in 1822. William
McCarty was one of the early settlers and was one of the chain carriers of
the surveying party which in 1817 sur\eyed the lands of the "New Pur-
chase."

Joseph and Alexander Dale, emigrating from Kentucky, settled in the
township in 1813. Airs. Eliza Florea, daughter of Joseph Dale, was born in
the township in 1815. She used to relate the story of how the Indians used
to come to trade with her father and that on one occasion nearly three hun-
dred came from the purpose, bringing with them all kinds of wild meats.

PAYKTTE county. INDIANA. 2 i,J

'I'heyear 1815 marked a period of great imniiqration to tliis towiisliip
and among the niimlier were Daniel Campbell, John Savage, Jacob Xeison,
Henry Welch and James. Robert and William Dickey.

l-"nim i.Sici to iS_'j a number of familie.s coming from the Xew luig-
land states settled mostly in the "Xew Purchase.'" in the northwestern part
of the township, and founded what was known as Yankeetown. .Among
these were Eider Minor Thomas, Joshua Wightsman, Elder Minor Meeker,
Eleazer Car\'er, bVancis Ellinwood, Collen Smith, Stephen Ellis and likely
several others.

The widow of Joseph B. Shipley and the mother of Samuel J., of this
township, .settled in the county in 1819, bringing with her several children
from the state of Delaware. In the same year Samuel B. Ludlow, of Xew
York, walked to the county of b'ayette and entered land at the land ofificc
at Brook\ille. Another early settler of about the same time was William
Monteith.

Among others who came into the township at \arious times from 1810
to i8j6 were Moses Ellis, who was made the tirst postmaster of the Yankee-
town settlement, the name of the office being Plumb Orchard, John Groen-
dyke, James C. Rea, John Thomas, the Trowbridges, David Gordoii, Jesse
Ferguson, Capt. Robert Broaddus, Lewis Robertson, Zenas Powell, Da\id
Wolf, Jonathan Clifford and Jesse Shaw. Shaw was for a time the miller
at the old Goodlander mill.

EARLY INDfSTRIES.

The grist-mill owned by Jacob Goodlander, located in section 7 on
the west fork of White ^Vater river, was built prior to 182^:5 and is supp(.i.sed
to have been- the hrsl in the townshiii. Thomas Campbell was the miller for
a number of \-ears. .\bont 1840, James Troxell built a saw and grist-mill
ab(_)Ut two miles abo\e the Goodlrmder mill, both of which ha\e long since
ceased to operate.

• The first saw-mill in the townshi]) stood in section _^4. on Lick creek.
Minor Meeker was later one of the owners and then it passed into tiie hands
of Lewis Rorea and continued under the Florea management- until its opera-
tion ceased. (Jn the same stream and about a mile below was a saw-mill
built in 1830- ownerl and operated by Ca])tain Broaddus.

In the early days the eastern part of the townshi]) was (piite a com-
mercial center, .\long Williams creek alone there were six mills within an
area of four miles. One factorv which was rather uncominon was that for

238 l-AYF.TTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the luajuifaclure ni wooden bowls. Tlii.s institution was under the manage-
ment of Anson King- and Josliua W'ightsman.

Tlie first one of the six mills referred to was on section 6 and was
owned by the' Kings. It w'as a griSt-mill" and ground corn only. Another
one of the grist-mills which ground both wheat and corn was built bv
Thomas Moft'ett and was in the southwestern part of the township. The
other four were saw-mills, the oldest of which was located in section (> and
built by Levi Trowbridge about 1830. Moses Ellis thought the communit\-
needed another mill and built one on section 31. The mill was in later years
replaced by a larger one in whicli was a turning lathe and machinery for
the manufacture of shingles. The plant was finally moved to Bentonville b\-
Lewis I^llis, a son. A few years subsec|uent to the construction of the Ellis
mill another saw-mill was built in the northern part of section 31 by John
l'"inney. The fourth one was built by John Campbell in section 7 about 1842.
Most (jf these mills have long since ceased to operate.

The copper stills in this township were operated by Joseph. Dale and
Tharjie & Gorden, both prior to 1839. A' carding- machine- was 'in exist<-
ence o]:)erated by a man named Stockdale, about 1827. Minor Meeker, Jr.,
was the ])roprietor of a tan-yard on his farni about 1835.

Tile n-ianufacture was carried on in the northwestern part of the town-
ship for many },ears by Ellis & Williams and later by John Payne, ex-
county auditor.

E.VRI.V INDUSTklKS OF HARRISON TOWNSHIP.

The historian is indebted to E. R. Taylor, of Harrison township, for a
\i\'i(l account of the early industries of Harrison township. He enun-ierates
no less than twehe mills in the towushi]i, besides a number of blacksmith
shops and other industries, all of which bad ceased operation before the Civil
War, with the ])ossible excejftion of the P^llis mill.

Ill Mliout I80O tliei-e w:is .1 saw-mill owned autl operated b.v a man of the name of
riiinne.v on the farm of Omer Doniker. A half mile south of the Phinuey mill w.-is
another built by Moses Ellis. After the death of Ellis his son, Lewis, operated the mill
initil .'ibont 1858 or 1850, when it was moved to Bentonville and made over into a steam
mill. I'rior to this time it had been operated by water power from Big Williams ereek.
While the siiw-mill was still being run by water power, there was a tannery near by,
which was owned and operated b.v Minor Meeker, ileeker was also a shoemaker and
euiplo.ved the winter months in turning out shoes and boot.s from the leather he tanned
during the suunner. Another shoemaker of the township was Louis Robinson.

About half a mile below the Ellis mill ou the same ereek was the grist-mill of King
& Wightman. They ground only corn. In connection with their grinding this firm had

FAYETTE CdrXTV, INDIAXA. 1> V;?

:i Inthe iilt;ieheil to tlie WMtcr wlii'el iiiid luriied out l.-iruo woodiMi linwls. A ilisiriurc
of .■mother balf mile down tlie creek brought the enrly iiioueer to the mill nf ,i iii;iii id'
the iiniiie of Trowbridge. ;iiul ii short distance lower down w:is foinid tlic saw-iiiill nf
>roffitt & Perhie. This latter mill was in operation until about ISTo.

ContinuinfT down Willi;nns creelc w.'is to lie fonnil llie mill nf Joslnia Wallace, .nid
still farther down, the irrist-mill of Thomas Jtoltitt. Tlic saw-mill nt SlepluMi I'.ilbj was
on .1 small stream tributiiry to Williams <'reeU.

On Little Williams creek, on the farm now owiiwl by Henry Jlourer. was a wooli-n-
mill which manufactured a larse amount of yarn. About a mile west of Ilarrisbiirs;
was a nursery owned by Henry Sater. who also ni.-ule wairmis and plows for the farmers
of the vicinity.

In the villajre of Harrisbiir:.' lber<> were iw.i hla.Usmilh shops and mie wa-oii shop.
The latter was oiK^-ated by Wilson T. Dale, who later moveil it to ( '(inMersville and
established it across the street north of the Coiuiersville Lumber Comiianys otlice. There
was even a foundry at Harrisburg early in its history.

l/ouis Florea had .1 saw-mill on Lick creek, one mile north of Harrisburj;. (jii the
farm now owned by Charles Bell. Near Ihe present residence of F. .S. Broaddus. his
grandf.-ither had a .saw-mill. A blacksmith sho)) was run in the north central part of
the township by Ira Kendall. He was known as the axe-maker, btit he also made all
other kinds of ed.ire tools. He even made s.ins.isc i:rinders.

Tile early settlers seemed to he wide-awake tu the itii))i)rtaiK-e ut ati
education and as early as 1S18 a school was being taught by William Mc-
Kemmey in a log house that stood on the land owned by John Tyner.
Manlove Caldwell and a man by the name of Banks were also early teach-
ers, hut after the time of McKemniey.

The next school house in the townshii) was built between iSiS and
1S22 in the northwest corner of section 6. William W. Thomas was ])n)b-
ably the first teacher. In the summer of 18^3 a summer school w :i> taught
here by M}riam Swisher.

As -the townshi]) became more thickly populated the necessity for iiKjre
sciiools became evident. The next log school house was l)uilt in the scxith-
ern part of section i J. or the tiortliern part of section 13. The first teacher
is not known, but amotig the early ones were W'ilham Xelson, Ltinsfol-d
liroaddus and a man l)y the name of Clark. The next house for this neigli-
borbood was built one mile north.

Several years after the beginning of the Tyner school a building was
erected at Harrisburg and among the first teacliers were Xelson I'enwell
and William Thomas.

Another of the early school houses of tiie township was built on the
site of the Second Williams Creek Baptist church. Just when the house

240 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

was constructed is not known, but sometime Ijefore 1837, a nian by .tbe
name of Isaac Scare was teacbing liere at tbat time. Otber teacbers in tbe
same building were Jasper Davis and Harriet Thomas.

Two more scbool buildings were built soon after 1838, one being about
one and a balf miles nortb of tbe one at the Second Williams Creek cburcb,
and tbe other a mile south of tbe church. Among those teaching in tbe
north bou.se were Hiram Dale. C. M. Stone. Harriet Thomas. Ann Ellis
and Edw in Trowbridge.

HARRISBURG.

Harrisburg at one time was the cduimercial center of Harrison town-
ship. Perhaps the earliest merchants were Nathaniel McClure and Lyqian
Thomas, who. in 1828, were granted a license liy the count}- commissioners
to keejj a grocery and sell spirituous li(|uors. Tbe firm of Lackey & Mc-
Clure secured a license from the commissioners in July, 1827, to vend mer-
chandise, for which they paid twelve dollars and fifty cents. ^ In i8.i8 a gen-
eral business was conducted under the name of McClure & Dickson, and in
1829 a similar Inisiness was conducted In- Nathaniel McClure and John
Murphy.

A jjostoffice was established at this jjoint, March 17. 1828, with Na-
thaniel McClure as postmaster, b'ollowing is a complete list of die post-
masters who ba\e held tbe otbce. along with their dates nf ser\ice :

Nathaniel McClure. 1828-1846: Andiony Watt. i84()-iK.i7: Jacob New-
kirk, 1847-1848: Anthony Watt, 1848-1853; Robert .McWatsou. 1853-1857:
Oliver Caldwell, 1857-18(10 ; Wnthony Watt, 18O0-1870: Edgar J". Thomas,
1S70-187,.;: David E. Shallsmitli, 1873-1873; John W. Foster, 1875-1879;
b'rank T. Williams, 1879-1904, when the office was tliscontinued. Tbe vil-
lage is now served by a rural route from Connersville. T. W. Fisher con-
ducts tbe only store in the village.

Tradition declares tbat tbe people of Harrisl)urg cberisberl tbe fond hope
of securing tbe county seat in 1819. But they did not take into consideration
tbat Connersville was nearer tbe center of tbe county, and, also the inliuence
of John Conner.

HAWKINS.

Hawkins, located in the southwestern part of Harriso'n township, was
for a time a postofhce. .getting its name from tbe store of M. P. Hawkins,
and. as far as known, tbe onl\- industry ever located here is a blacksmith
shop now operated by Albert McConnell.

STAGE COACH AND COXESTOGA WAGOX OF PIOXEER DAYS.

RKm'II.I.K. KICDIdW \ OK SIT M I'TdW X.

Ancient I'onipeii was lusl to the world from 79 A. 1), nnlil the middle
(■\ the eighteenth century, hut. when it was accidentally discovered hy a man
di;^i;ing a well, it was hut a short time mitil the full identity of the ;nicient
city was full}' established. The traveler who ^t'C^ to Ilal\ today may see
practicallv the whole city as it appeared on the ilay it wa- covered h\ the
cimlers and lava from Mt. X'esuvius.

.\:u] what has Pompeii to do with the history of Ivavetle inuntx. Indi-
ana, r. S. .\.? l-'ayette county, like ancient Italy, has an ancieni city, hut,
unlike I'ompeii, it has not been lost to history because of a solcmic upheav.'il.
Xo evidence is left of this villa.^e of ancient Fayette; it has disappeared
from the face of the earth. The historians have heard va<iuc and indelinite
hints of a once flourisliiui^- village on the banks of Williams creek in the
southeastern corner of Harrison township, but when it came to getting defi-
nite facts about it thev were completely baffled. Its name was even shrouded
in obscurity; it was variously known as Redville, Redtown and Stumptown.
according- to the person trying to recall something about it.

lUit fortunately one person was finally found who had exact informa-
tion on this uri>»H- mystery, hrom !1. L. Ludlow, of Glenvvood, the histor-
ians have been able to get what is believed to be an accurate description of
this ancient \illage. His account is substantially as follows:

About 1SJ5 William I'hilpfitt located in the southwestern corner of
Harrison township, along Williams creek, and built a rude log cabin This
>.ame structure is now ( 1017 ) a jiart of I.ydia Hall's residence. Ills father,
John Philpott, built another, liou.se on the site now occupied by the residence
of Bunvan Martin: later. lohn T'hilpott built three other houses. These
houses, together with all the outbuildings, he painted \enetian vcd. Trav-
elers .-md drovers jiassing this way christened the collection of houses Ki-d-
\ille. or Redtown. atid the name became universally used throughout this
])art of the state. It was on the road fre(|uently used by men driving hogs
to Cincinnati and was always referred to in this manner. Where the name
Stumptown originated is not known, but it does not seem to ha\e bad wide
usage at any time in the village's brief career.

)ohn LckUow had a blacksmith shop in the midst of the embryonic urban
center — and there were other important industrial establishments located
here. William Philpott operated a chair factory: John Philpott, jjrobably
(16)

242 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the most extensive manufacturer, \vas a wagon-maker, shoemaker, cooper
and blacksmith. WilHam Philpott disposed of his chair factory to James
Molden a short time later. John Philpott built the first grist-mill and sub-
sequently sold it to Thomas Moffett. While all of these industrial changes
were going on in the village, Hampton Stewart opened a tailor establish-
ment; William Hawkins launched out as a shoemaker, shortly followed by a
competitor, Thomas Schasick. The latter was a full blooded Indian, but his
reputation as a maker of good shoes has been handed down through three
generations.

The village was booming by the early forties and gave promise of be-
ing something more than a mere cross-roads hamlet. In 1842 John Philpott
sought to foster the religious feelings of the increasing population by erect-
ing a building for church purposes. Accordingly he built a frame structure
and presented it to the members of the Christian church — and this building-
is now used by Bunyan Martin as a corncrib. Thus has this once sacred
edifice descended to a secular use. In the meantime there was a demand for
a postoffice; in fact, William PhiljMtt succeeded in getting the United
States government to appoint him postmaster as early as December 15, 1832,
and in his honor the office was duly designated as Philpott's Mills. Five
)'ears later the location was changed to a place about a mile west, Ross Smiley
becoming the postmaster on April 24, 1837. -^t the same time the name of
the office was changed to Longwood — just why that name, is not known.
Smiley remained postmaster until July 31. 1861, when Thomas Moffett took
charge.

But with the disappearance of the postoffice from the vicinity of Phil-
pott's mills and the abandonment of the mill, the hope of the inhabitants for
further growth was doomed to disappointment. Soon the few red-]iainted
houses became faded, the few inhabitants scattered, and by the time of the
Civil War there was little to indicate where the once hopeful village of Red-
ville raised its sanguinary head. Its story was told; its race was run. .\nd
in 1 91 7 only a very few of the oldest inhabitants of the county recall the
name of the village that was well known to e\ery ])erson in the forties and
fifties.

TACK.SON TOWNSHIP.

Jackson township, named in honor of Andrew Jackson, was cut oft' from
Columbia township by the county commissioners in August, 1820. As first
constituted it included all of the territory of the original Columbia township

nigr

East.

Benj;

finiin \\'hite,

, Samuel

Harl

an.

i8i()

James

Newlaiul

, Da

\'iVl

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 243

east of the White Water river. Hut the six sections in the .southeastern
corner of the township — 20, Ji, 28. 29, 32 and t,;3, — did not become a part
of the township until January 16, 1826. Prior to that date these six sec-
tions had been a part of Franklin county, their attachment to Fayette county
being brought about by the legislative act of 1826. In March, 1826, the com-
missioners of Fayette county formally attached the six .sections to Jackson
township. No change has been made in the township limits since that time.
Practically all of the land in the township had been entered before the
county was organized in iBig, although there were two small tracts which
were not entered until 1837. The complete list of land entries follows:

To'i^'llshi^^ 13 North.

Section 7 — Sold in 181 3 and 1816
Nicholas Pumphrey and Le\i Plummer.

Section 8 — Sold in 1814, 181 5 and
Ferree, Morgan Vardiman and Samuel Harlan.

Section 17 — Sold in 181 5 and 1816 to T.evi Cambridge. Zachariah I'ook-
ney and Levi Plummer.

Section 18 — Sold in 1816 to Samuel Harlan. Moses I.add. B. I'luminer,
X. Ladd and John Plummer.

Section ig — Sold in 1815 and 1816 to John W'illianis, Thomas Toner,
Samuel Walker, Elislia Stout and John Maple.

Section >20 — Soldin i8t2 and 181 5' to George' Monroe. John Richard-
son and W'^illiam Hipkins.

Section 21 — Sold in 1812. 1813 and 1814 to John Morrow, lUi Lee,
William .\dams and Thomas Garrin.

Section 22 — Sold in 1814' and 181 5 to David Fallen, Elijah Corbin,
Thomas Stockdale and James Morrow.

Section 23 — Sold in 1814, 181 5 and 181 7 to William Beckett, Isaac
M. Johnson, John Fisher and Thomas Rish.

Section 26 — Sold in 1813, 1814 and 181 5 to 01)edia]i Kstis, Koherf F.
Taylor, Lyman Grist, S. Stanton, R. and A. Clarke.

Section 2- — Sold in t8ii and 181410 Eli Stringer, Thonias Henderson, '
Daniel George, James Mallach and Thonias Stockdale.

Section 28 — Sold in 1813, 1814. i8_'i and 1825 to Samuel Wallace,
Archibald Morrow, John I'oUard. Sarah Lee, Charles and James Salyer.s.

Section 29 — Sold in 18 14. 181 5, 18 16, 181 8 and 1832 to Solomon
Shephard, Thomas Logan, Samuel Logan, Edward McKeen and J. Ward.

244 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Section 30 — Sold in 18 16, 1817, 18 18 and 183 1 to Edward Simmonds,
Joel Scott, Calvin Kneisley, Blackly Shoemaker, E. ^^^alker and I. T. Riggs.

Section 31 — Sold in 181 5, 1818, 1821 and 1837 to Susanna Teagar-
den, John Troth, Joseph Whitelock, Stephen Lee, John H. Carmichael,
Michael Null and Enoch Youngs.

Section 32 — Sold in 1813 and 1836 to Hugh Abernathy and \\'illiam
Rish and others.

Section 33 — Sold in 181 1, 1813 and 1814 to John Salver, James Craig
and Solomon Shephard.

Section 34 — Sold in 181 1, 1812 and 1815 to Thomas Henderson,
James and John Walters and Ebenezer Smith.

Section 35 — Sold in 1813 and 1814 to Ebenezer Smith, John Mc-
Ilwain, Edward Caring and Alexander Sims.

Tozi'iishiji 13 A'ortli, Range 12 East.

Section 11 — Sold in 1811 to W'illson and John Vincent (fractional).

Section 12 — Sold in 181 1, 1814 and 1816 to Samuel Eallen, Moses-
Baker and George Shaeffer.

Section 13 — Sold in 1812, 1813 and 1814 to Williman Vardimau,
James Brownlee. John Eagen and John Julian.

Section 14 — Sold in 181 1 to Thomas Gilliam and John Eagan (frac-
tional ) .

Section 27, — Sold in i8i 1 and 1812 to Daniel Green, William Helm
and Gabriel Ginn (fractional),

Section 24 — Sold in 1813, 1814 and 1816 to John Baker, Jacob Black-
lidge and Christopher Ladd.

Section 25 — Sold in 1814, 1815, 1821-1837 to Morgan Vardiman,
Amos Isher, John Lewis, John McCabe and Greenbury Stitte.

Section 26 — Sold in 1814. 1816 and 183 1 to Daniel Green, Edward
Johnson, James Handley, Thomas J. Crisler, John McCabe and William
Wherrett.

Section j^=, — Sold in 181 1, 1824-1834 to Jacob Burnett, James Conwell,
O. Gorden, E. ^Valker and Jeremiah Conwell.

Section 36 — Sold in 1817-1836 to Sanford Keller, Charles Melon, Jo-
seph Crowley, Michael Null and James Conwell.

Man}' of the ]Durchasers of land in this township were actual settlers,

the first of' whom, with some exceptions, procured land along the west fork

of the ^\'hite Water river. The first settlements were made chiefly bv emi-

FAYKTTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 245

grants from the Soutlieni states, the greater mimber coming from South
C'arohna and Kentucky, .\niong the first settlers from the former state and
those who were acti\e in tiie early organization of the county were Charles
Salver, wlici served as a county commissioner for eight years, and h'is
hmtlier. John, wiio was also acti\e. hut held no official ix>sition. Coming
at the same time as the men mentioned above, was Gabriel Ginn, from Ken-
tucky, who served as county clerk and also as sheriff for a number of years.
Daniel Green, who came from Maryland, \\as one of the earliest settlers in
this part of the coun.try. The story is told that while. prospecting for land in
what is now Franklin county, he was attracted by the sound of a cow-beB
and upon following it he came to the cabin of John Kagen and family, who
lived near the bridge over the river at Nulltown. The Eagen settlement
was the earliest in the township of which there is anj- record.

Another one of the very early settlers was Daniel Moore, who came to
the '"Twelve-Mile Purchase" in 1809, and after .spending one winter in
Brookville, settled in Jackson township in March, i8to.

.\mong,the settlers coming in 1812 were Joel Scott, a native of South
Carolina, and James Craig, from Virginia. The Pumphreys and the
Renches made permanent settlements in the township about the same time.

In 1^1 T, the southeastern part of the township was settled by a number
of related families from South Carolina knd included among them Ebenezer
Smith. George Stanley, Simon Crist. James AVaters and John Waters. John
and James Waters bad come to the vicinity in 1812. purchased a tract of
land and returned to their famihes. Then in the fall of 1813 the families
mentioned above made the journey together, requiring about one month to
make the trip. It is believed by the descendants of some of these families
that on their arrival there were no residents south and east of Everton to
what is noAv the Cnioii and Franklin cotmty lines, 'i'hat section was then
very heavily timbered, the forest!; abounding with fine p()])lnr.

Coming from the same locality as the Waters family, and only a few
months after, were Hanson and Jolm Mcllwain, Samuel Logan, .\lex-
ander Sims, and Robert T. and David Taylor. John Jemison made i.
permanent settlement in 1S13 or 1814 and ojjerated a tan-yard for severa!
vears. .\t about the same time \\^illiam r>eckett. a native of Ireland, emi-
grated to the township and effected a permanent settlement. James Morrow,
a native of North Carolina, and Jolin Milliner came from Kentucky.

Besides those already mentioned, the following became residents of the
township prior to 1826: Noble Ladd. Sr.. William Kobles. ThfMnas Waters,

246 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Edward McClure, Simon and Ebenezer Grise, Michael Bash, EH Lambert.
William C. Jones, Nathan Hulse, David Portlock, Constantine Eadd, Bar-
rack Phimmer, David Moore, David Smith, Patrick Carmichle, Joel Hollings-
worth, William Hortoy, John Smith. Peter Coon, John Richards, Michael
F. Miller, GeOrge Shelocke, Levi Rench, Presley Silvey, Andrew Brock,
Stephen Lee, Stephen Moore, Richard Morrow, Thomas Budd, Archibald
Cook, John Jassap, Lewis G. Ray, John Lee, William Gilmore, David Fer-
ree, Thomas Logan, Charles Wise, John Plummer, Philip Hinneman, Will-
iam B. Adams, Abraham Whitelock, Michael Law, Daniel Fox,
John Estis, Thomas Craig, Robert White, Benjamin White, Andrew Wood,
Amos Milliner, WiHiam F.erree, Daniel Gorman, Charles .Malone, -Mose Car-
roll, Lot Pumphrey, Noah Pumphrey, Morgan Rench, James Crawley and
Isaac Miller.

EARLY INDUSTRIES.

Eli's creek was the center of all industry during the early period. The
first grist-mill in the township was erected by Doctor Johnson in 1816. The
mill is believed to have passed into the hands of Jonathan Wr.ight, who, in
later years, erected what was known as the Cockefair mill. Li 1818 Jonathan
Wright erected the first saw -mill which stood about a half mile east of the
grist-mill and on the line dividing Fayette and Union counties.

John Jemison began the operation of a tannery soon after taking up
permanent residence and carried on the business for almost a c[uarter of a
century. William Evans also operated a tamiery in 'the Beckett neighbor-
hood during the early days.

On Eli creek, between the grist- and saw-mill owned by Wright, was a
carding machine, and in connection with it a hominy-mill, built by Zacheus
Stanton. In aliout 1848, Elisha Cockefair became the owner of these indus-
tries and converted them into a mirror factory, which was operated for sev-
eral 3'ears.

About 1846 Wilson Adams built a saw-mill and a pump factory about
a half mile above the grist-mill and did an extensive business for many years.

At a very early date Sanford Keeler built a grist-mill about a mile from
the mouth of Bear creek. The industry was later owned by Rev. Joseph
Williams and John Lambert. North of the mill was a saw-mill built by
Charles Malone and later owned by John Conwell. The mill finally fell into
disuse and was supplanted by another mill of the same kind on the south
fork of Bear creek, built bv E. R. Lake and later owned bv \^^ilson Adams,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 24/

wlio l):iilt the second pump estahlisliment in the township. .\(hinis also
installed a pair of buln^s and had a httle corn-cracker in connection.

Aboul; two miles nortli of the mouth of Bear creek, on the west fork
of White Water, was tiie Morgan \'ardiman ofrist-mill, whicli was l)uilt at a
\'erv early date.

During- the early jieriod in which stills were in existence, such were in
o])eration on the farms of John and Charles .Salver, John Baker and William
Arnett.

EARI.Y SCHOOLS.

One of the finst, if not the first, school houses in the township was the
one that stood northeast of Everton in .section 21. John Lee is thought to
ha\e taught a three-months school prior to 181 7. I^ot Green and Andrew
Lewis were also early teachers.

The next school house in the township was built in section 26 and on
the farm of Obediah Estis. Lot Green is thought to have been the first
teacher. School was sometimes held in the old meeting-house that stood by
the grave-yard on Poplar Ridge and which for a number of years served the
Friends as their place of worship. An Irishman by the name of Thomas
O'Brien taught several terms at this ])lace and among his pupils were the
Stantons. Truslers, Becketts, Wrights and the \\'ards.

In 1816 or 1817 a .school was taught by David Sloan in a cabin that
stood on section IQ. Soon after th.is a log school house was built about a
mile farther south in which the first teacher was Joseph Moore.

The third school house built in the township was on section 24. between
two and three miles west of Everton. Robert Gathers, Robert Willis and
William Eskew were early teachers. Just a little later another school house
was built on section _^o. on the north fork of Bear creek and John Giuin
taught here for several terms.

In about 1827 or 1828 a school was taught by Tra\-is Silve}- in an
abandoned dwelling that stood in section 12. Another school house of the
same kind was standing just east of the Mount Zion church, around which
many interesting events occurred. One of these happened wdiile John Barnes
was teaching about the year 1829. In this particular case Barnes was
"barred out" and after being satisfied that he could not make an entrance
was willing to submit to any kind of a compromise. The boys suggested
that "Daddy" Baker, who lived close by, had a good store of winter apples
and that if going for a bushel was any object the barricade would be
removed. Suffice to say that the apples were forthcoming.

248 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The village of E\erton is located near the center of Jackson township,
seven miles southeast of the county seat, its banking point, and four miles
east of Nulltown, its shipping point. The \-illage as originally laid out was
on parts of the farms of William Adams and Eli Lee, who purchased the
land from the government in 1813 and 1812 respectively. The origin of
the hamlet is quite obscure and, bids fair to remain as such b£<;ause not even
tradition has been able to trace the early years of its history. The place
seems to have first been named Lawstown, or Lawsburg, and then West
Union. During the time it was called by the latter name an addition of
twelve lots was made just south of South street, this occurring in December.
1836. In March, 1856, the county commissioners ordered that the name
of the village be changed to that of Everton, which was the name given the
postoffice, which had been established on November 10, 1827, with Joseph D.
Thompson as postmaster. No one in the village in 1917 could explain the
origin of the name Everton.

The first persons to whom the county commissioners granted license to
carry on business were Thomas J. and Miles H. Larimore, merchants, in
1828; in 1829, Maria Haughton, merchant: Thomas A. v Thorn, tavern; in
1832, Thomas A. Thorn, tavern and liquor; William Beckett and Robert
Taylor, groceries and liquor; in 1834, Isaac T. Riggs, tavern and liquor;
in 1836, Frederick A. Curtis, tavern and liquor; 1838, Hugh Morrow, tav-
ern and liquor. More than a score of diiterent men have had mercantile
establishments of one kind or anotlier since the forties. There was a time
when Everton even rivaled Connersyille as a trading center. In the village
itself, or within three miles of it, there were to be found in the period prior
to the Civil War a shingle factory, coffin factory, pump factory (still in
operation by S. E. Adams), saw-mill, wagon shnji. tannery, distillery, woolen
factory, grist-mill and a charcoal kiln.

The village became a corporate body. January 20, 1841, and William
H. Evans was elected president of the village council and R. N. Taylor was
chosen clerk. However, the tow-n had only two separate population returns;
in i860 it was given a population of two hundred and thirty-nine and in
1870, one hundred and forty-nine. The local records of the town during
its period of incorporation have long since disappeared and it is impossible
to tell when tb.e corporation was dissolved. If. the corporation had a con-
tinuous existence up to 1870, it appears that the town would have had a

FWKTTI- roiTXTV, ixni\NA. J40

separate iiopulatiini reluni in 1S50. hul it ilnes iidt. Returns were made
separately tor tlie town in i8()C) and iS-o and as none was made in iSSo. it
is very evident that the cnqKiraticin was (h'sscihed some lime between 1X7(1
and 1880.

The business interests at the luL^iunint;- nf U)\J were in tlie hands m'
the following-: Thomas Dawson, general store: Jerniain & ("irittith. black-
smiths; W. M. Moore, general store: E. R. Lake, farm implements: Dr. AI.
Ross, physician and surgeon. The Methodists have the one church in the
village, E. A. Hartsaw being the ])astor. The present population is about one
hundred and fifteen. The postmaster is Thomas Dawson. Two rural routes,
in charge of George Scott and .\rthnr I'lark. are connected with the local
postofifice.

A town ball furnishes a meeting i)lace for all |>iiblic gatherings, lodges,
etc.

The government established a postoftice at lAerton. \'o\ember in,
1827. l-'ollowing is a list of the postmasters to date with their lengths of
service: Joseph 1). Thonjiison. i8j7-i8;v8: Robert X. Taylor, i8;yS-i847:
James M. Cockefair. 1847-1S4.); William 11. lAans, i84()-i83i: e-harles II.
Chambers, 185 1 - 183.:; : James W. ( )li|)liant, 1853-1833: William Kerr. 1833-
1861: Allen \'. Larimore. 1861-1863: James L. Miller, March 3, 1863, to
.March 30, i8()3: William I'. Adams, i8h3-i864: Edwin J. Thompson, 18C4-
i8(.7; John 1!. Salyer, )anuar\- 3. 1 8(17— Seiitember jo, i8r)7: bldwin J.
Thom])son, 18^17-1874: William Johnston. 1874-187O: John I). Lambert,
i87(i-()3: Horace Ridge, i8(;3-()4: b'anny Ridge, i8()4-()7: R. T. Taylor,
i8()7-o8: Cornelius McGlinchey, 1008-14: Thomas Dawson, since Jnlv [4,
1914,

BEXTLEY.

The little hamlet of P.entley, located in the southeastern ])art of Jackson
townsbiji, was chosen for a jxistolfice in i88_'. The i>ftice was established
on June 3J. i88j, with Lbenezer ("denn, who conducted .a generrd store, as
postmaster. Anions; other postmasters were 1 lenry Trusler, Ira Trusler and
"l'.ul>" Smith. The \illage has no store at the ])resent time and is on a
rural route.

TENXIXr.S TOWXSI

Jennings township, named in honor of Jonathan Jennings, then gov-
ernor of the state, was one of the fixe townships organized by the county

250 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

commissioners on February 9, 1819. As originally constituted its bound-
aries were as follow: "Beginning at the southwest corner of section 16,
township 13, range 13: thence north to the northwest corner of section 21,
township 14, range 13; thence east along the line dixiding sections 21 and
16 to the boundary line (Indian boundary line of 1795) ; thence south along
said boundary to the southeast corner of fractional section iS; thence west
to the place of beginning." Thus the townshi]) included, in addition to
its present territory, a considerable strij) of Union county, now parts of
Liberty and Harmony townships of the latter county. 1^'pon the. organ-
ization of LTnion county, January 5, 1821, Jennings township was left with
its ]3resent limits.

When the county was organized, 1^'ebruary q. 1819, ail of the land in
this township had been entered with the exception of the northeast quarter
of section 15. this tract iieing entered by William 1'. and James A. Belton
on November t8. 1831. 1'he complete list of land entries of the entire
township is as follows :

To-a'iishil^ 14 Kortlt. Range 13 East.

Section 21— Sold in 1812, 1813, 1815 and 1816 to John C. Death, Isaac
Fletcher, Jonathan Hougham, O. Stoddard and N. Robinson.

Section 22 — Sold in 1811, 1812 and 1813 to John Keeney, Abraham
Vanmeter, David Fletcher and Hill & Oldham.

Section 23 — Sold in 1814 and 1816 to Thomas Simpson, .\mos Sutton
and Valentine Harman.

Section 26 — Sold in 181 1, 1813 and 1814 to Lewis Noble, William
Kr.ott and Daniel Boyles, Jr.

Section 2j — Sold in 181 1, 1814, 1815 and 1816 to Samuel Riggs,
Michael Brown, John Oldham and Zachariah Ferree.

Section 28 — Sold in 1813, 1814 and 1816 to Smith & Conner, James
^^'ard, John Keeney and Robert Brown.

Section- 33 — Sold in 1813, 1814 and 1815 to Samuel Bell and Phineas
McCray.

Section 34 — Sold in 1813 and 1814 to Peggie Shields, Jacob Darter,
Thomas Patton and Richard Colvin.

Section 35 — Sold in 1814 and 1815 to Robert Abernathy, Samuel Wil-
son and Joseph Dungan.

FAYKTTK COUNTY. INDIANA. 25 1

ToTCiisliif^ 1.^ Xortli. Raiif^c 13 East.

Section j— Sold in 1813 and 1814 to Joseph N'annieler. Ciiles Mattix
and .Michael Brown.

Section ,^— Snld in iSi 1, 1S13 and 1S14 Ici Sanuiel h'allen, Jacob Dai'ter.
Joseph Vanmeter and Andrew P.ailey.

.Section 4— Sold in iSi.:; and 1S14 n, Idinnias flark, William I'atti.n,
John Manley and William Manley.

Section 9 — Sold in iSiS and iSr; U> Adam Pit;nian, Jesse Pii.;nian,
Herod Newland and John Wood.

Section 10 — Sold in iSi_| !o John T5iay. Benjamin hdliott. h'.phraim
Bering and John Hilff.

Section 1 1— Sold in 1S14 and iSi^ to Henry Bray, Jacob Mattix. John
Black and Solomon Wise.

Section 14 — Sold in 1814. 1815 and 1816 to Benjamin 11. Hanson.
Herod Xewland, Klisha ("randel, William and Robert .\n<^ent.

Section 15 — Sold in 1813, iS[4 and 1831 to James Worster, llero.l
New-land, John HntT, W'illiam 1'. and James A. Belton.

Section 16 — Reserved for school purposes.

Although a great amount of the land in this township was purchased
in 181 1 and 181 2, there were very few actual settlements prior to 18 14.
To Thomas Simpson, a native of Maryland, is given the credit of being the
first settler within the limits of this subdivision. About 1805 or 1806, ha\-
ing in view the purchase of land in the Indiana territory, he removed to
the \icinitv of Harrison, Dhio, and there awaited the further pre])aration of
lands for market. \Mien the ])arty was being made u]) for the ])nrpose of
making the survey of the '"Twelve-.Mile Purchase." Simpson joined them
to act as hunter for the party. He remained with the surveying party until
the survey was completed, after roaming o\er the country from Michigan to
the Ohio river. With the approach of winter in the fall of 1809. the part\-
built a log-cabin by a spring on the northeast quarter of section 23. town-
ship 14, range 13, which they occupied during the survey of that region of
the country.

Upon the completion of the survey Simpson moved his fann'ly into the
cabin and there passed the remainder of his days. Within three-f|uarters of
a mile from the cabin was the Indian cami)ing ground and many were the
visits paid to the Sinijison cabin where the red men were often fetl and
treated with kindness. Just north of the creek known to the Indians as
Brushv creek, subsequently gi\en the name of Simpson by the pioneers, was

252 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the huryving place of the Iiuhans and upon the arrival of the Simpsons was
still used.

'Hie majority of the early settlers were emi<^rants of the Southern
states, yet many were natives of the North and East who had emigrated in
the earlier history of that section.

The next earliest settlers coming into the township were John Keeney,
James Smith, Samuel Smith, John and Stephen Oldham, all men of families,
who came from the same neighborhood as the Simpsons. Smith and one
of the Oldham brothers were ministers of the Regular Baptist church.

James l])arter and family, from Virginia, settled on the east fork of
White Water river in what is now Union county in 181 2 and in the spring
of 1813 moved over into Fayette county. The same season Joseph Van-
meter and John Manley came t(j the same neighborhood. About this time
Isaac and James Jones settled in the same \icinity and are supposed to have
purchased land of Joseph Vanmeter.

AIan\- of tho.se entering land settled upon it near the time of the pur-
chase, while a few neier liad any itlea of.nittking permanent settlement, but
bought for others and for speculation.

Isaac I^letcher was one of the early settlers, but after remaining for
only a short time sold his land to William Walker, from Ohio.

.\aron and Jonathan Hau,gham, from Kentucky, after a residence in the
township for a few years, removed farther west. Some of those who fol-
lowed their example were Lewis, Daniel and Joseph Noble, the Stoddard
and Robinson families from Ohio.

.\dam and Jesse Pigman, brothers, were among the earliest settlei's and
were men who tocjk an active interest in public affairs and civic improvement.
The land on which tiiese men entered was a dense forest. The first year
the}' managed to clear about six acres, which they planted in corn. By the
ne.xt spring twehe acres more had been cleared, part of which was planted
in fruit trees, the first planted in the Village creek valley.

Several families came from Pennsylvania about 1814 and 1815, among
whom were James Worster and his father, Robert, who was among the early
school teachers of the county and also was the first Methodist minister west
of the .-Mlegham- mountains. Other settlers from Pennsylvania were Amos
Milliner, a soldier of the Re\'olution who settled in the township in 1819.
David Sutton, who came in 1816 and entered a \ast tract of land, John
Jacob Scholl, a later settler and the father of Jacob, Solomon and George
Scholl.

FAYKTTK CDINTY, INDIAXA. 253

From \'irt;inia caiiu' ^cxcral sftllers. anioni^' wlmm wore Aliialiaiu
l.yoiis, will) came in Indiana territury in 1 SoS ami in 1X13 Im-atod in the
vicinity n{ .\l(|uina. William l.air. a s.ildicr nl the War oi iSu. was an
early settler, entering- land in the township, n])on which he died. William
Walker was another settler ivom \'ir<^inia and settled here in iSn). Michae'
Petro came from tlie same state and located in iSid.

From North Carolina came the Rosses and ("larland Stanley. Ihe
Rosses were ])ionecrs in the vicinity of Alquina. The Stanley lannly imnn
,<;rated to I'nion connt\ in iSjJ :>.nd in 1SJ4 settled in this tiiwnshi]).

.\mont;- settlers fr(i\n xaricnis nther places of the Scmth and West were
the Rutherfords. who i)nrchased a trad i.f land of one Inmdred and seventy
acres in section 4 tor the snni of eight hnndreil dollars. Samuel and josei:)h
Bell, Stephen Gonlding. Jeremiah and John Woods were \ery earl\- settlers.
Others were George Deatii. Sanuicl Riggs, William Knott, Michael llrown.
the \'eatch, Fondenhack and Hutchins families.

KARI.V SCITOOr.S.

The Jones and Darter school houses were among the first places oi
learning in the townshi]i and were located ahout half-way l>etween those
farms. Bayliss Jones was one of the first teachers. Another school house
of the same period, known as the l'>estone school, stood probahly one mile
east of the Mount darrison meeting-house on the .Asliury Hanson farm.
Some of the early teachers in this locality were Matthew R. Hull, Green
Farimore, Washington C'urnnit, Thomas O'F.rian, John 1\ Brown an(' a
man hy the name of Finn. James Worster was also an early teacher in
the .southern jiarl of the townshi]i. An garly school was taught in ti'e
neighborhood of .Mquina h\ .S(|uire Harrison, of C'onners\ille, and a man
by the name of Barnard. The tirst houses were constructed of logs and the
teachers were paid entirely by subscri])lion.

E.\KI.V IXni STKIKS.

The early industries of the townshi]) were characteristic of those of
the other townships. During the early i)eriod co])])er stills were found on
nearly every creek and brancli. Those who owned stills were John Harlan,
JamesRi^s, WiHiam Walker, llige llnbbell and .Michael I'etro.

Henry Cashner erected the tirst and onl\- grist-mill of the township on
Simpson's creek sometime jjrior to iSjf.. In connection, he also operated

254 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

a saw-mill and a distillery. Peter P'iant and Lewis Monger were later
owners and for a number of years a large amount of business was transacted.

ALQUINA.

The origin of this little village seems wrapped in mystery and doubt-
less will always remain thus. The original proprietor of the land occupied
by the village was Joseph Vanmeter. According to tradition, a merchant
there by the name of Green Larimore gave the name to the place.

Records show that two additions have been made to the village. The
first and south addition was laid off, November 2, 1838, by Joseph D. Ross
and Isaac Darter, while the northern part was laid off by Jacob Reed, Decem-
ber 2"], 184], William Dickey-being the surveyor.

The first merchant of whom there is any record was Samuel N. Harlan,
who was granted permission by the county commissioners to sell merchan-
dise in May, 1830. H. G. Larimore was gixen a similar privilege in Janu-
ary of the following year and continued in business for some time. Moses
Lyons conducted a general store from 1836 until 1839, when he was suc-
ceeded by Joseph D. and Samuel K. Ross. On May 23, 1839, Joseph D.
Ross was appointed postmaster to succeed Joseph C. Ross, the first post-
master, appointed December 15, 1832. Joseph D. Ross kept the postoffice
in his store and was postmaster until the office was discontinued, March
30, 1843. Da\'id Maze became the business successor to the Rosses and
after several years sold to John H. Eyestone. Subsequent 'firms were S. &
T. Jackson, Eyestone & Newland, H. H. & Thomas Jackson, Maze & Jackson.

The earlier blacksmiths of the village include the following: John
Cashner, Joseph Graham, Jacob. Davis, Joseph Pullen, John Sims, Aaron
Goulding and a man by the name of Mallery.

One of the early industries of the \illage and one which was operated
for more than a decade was a tan-yard, owned by John H. Eyestone. The
only other industry worthy of mention was a steam flour-mill, in operation
alxnU 1841 and owned by George P. Lyons, Samuel Branum, William Freely
and a fourth ]jarty. After having changed ownership a number of times,
the mill was tlestroyed by fire w hen owned b\- Price Brothers. It was rebuilt,
with the addition of a planing-mill for the manufacture of doors and sashes.
In later vears it was removed to another location.

The village, which is unincorporated, has a population of about one
hundred and is ser\-ed bv a rural mail route out of the countv seat. L. C.

FAVETTK COl'NTY. IN'DIANA. 255

Titteringtoii & t'onipany li;i\e tlie only ■^lore in the \illaiJe. There are two
resident physicians, Drs. Onier Iv Pale and Stanton K. Gordon.

The followino- inchules the names and times of service of eacii post-
master, be.g^inning with Decenilier 13. iS_^j, when tlie otYice was estabhshed
with James C. Ross as postmaster: James C Ross. 1832-1839: Joseph D.
Ross. 1839, to March 30. 1843 (discontinued); Thomas H. Jackson, April
28. 1843 (re-estabhshed). 1848: Baltharis Whitsel. August 10, 1848, to
November 22, 1848; (ieorge W. \\'oodbury. 1848-1849; John H. Eyestone.
1849-1854: Thomas H. Jaci<son, 1854-1855; I'ahs E. Jones, January 23,
1855, to November 2y. 1855; Joshua Lemmon, November 27, 1855, to 1857;
Hiram H. Maze. 1867- 1869; ^fiUon A. Price. 1869-1870; Isaac Weils, 1870-
1872; Hiram H. IMaze, 1872-1875: ^lartha R. Hull, 1875-1876; Hiram H.
.Maze. 1876, to Octal)er 2(). 1877 ( discontinued 1 : Mary V. Darter, Novem-
ber 26. 1877 (re-established), to 1881; William H. Hewitt, 1881-1883:
Andrew Young. March 8. 1883. December 17, 1883: Willis O. Parker.
December 17, 1883.

I.YONSVIT.LR.

When the Cincinnati. Hamiltcm tS: Daylon railmad. now known as the
Cincinnati. Indianaimlis \- Western, was l)eing Iniilt tlirough the county, a
station was estal)lished just soutli of Siiringersxille and given the name of
Lyons Station. The station and jMistottice. tlie latter lieing established June
2. 1863. continued to iiear this name until June, i()i(). .\t that time the post-
ofTice was discontinued and the railmad comi)any at once changed the name
of their station to Lyonsville. This was done becau.se there was a town by
the name of T.yons in Greene county. Indiana, and freight and express for
the two places frequently got misshipped because of the similarity of names.
The little hamlet contains aliout eight dwellings and contains a population
of nearl\- fift\- peo])le. The business interests include the following: (^. P.
Stelle, general store; G. W. Walker, general store; T. O. Stanley, grain
dealer; Meider & Bland, wagon-makers; Dickson P>rothers maintain a store
room and warehouse for hardware and farming ini])lenients, but conduct no
retail store. The station agent is R. .\. Lyons.

The first postmaster of the \illage was Robert R. Monger. wJio held
the office- fr(Mn 1863 to 1865. He was succeeded by James V. Lyons. C.
E. Brandenburg was ]iostniaster for some time prior to June. ioi''>.

256 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ORANGE TOWNSHIP.

Orange township, named in honor of a county in North Carolina
from which many of the early settlers came, was organized out of parts
of Columbia and Conners\ille townshijis cm February 18, 1822. Its origi-
nal limits were as follow s : "Beginning at the southwest corner of Fayette
county, running easterly with said county line three miles to the range line ;
thence north with the said range line to the nothern boundary of Conners-
ville township; thence west with the said townshij) line to the county line;
thence south with the said count}- line to the place of l>eginning;'" The
township thus contained six more sections than it now has, the organization
of Fairview township in December. 1 85 1 , resulting in the detachment
of the two northern tiers of sections.

All of this township, with the exception of small fractional portions
of sections 13, 24, 2~, and 36 falls within the "New Purchase," and conse-
c|uently was not open for entry until after 1820. In fact, there was no
land entered in the township until at least one \-ear after the county was
organized. The complete list of land entries follows :

Toniishif^ 14 North, Raiu/c 11 East.

Section 34 — Sold in 1820 to Robert Lyon and Joseph Justice.
Section 35 — Sold in 1820 to Ephraim Frazee and John Gregg.
Section 3()-— Sold in 1S20 to E]ihraim Smith, Nathan Ells, Aloses Scott
and Ephraim Frazee.

Township 13 North. Range 11 East.

Section i — Sold in 1822, 1825, 1830 and 1831 to Ephraim Frazee, John
Coley, Dyer Woodsworth, Abraham Finch, Enos Carter, Samuel Smith and
William Martin.

Section 2— Sold in 1822, 1824, 1826, 1828 and 1830 to David Dill.
John Coley, Robert M. Orr, John Wagoner, Philip Rich and Aaron Ander-
son.

Section 3 — Sold in 1820, 1821, and 1822 to Aaron Betts, John Ratclifif,
John Russell, Susannah, Margaret, Marion and Regannah Ronald, David
Dill.

Section 10 — Sold in 1820, 1821, 1822 and 1830 to Isaac Thomas, Hugh
Allen, Joshua Moore, David Dill, George H. Puntenny and Joseph McDonald

FAYKTTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 25/

Section ii — Sold in 1822. 1830, 1831. 1832 and 1834 to (Jeorj^e II.
Puntenny, Silas M. Stone, Thomas R. Stevenson, John Alexander, Jefferson
Helm, James Case, Hugh Wilson, James Lathers, and Noah Dawson.

Section 12 — Sold in 1820, 1831, 1832 and 1834 to John Ronald, John
C. Halstead, John Thomas and Hugh Wilson.

Section 13 — Sold in 1820, 1822, 1823, 1825, 1827, 1831 and 1832 to
William Callett, John Klum, Henry Khini, George K. Cook, John Cook,
John Haglett and Thomas G. Stephens.

Section 14 — Sold in 1821, 1822, 1824 and 1831 to Triplett L.ockhart,
Shelton Jones, Thomas Williamson, Elias B. Stone, Jonas Jones, Silas H.
Stone, Bethuel Rychmaul and Henry Klum.

Section 15 — Sold in 1821 and 1822 to Henry Brown, .\aron Betts anil
Elias B. Stone.

Section 22 — Sold in 1821, 1822, 1824 and 1830 to William Stephens,
John Wagoner, Charles Scott, David Dill, Elias B. Stone, John Longfellow,
and Daniel Jackson.

Section 2;^ — Sold in 1822, 1824 and 1830 to Daniel McNeill, David Dill,
Peyton Cook, John L. Lindsey, John Daniel and Thomas G. Stephens.

Section 24 — Sold in 1825, 1831, 1832 and 1843 to William McPherson,
Josiah MuUikin, Euphemia Morrison, Daniel Jackson, John Klum and Lewis
B. Tupper.

Section 25 — Sold in 1821, 1823, 1832, 1833 and 1834 to Elias Matney,
John Jacobs, Elisha Ellison, James Stevens, Thomas G. Stephenson, Mary
Johnson and Richard Stevens.

Section 26 — Sold in 1822, 1S24, 1830 and 1833 to Robert Stevens.
Ephraim Johnson, Le\\is Jolmson, Jacob Moss, Samuel Wilson, John Ting-
lish and Lawrence Johnson.

Section 27— Sold in 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1825 and 1830 to David
Crews, Jr., William Moore, Michael Beaver, James New, Solomon Carn,
Lawrence Johnson and Rinard Rinearson.

Section 34 — Sold in 1820, 1822, 1823. 1825 and 1829 to C. Rinearson,
William Pool, Joseph Stevens, William Dearning, Conrad Plow, William
Arnold and Moses Bart.

Section 35 — Sold in 1821, T822, 1823 and 1831 to Catherine Watson,
B. E, Hains, Conrad Plow, Elijah Pool, Adam McNeill and C. W. Burt.

Section 36 — Sold in 1820, 182 1, 1822, 1829 and 1834 to Cornelius
Rinearson, Alexander Ayers, Timothy AlHson, John Woolech, John Lin-
ville and James Conwell, John Gregg.
(17)

258 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Pioneers in Orange township were John Scott, John Reed and wife,
Mrs. Sarah Wyle, Silas Stone and wife, WilHam Huston and wife, W. J.
Daniel, Joseph Cotton, Wells Stevens, John Springer, Elias Matney and
wife, Edwin Austin, Mrs. Stevens.

As will be noted from the above land entries, no settlement was made
in Orange township prior to 1820. Probably the first to settle in the town-
ship was Wells Stevens, the son of Robert Stevens, who emigrated from
Carolina during the first decade of the century and settled in tlie vicinity
of the east fork of the White Water river. Wells Stevens, in 1820, having
just married, settled in the southwest corner of the township and began
the work characteristic of the early settler. He completed his little pioneer
cabin before the completion of the survey and the story is told that on sev-
eral occasions the surveyors sought comfort and rest in his humble dwelling.

Another man who made settlement in 1820, but somewhat later in the
year than Wells Stevens, was Elias B. Stone, who emigrated from Kentucky
and settled on Garrison's creek, southeast of Fayetteville. Silas B. Stone,
a brother, came two years later, but did not make a permanent settlement
until 1824.

Adam McNeill, a brother-in-law to Robert Stevens, and William Pool
were early settlers in the Stevens neighborhood. In 1821. George Creelman,
a native of Ireland, settled in the township. At the same time the Dills
settled here.

In 1822 John Scott entered land in the township and the same year
constructed a shanty upon it and removed his mother's family thereto. The
father had died leaving the family in destitute circumstances. The son
John travelled the river, worked on flat-boats and in other employment
and with his earnings made the purchase mentioned. Later he served as
one of the associate judges of the county and occupied other public posi-
tions.

During the period from 1820 to 1830 the following persons settled
north and east of Fayetteville : Hugh Allen, John Russell, Samuel Hornadv,
John Coley, James Lathers and a Mr. Perkins.

About 1823, Ral])li Titsworth and family settled prohablv one mile
and a half north of Fayetteville.

Among others who were early jiioneers were Henry Dicken. Triplet
Lockhart. Joseph Justice, Cornelius Rinearson, Laurence Johnson, Elias
Matney and Ale.xander Ayers.

The farms in this township were improved and cleared mostly by
renters. These renters, as soon as they had made the specified improve-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 259

ments on the premises, usually moved on to another location, thus leavinfj
little account of themselves. In some cases the purchasers of the land
remained away until the land was partially cleared up and the ground put
into a tillable condition.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

A little log cabin located just north of Fayetteville is supposed to have
acted as the first school house in the township. The first teacher was Eleanor
Blair, who taught in 1823. .Another school was conducted two or three
years afterward in a cabin that stood about a mile and a half northeast of
Fayetteville on what was known as the Russell farm. One of the first teach-
ers was a lady by the name of Mitchell.

School district No. i was organized in 1824. The building, which was
in keeping with the houses of the period, was built on the ground donated
by John Cole}'. The school tax was nearly all paid in labor and material.
A man by the name of Gunn taught the first school in this building. In
1825 another scluxjl district was organized in Danville (later Fayetteville,
now Orange). \Viley J. Daniel was one of the early teachers at this place.
J. P. l')amei and Tanies l^hodes were also early teachers in the village.

In the Sain's creek neighborhood, the first school house stood in the
northwest quarter of section 36, on what was later known as the Winchell
farm. John Bell, Thomas Points and Alexander Patton were among the
early teachers. After several years the building became inadequate to the
needs of the community and another building was constructed about four
hundred yards south of the old one. Alexander Matney was one of the
early teachers.

EARLY INDUSTRIES.

Ehas B. Stone had the honor of erecting the first grist-mill in the town-
ship, located on the south branch of Garrison's creek. Subsequently. S. H.
Stone bought the grist-mill, and operated it for several years. He disposed
of his interests to John Lindsey and James Tuttle, who built and carried
on a distillery in connection wiili the mills. Later, S. H. Stone built another
grist-mill in the northeast part of the southeast quarter of section 14, and
afterwards aflded a saw-mill to the grist-mill. On the north branch of Gar-
rison's creek, a saw-mill was built by Hugh Gray sometime prior to 1833.
William Reed erected a saw-mill only a short distance above the Gray miU
about the same time. A man by the name of Starbuck started a tanyard at
the \'illage of Fayetteville (now Orange) \ery early and was succeeded by

26o FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Ishani Keith. i\n industry that was of a short Hfe was the carding machine
that was operated in Fayetteville by Benjamin F. Morrow.

Located in the northeastern part of the township is the largest apple
orchard in the county, owned by Reed & Fielding. The orchard is a model
of its kind and, along with others, has been favorably mentioned as one of
the best in this section of the state.

Orange, formerly known as Fayetteville. is in Orange township and on
the lioundary line I)etween the two counties. The village was sur-
veyed* and platted by Thomas Hinkson for Elias B. Stone and Isaac Thomas,
October 12, 1824, and given the name of Danville. On September 30,
1841, an addition was made on the south side by Elias B. Stone. Robert
Cox was the first business man of the town, he conducting a general store
and a blacksmith shop and also manufactured bells. Robert Wilson was
perhaps the first blacksmith and Doctors Mason, Helm and Daniel were
early physicians.

In 1833 Burgess G. Wells was given permission to vend merchandise
and in 1837 became postmaster of the village. Other early merchants were
James M. Conner and Thomas Marks. John Latcbem and Joshua Wolf
were among the early blacksmiths. John B. Williams was the cabinet-
maker for the community in 1833. A man by the name of Vantyne was
one of the first wagon-makers in this section.

Doctor Jefferson had the distinction of building the first frame house in
1830 or 1831. The first brick house was built by Joshua Wolf.

A postoffice was established here, February 8, 1833, under the name
of Orange. The following is a complete list of the postmasters up to the
time the office was di-sconiinued : Wiley J. Daniel, 1833-1837; Burgess G.
Wells, 1837-1840: Thomas Marks, 1840-1842; John B. Williams, March
2, 1842-July 28, 1842; Isham Keith, 1842-1846; Joseph P. Daniel, 1846-
1862; Joel Rhodes, 1862-1865; Joseph George, 1865.

GLENWOOD.

Glenwood, a village of about three hundred and seventy-five population,
is on the Fayette-Rush county line, the part of the village in Fayette county
being in Fairview and Orange townships. According to the 1910 census
the village had a population of two himdred and sixty-six — with forty-nine

FAYETTE COfNTY, INDIANA. 261

in Fayette and two hundred and seventeen in Rush county. Of those forty-
nine in Fayette county, eiglit were in Fairview and forty-one in Orang-e
township. The village is on the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western rail-
road and the traction line running between Indianajwlis and C'onnersville.
The history of this village really belongs to Rush county.

The following places of business in Glenwood are on the Fayette
county side: Saw-mill, Orlando Nichols; barber shop and pool room, Jesse
\'andiver; livery stable and auctioneer, Clarence Carr; veterinary surgeon,
Leon Mingle; harness shop and confectionery, Otto Cameron; butcher shop,
William Combs & Son; general store, A. P. Reynolds; blacksmith, Bert
Timmerman; garage, Mr. Osborn; physician. H. S. Osborn. The three
fraternal organizations of Glenwood are on the Rush county side. There
was formerly a congregation of the Seventh-Day .\dventists in Glenwood
on the Fayette county side. The congregation built a small church in the
southwestern corner of Fairview township about twenty-Bve years ago,
but the congregation was disbanded several years ago. The old church
building is now a part of a dwelling house with a store room in front. The
grain elevator is on the Fayette county side. It is managed by Jesse Murphy
& Son, who also handle coal, cement, flour, paint and farming implements.

POSEY TOWNSHIP.

Pose?\r township,. named in honor of Thomas Posey, governor of Indiana
territory from 1812 until the state was admitted to the Union, was created
out of Harrison township by the county commissioners in February, 1823.
The boundary lines as first defined in 1823 have never lieen changed. They
follow: "Henceforth all that district of country and part of Harrison
township w^hich is inclosed in the following bounds shall form and consti-
tute a new township td be known and designated by the name of Posey
township, to-wit : Beginning at the southwest corner of Wayne county,
at the southeast corner of .section 28. running thence north on the county
line five miles to the extreme northeast corner of [''aNette county; thence
west six miles to the northwest corner of .said county; thence south five
miles to the southwest corner of section 2~\ thence east on the section line
to the place of beginning."'

The following is a complete list of the original lai:d entries in i'osey
township : \

262 FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

Toivnship 15 North, Range 12 East.

Section 4 — Sold in 1817, 1821, 1822 and 1823 to Joel Rains, Thomas
Reag-an, Henry Thornburg and Chancey Ridgeway.

Section 5 — Sold in 1821, 1822, 1823 and 1824 to James Swofford,
Henry Thornburg, Peter Wails, Daniel Mills, Nehemiah Stanbrough, Andrew
Pentecost, Michael Spencer and Isaac Galbraith.

Section 6 — Sold in 1822, 1824, 1826 and 1836 to Rachael Frazier, David
Galbraith, James McConkey, William Moore. John Frazier, Ezra Hunt and
Benjamin Griffin.

Section 7 — Sold in 1823, 1824 and 1829 to James Kirkwood, James
Gilleland, Thomas Kirkwood, Robert Harrison, James S. Kirkwood, Levi
Charles, Andrew Pentecost and Garrison Miner.

Section 8 — Sold in 182 1, 1823 and 1828 to Joel Rains, Henry Thorn-
burg, Elizabeth McColum, James Gilleland and Joseph Gard.

Section q — Sold in 1817. 1825. 1828 and 1829 to John Bell. Henry
Th(.irnburg, Thomas Hutler and John Beal.

Section 16 — Reserved for school purposes.

Section 17 — Sold in 1821, 1822 and 1823 to Samuel Bantham. John
Whitehead, Micajah Ferguson and John Ingles.

Section 18 — Sold in 182 1 and 1822 to John Higer, John Ingles, John
Higer, John K. Munger, William McCann and John Weaver.

Section 19 — Sold in 182 1 to Lawrence Ginn, Trueman Munger, Hugh
Dickey, and Edward K. Munger.

Section 20 — Sold in 182 1 and 1823 to John Gilleland, John Huston,
John C. Cook, Prudence Manlove, Laurence Ginn and James Gilleland.

Section 21 — Sold in 1812, 1813, 1814 and 1821 to Elisha Dennis,
William Lowry, Amos Ashew, Samuel Heath and John Gilleland.

Section 28 — Sold in 181 1, 1812 and 1814 to George Manlove, R. Kolb,
Manlove Caldwell and John Caldwell.

Section 29 — Sold in 18 14, 1821 and 1822 to John Loder, Philip Srader,
David Sprong, John Huston and Charles Legg.

Section 30 — Sold in 182 1 and 1822 to John Higer, Philip Srader, John
Huston, William Sutton, John Murphy and Bennett B. Cook.

Township 15 North, Range 11 East.

Section i — Sijd in 1821, 1822, 1823 and 1824 to Stephen Hull, Joseph
Evans, Solomon ^^'aller and John Finney.

I-AY1:TTK COl-XTY. INDIANA. 263

Section 2 — Sold in 1821. i8j2 and 1823 to Joseph Evans, John WaUers
and Conrad Walters.

Section 3 — Sold in 1822. 1823, 1829 and 1830 to William Walters,
Isaac Metcalf, Charles Smith, R. Spencer, Peter \'oorhees, John G. Eaton
and Thomas K. Stiles.

Section 10 — Sold in 1821, 1826, 1830 and 1831 to Noah Fonts, Thomas
Smith, Edward Frazier. John Moifitt, luhvard h>yan. William Shaw and
Thomas Knipe.

Section 11 — Sold in 1822. \':<i\. 182(1, 1829 and 1833 to Mai-y Wetter-
field, George Merrick, Catherine Heck, Godfrey Heck and John SHnks.

Section 12 — Sold in 1824, 1826, 1830 and 1833 to Peter Kemmer, John
W. Waterfield, William Henry, Charles Campbell and Joseph Evans.

Section 13 — Sold in 1821, 1823, 1824 and 1827 to Thomas K. Stiles,
John Treadway, Enoch Warman, Jane Gilleland, John Norcross and Jesse
Dobbins.

Section 14 — Sold in 182 1, 1822. 1824 and 1825. to Roliert Dollahan,
John Banfill, Isaac Metcalf, William Beard, Samuel Alexander and Casper
Stoner.

Section 15 — Sold in 1S21, 1822, 1824 and 1826 to L. French, Jacob
Lonen, John Hillis and Thomas Woodman.

Section 22 — Sold in 1824, 1825, 1826, 1828 and 1829 to John Coleman,
Isaac Personett. Robert Moulton, G. Pattison, A. J. \"eatch and William
Jackson.

Section it, — Sold in 1821, 1823, 1826 and 1828 to Micajah Jackson.
John Mallins, John Peanell. William Pattison, Matthew Marland, L. White-
head, Henderson Bragg and Xathan Wilson

Section 24 — Sold in 1821, 1822 and 1823 to John Stephen, William
Dickey, James Russell, Elijah Haymon, James Gilleland, and Robert McCann.

Section 25 — Sold in 1821, 1822 and 1823 to John Huston, John Dauben-
speck, William Alger, William Pattison and Henry Conkling.

Section 26 — Sold in 182 1 to Matthew Howard.

Section 27 — Sold in 1821, 1823, 1824 and 1826 to Michael Brown, John
C. Cook, Reason ^^^ Debriler, Samuel Knotts, Jonatlian Hatfield, and Green-
bury Lahine.

The earliest settler of whom there is any authentic information was
George Manlove. who came to this country from North Carolina in October,
181 1, and settled on the northwest quarter of section 28. However, it seems
that he remained on his purchase only a short time, as he feared trouble

264 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

with the Indians and consequently returned to Preble county, Ohio. He
remained in Ohio until 1814 and then returned to the place of original set-
tlement.

The Hungers, among the lirst to enter and settle upon land in the
"New Purchase,' came from Rutland county, Vermont, and settled about
one and one-half miles southeast of Bentonville in the fall of 1821. Among
others who settled in this territory were, Isaac Galbreath, David Galbreath,
both from Kentucky, and Jehu Vickroy, from North Carolina.

The years of 1821 and 1822 were periods of greater settlement up to
that time and included settlers from many parts of the Eastern and Southern
states. Among the number were, John Chapel, Micajah Jackson, Henrv
Thornburg, Reason Reagan, Bennett B. Cook, John Mullins, John Coleman
and John Frazier from North Carolina; John Hallis, William Beard, Rob-
ert Mitchell, James McConkey, Daniel New, William Patterson, Godfrey
Peck, John and Peter Kemmer, Lawrence Ouinn and Amos Gofif from Ken-
tucky; Thomas Legg," Randall Brewer, Peter Voores, John G. and William
Eaton from Ohio; Peter Marts, William Alger, John and James Gilleland
from Pennsylvania; John Middleton and Thomas B. Stiles from New Jersey:
Isaac Metcalf, from England.

Following is a copy of a poll-book of an election held in 1826 and
includes the names of many of the pioneers. "Poll-book of an election
held at the house of Thomas K. Stiles, in Posey township, Fayette county,
Indiana, on the eighth day of April, A. D. 1826, for the purpose of electing
one justice of the peace for said township, agreealsle to an order of the
board of Fayette justices at their March term, at which time and place
the following persons appeared and gave their vote : Henry Thornburg,
Paul Coffin, Randall Brewer, John Thornburg, Aaron Youke, John Frazier,
William Russell, Thomas H. Stiles, John Huston, Peter Kemmer, Joseph
Spencer, Thomas Dancen, Abijah Haman, George Weirick, Robert McCann,
John Rasher, George Raines, Andrew Penticost, John Treadway. Jaco]>
Shinkle, Nehemiah .Stanleydogh, Barnes Claney, Samuel Ridgeway, Tittman
Kolb, James Kirkendall, Daniel New, Micajah Jackson, Masters Vickroy,
George Shinkle, John Norcross, David Canady, William Sutton, Isaac Suther-
land, Solomon Sprang, Samuel Minanda, Jehu Vickroy, Jacob Watson,
James Denkearad, Thomas Legg, Nathan Billson, James Sprang, Samuel
Peaks, John Shinkle, Moses Gard, Thomas Kirkwood, John W^eaver, Law-
rence Guinn, Cornelius Wadword, John Mullins, Thomas Patterson, Peter
Shepler, Edmund K. Munger, Samuel Banther. James Gilleland."

FAYETTE COrNTY. INDIANA. 263

The candidates f(ir this election were Thomas Kirkwood, Jacol) Shinklc
and John Treadway, and the numher of votes cast for eacli was seventeen,
twenty-one and sixteen, respectively.

SOME FIRST EVENTS.

William Manlove, Ijorn January 19, 1815, son of Georjjje Manlove, is
believed to have been the first white child liorn in the township.

The first wedding- is Iielieved to liave 1)een that of John Case to Mary
Caldw-ell and occurred at the lionie of the bride's father.

The first death in the townsliip is thouo;ht to have 1ieen that of W'ilhain
Manlove, Sr.

The first house constructed with a sliinolt- roof was the dwelling- of
George Manlove.

The first and onl\- jurist -mill in tlie township was built about 1830. in
section 5, on Simon's creek. The mill was in operation for nearly twenty
years. Located on the same stream in section 4, and about the same time,
was a .saw-mill operated by the father of J. A. Baldwin.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

The first school house in the township was located in section j8,
in what is commonly known as the "Twelve-Mile Purchase." The exact
time that the school house was built is not known, but it is known that
.school was held there in 1818 and that George Manlove, who settled in
the vicinit}' in 181 1, was the first teacher, .\nother one of the early schools
in this community, but which stood just o\er the line in \Vayne county,
was the one in the I.oder settlement, erected about 1826, Joseph Williams
being one of the first teachers there. During the period from 1820 to 1830
as many as five school houses were built in various parts of the township.

The first school hou.se erected in the \'an Buskirk settlement, just west
of Rentonville. was on the land owned by one of the Van Buskirks in 1831.
The house was of the usual iM-imitive t\i)e — round logs, large fireplace,
greased jiaper for win(k)ws, etc. .\ni(ing the first teachers here were John
Treadwav, ?ilerchant Kellev, John Legg and Lavinia Church. This Iniild-
ing had not been in use man\- years until it was su])planted by a more niod-
prn one, located about a quarter of a mile farther west.

266 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

lNTONVILLF

Bentonville, named in honor of Thomas Benton, of Missouri, is located
near the center of I'ose}' township (Mt the I'ittshurgh, Cincinnati, Cliicago &
St. Louis railroad, twelve miles northwest of the county seat, and six miles
from Dublin, the nearest banking jwint. William Dickey surveyed and platted
the site of the village for the proprietor, Joseph Dale, December 7, 1838.
The original plat consisted of thirteen lots. A small addition was made
in 1844 by Thomas K. Stiles.

William ^"oung. a tailor, built a liouse nn tlie townsite before it was
surveyed and doubtless was the first business m;ui on the ground. Among
other business men were Bradle\' Perr\-, a blacksmith ; Samuel Dickey, Joseph
McCauley, Woodford Dale, Alfred Loder and a man by the name of Wood-
son, merchants; William Stockdale, tanner.

The business interests of the present time are represented by the fol-
lowin.g; A^an !). Chance, general store and postmaster: Smullen Brothers,
groceries: Mason & llacklcman, farming implements: Connell & .\nderson.
Grain Company.

The I3enton\'ille jjostdflice was formerly known as I'luni Orchard and
was established under the latter name November 28, 1827, with Moses Ellis
as postmaster. On February 13, 1838, the name of the office was changed
ti) P)enton\-ille and Samuel Dickey was tlie first postmaster. In connection
witli the office is one rural route.

WATERLOO TOWNSHIP.

Waterloo township came into existence after the creation of Union
county, the organization of which by the legislative act of January 5, 1821,
resulted in the detachment of several sections from the eastern side of
Fayette county, leaving the latter county with its present limits. When the
commissioners of Fayette count}^ divided it into townships at their first
meeting, February 8, 1919, they organized the northeastern part of the
county as Brownsville township. This township, which disappeared with
the organization of Waterloo township, was given the following limits:
Beginning at the southwest corner of section 16, range 13; thence north four
miles to the Wayne county line; thence east to the Indian boundary line
of 1795; thence with the said line in a southwesterly direction until it
meets the line dividing sections 17 and 20 of township 14, range 14;
thence due west to the place of beginning.

FAYF.TTF. COIXTV. INDIVNA. 267

As before stated, the creation of Union C(iunt\- l)ront;-|il ahuiu the
organization of Waterloo township, the new township inchuhng all oi that
part of Brownsville township in Fayette county, to which was addcil that
part of the original Harrison township east of White Water river. This
was done at the February, 182 1, session of the county commissioners. No
change has been made in the limits of the township since the organization.

.\11 of the land in Waterloo townshi]> had been entered prior to the
organization of the county in i(Si9 with the exception of jj.-irl of section J.
.\ complete list of the land entries of the township follows:

Section 31 — (Fractional) — Sold in 181 1 to Samuel Grewell and |ohii
Hardin.

Section 32 — Sold in [811 to John Tharpe, Mathias Dawson, Thomas
Sloo, Jr.

Section 33 — Sold in 1813 to Jonathan lliggins, James I'arker, Jon.-Uhan
Coleman and Xathan Roysdon.

Section 34 — Sold in i8i4-i8i6to Abraham \'annieter and James Sleeth.

Section 35 — Sold in 1814-1815 to Robert Huffman, Andrew Huffman.
W^illis P. Miller and John AI. Fay.son.

'l'o7Viis/ii/^ 14 North, Range 13 Easl.

Section 2 — Sold in 1815, 1818 and i8[r> ti) James X. Chami)ers, James
Montgomery, Uriah Farlow, Robert Holland and ls;iac Aliliner.

Section 3 — Sold in 1814 to Alordccai Morgan, Josiah Lambert and
Abraham Vanmeter.

Section 4 — Sold in 1814 and 1813 to Abraham \ .-mmeter, ( leorge P.
Terrence, Lewis Whiteman and Mathias Dawson.

Section 5 — Sold in 1811 and 1815 to James Mclntyre and (ieorgc P.
Terrence.

Section 7 — Sold in 1814 to James Sutton, Jr., Anthony Wile\- ( frac-
tional).

Section 8 — Sold in 181 4 and i8i(> to h'benezer 1 leaton, Sanniel \'ance.
Aaron Haughham.

Section 9 — Sold in 1815 ;uid 1817 to Daniel Heaton, James White .-ind
William and John Demstor.

Section 10 — Sold in 1814 and 1815 to (.barles t'ollett, Isaac Dawson,
Benjamin Dungan and Garis Haughham.

Section 11 — Sold in 1815 and 1817 to Mathew Xico, John Riters,
James Montgomery and ("hristojiher \Vamsley.

268 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Section 14 — Sold in 181 5 and 18 16 to William Heins, Thomas Cooper.
James Montgomery and Joshua Simpson.

Section 15 — Sold in 1814 and 1815 to Thomas Dawson, Henry Hol-
land, James Runilley and Aaron Delelon.

Section 16 — Reserved for school pur^wses.

Section 17 — Sold in 1812, 1814 and 1816 to Samuel Wilson, Archi-
bald Reed, James Sutton and Samuel Vance.

Section 18 — Sold in 181 1, 1812 to Archibald Reed and Zadoch Smith
( fractional).

The name of Matthias Dawson is perhaps the best known of any in
connection with the early history of this township. He was a native of
Virginia and, when a small boy, was captured by the Indians. He remained
a captive for- many years and in the western- trend journeyed to this region
when it was yet the unrestricted heme nf the red race. The story is told
that the chief promised Dawson the land which he subsequently had to buy
from the government, in the vicinity of Waterloo. After the battle of
Fallen Timbers Dawson was released and settled on his possessions, liv-
ing here for a number of }-ears, finally removing to St. Joseph county, where
he died.

The state, of Ohio doubtless furnished more settlers in this part of
the county than any other. Among those who w^re early settlers are the
following: Jonathan Higgins, 1812; Jonathan Coleman, about the same
year; Ebenezer and Daniel Heaton settled on their land in 1814. Daniel,
after remaining here for many years, removed to Howard county, Indiana;
.Abraham Vanmeter and James Sutton were also early settlers from Ohio.

From Pennsylvania came some sturdy pioneers among whom were the
following: Samuel C. Vance, one of the earliest; Daniel F"iant, 1820; Henry
Henry, of Irish descent, but a native of Penns3dvania ; Daniel Kline, 1825;
William Hart, 181 7; John Hubbell, 1817; Daniel Skinner, chosen the first
justice of the peace of the town.ship, settled in 1919.

John Tharpe, a native of Kentuck}', settled on his land at an early date.
He was a brother of Moses Tharpe, who resided west of the west fork
of White Water river and in 181 3 had a child stolen by the Indians.

One of the early pioneers was Joseph White, who in the very begin-
ning of the century, started out from his home in Maryland and journeyed
to Warren countv, Ohio, where he made a purchase of sixty acres. This he
sold during the War of 1812, in which he was drafted, in order to pay a
substitute. In the fall of 1814 he removed his family to what is now \\'ater-
loo township.

FAYKTTE COUNTY. INDIANA. ^69

Nathan Roysdon removed from North CaroHna to Indiana Tcrritorx
in 1808, and not long thereafter settled in the south half of the southwest
quarter of section t,i,. He died in Waterloo township in 1832. Tiic Hardin
and Grew-ell families were very early settlers in the northern part of the
township, near the Wayne county line. The Farlows came from North
Carolina and settled over the line in Union county. In 1814 Benjamin
Dungan and family settled in the township and entered land, and at the
same time his brother, Isaac, settled on a part of the same. Another faniil)-
from Carolina was James Rumbley. He sold his entry to Erwin Boyd. The
widow of Erwin Boyd, with several children, settled on the land in 1822.

There were several who entered land, hut whose date of settlement is not
known. Among them are the following: Henry Holland, John Sleeth,
William Hiers, Abraham Vanmeter.

Other permanent settlers of the tnwushi]) nf win on little is known were
James Hamilton, William C Jones, Robert Holland, William McGraw and
John Ruby.

At a general election held at the home of Joseph Ruby, on the first
Monday in August, 1825, for the purpose of electing a governor and lieu-
tenant-governor, one senator for the counties of Fayette and Union one
representative, clerk, two associate judges, recorder and coroner, the follow-
ing men appeared and voted: Alfred Coleman, Joseph Dawson, Thomas
Williams. Jonathan Williams, Jacob Vanmeter, John Brown, Benjamin
Williams, Samuel Dawson, Joseph Camblin, Thomas Dawson, Nathaniel
Blackburn, John Swazey, Mathias Dawson, Charles Wandle, Jonathan Cole-
man, Daniel Skinner, William Port, Isaac Stagg, Francis McGraw, Eli
Dawson, Abijah Holland, Steven Wandle, William Robinson, Matthew
Robinson, Henry Henry, Joseph White, William McGraw, John Blackburn,
James Beeks, Isaac Dungan. Benjamin Dungan, Cornelius Cook. Robert
Holland, Elijah Dills, Zachariah Dungan. Aaron Haugham, Nathan Roys-
don, Enoch Chambers, Hezekiah Bussey.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

The first school in the townsliip was most likely erected in section lO in
the fall of 1815, the first teacher being h^lijah Holland. Only a year or two
later school was-held in a cabin in section 17 and it is ix)ssible that Absalom
Heatou: and a^man by the name of Ta\lor were among the first teachers
there, as they were among the very first in the township. In the north-
western part of the township, not far from 1821, the people were \ ery nuich

270 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

interested in education, and instead of erecting the usual primitive t3'pe of
school house, a frame building was erected. A man 1>3' the name of Gray
was one of the pioneer teachers.

WATERLOO.

The village oi Waterloo, located on the east bank of Nolan's Fork,
one of the most thriving commercial and social centers in the county,
has gradually faded into history and now nothing remains of the place with
the exception of three or four houses. William Port, a merchant and grocer
of 1825, appears t(. liave lieen the first Imsiness man in the village: Joseph
Flint was a grocer and liquor dealer in 1829, as was also Robert Scott and
Louis Beaks the year following : John M. Turner was the keeper of a tav-
ern and a saloon in 1837.

The first physicians of the village were Doctors Chapman and Richard-
S(in, who were there in 1839 and for several years after. Doctor Richardson,
during the years of his practice, erected a saw-mill on Nolan's Fork. The
mill was subsequently owned b\' John Grewell and later by John Troxell. in
whose hands it fell into disuse.

The village reached the crest of its prosperity in the decade preceding
the (rivil War, During this time there were two hotels in the village that
had more than a local reputation. One was known as the Turner hotel, of
which "Dad" Turner was the proprietor, and the Eagle, of which Joseph
Forrey was the owner. The building of the latter hotel is still standing.
Robert Watt conducted a dry goods store, and John Gruelle was the owner
of a grocery and saloon. Two physicians, whose names were Gillum and
Rose, the latter also a dentist, practiced in the period just before the war.
The saw-mill was owned and operated by John Fawcett and the blacksmith
was Jacob Heider. The greatest numl)er of people the village ever had is
estimated at seventy-five to one hundred.

The village lost its existence much more (|uickly than it gained it. On
the night of May 14, 1883, it was visited by a cyclone and only three build-
ings in the entire village were left standing, they being at the north end of
the one street that the place afforded. Every other building, barn or dwell-
ing, was either unroofed or totally destroyed. About seventy-five people
were rendered liomeless yet, mar\-eli)us as it may seem, only one person was
injured.

The Waterloo postoffice, established May 4, 1825, was the second one in
the county. Following is a hst of postmasters with their dates of service
and the time the office was discontinued: William Port, 1825-1844: Amos

FAYKTTE rOfNTY, INniANA. _•"(

Chapman, 1844-1845: William I'ort, 1845-1851: Isaac l<"oi-r\ , 1851-1854;
R. Ciillam, 1854-1855: Thomas (',. I'rice, 1855-1862: K. Gillam, 1862-1863:
John Troxell." 1863-1866; William T. I'.olles, 1866-May 18, 1868 (discon-
tinued).

The following poem was written l)y William Dunuan to be read before
the Beeson Literary Societ)- about 1887, and is a true picture of the ancient
village of Waterloo. The author was l)orn a mile and a half north of Water-
loo, September 3, 1842. the son of Joseph and Rebecca (Chambers) Dungan.
He lived on the farm until the >ear before the Civil War and then moved
to Harrisburg and lived there about four years. He then moved to Beeson's
Station, Wavne county, lived there until i8r)2. when he moved to Conners-
ville, where he is still living.

The historians are very much indel)ted U> Mr. Dungan for his valued
assistance, especially for his hel]) in writing and securing the history of the
Baptist churches of the county.

WA'J'EIU.OO

Ix)ng before the caual was made.
And the railroad's rails were laid.
Before the news o'er the wires flew.
Was Iniilt the town of Waterloo.

It was built on the banks of Nolands Fork,
Almost as old as great New York:
Where once the thistles and briers srew,
Xow stands the town of W.aterloo.

An inn was kept for the trjiveler weary
By a man whose name was Forrey;
The Eagle sign was kept in view
To all who stopped in Waterloo.

"Dad" Turner in the lown did dwell:
He also kept a large hotel :
Thus you see there once were two
Great hotels in Waterloo.

The gushing springs on the great hillside
Once were her glor.v and her pride.
The Reilman's arrows once thickly flew
Where now is standing Waterloo.

The old brown church that stood in town
One Sabbath day was torn down.
This wicked act the people did do
Who lived in the town of W.iterloo.

2^2 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Thus the Louse where worshipijed the great aud good
Was scatteral abroad for kindling wood.
Go, stand on the hill and take a view
O'er the mouldering town of Watei'loo.

Her glory and grandeur are fading away ;
Her eminent structures are on the decay.
-Alen of renown there are hut few
Dwelling today in Waterloo.

Oh, look at the creek with its rock-bound shore.
Where once was heard the cannon's roar.
But the cannon bursted and its fragments flew
All over the town of Waterloo.

The greatest cities of the earth

Have thrived and grown from hinnhle birth.

But will this saying now prove true

About the town of Waterloo V

SPRINGERSVILLE.

The village of Springersville, as platted and surveyed July 27, 1840,
was located in the southeastern part of Waterloo township. Thomas Simp-
son was the proprietor of the townsite, which was surveyed by William
Dickey. About 1838, Thomas Simpson, Jr., erected the first building in
what later became the village and in which he conducted a general store.
On May 16, 1840, he became the postmaster of the village and served in
this capacity for nine }ears. James Culley was another early merchant.
What once gave promise of being a thriving village has now dwindled down
to a mere collection of about twelve scattered houses, a church and a black-
smith shop.

The postmasters who hax-e had charge of die jjostoffice include the fol-
lowing: Thomas Simpson, Jr., 1840-1849; Nicholas Remington, April 2,
1849-November 14, 1849 (discontinued); Avarenas Pentecost; November
2, 1849 (re-established) to May 22, 1850 (discontinued); Alvar E. Pente-
cost. May II, 1852 (re-established) to May 5, 1853 (discontinued).

CHATTKR VIIT.

in l'"a\cttc county niu.sl lic.Qiii with an
cli fin-nislic-d the avenue alnn^- wliich all
itv traveled to their future homes. This
it\- I'roni the southeast to the northwest,
what i.> now h'aslern a\cnue. A eoni-
) thorouyhfare. written h\ J. L. Ileine-
lunie and the reader is referred to it as
vette county's first hit^'hway.

^ in e\er\' other county in the south-
traces or hridle paths thron.t;h the wocds,
across the prairies. It was accidental
■ction line, the ]iiotieers who laid theni
iiind, and that was to i;et the shortest
the \arious settlements or to the mills
and villages of the county.

From the beginnino- of the history of the state the Legislature has
passed acts to encourage road making. F,\ery able-bodied citizen from the
beginning of the history of Fayette count}- has 1)een compelled by law to
work a certain number of days on the road or ])ay an equivalent in taxes.
This law still prevails in the state. The early commissioners' records are
largely taken up with petitions for new roads or changes in roads ah-eady
estalilished. In fact, at least half of the minutes of their meetings are
devoted to the (juestion of roads. While the county itself was l)us\- in lay-
ing out roads, the state was also interested in providing what were known
as "state roads." Two so-called state roads passed through Fayette county.
One came u]) the White Water \alley from Lawrenceburg by way of Brook-
\ille, passed through Connersville and Waterloo, and thence on north
through Centerville, in Wayne count}-, to Winchester, in Randolph county.
The other road started from Liberty, in Union county, passed through Fay-
ette county and thence west, through Rush count}-, to Lidianapolis.
(r8)

The history ot

trans

portatioi

account of the old 1

Indian

Trail wl

of the early settleis

ot I'a

\ette coi

trail ran di;igonall}

acn .s.^

. the coi

passing through fo

nners\

ille alon

plete account of thi

s fauK

.us Indi;

maun, is gi\en else\

vhere

in this \

a most interesting a

ccount

of 1-ayt

The first roads

in l-'a}

;e11e con

ern part of Indian:i

,. were

' mere ti

o\er the liill.^. ;iroun

d tlie :

■iwamps

if tlie\- happened to

coincii

lie with

out having onl}- one

■ consit

leration

and most easil}' tra\

eled n

.ad betw

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

TOLL ROADS.

The contour of the county does not readily lend itself to the making'
of good roads. It is very rolling over a considerable portion of its extent
and this necessitates a much hea\ier outlay to construct roads. The
era of toll roads began about the middle of the fifties, following the legis-
lative act of May i, 1852, which made it possible for counties to have a
larger road fund. This act furnished the basis for the thousands of toll
roads which were built throughout the state. It seems queer in the year
191 7 to think of a pri\ate company, oftentimes of less than a half dozen
citizens, building a road — a public highway — and then charging as much
per mile for citizens to travel on it as we of tofla\- ha\'e to pay for the best
service on the railroads. Such, however, was the case and it was not until
the nineties that the taxpayers of ]<"ayette count}' saw the last toll-gate
disappear.

It is not profitable to follow the history of the many private toll roads
constructed through Fayette county during the fifties and sixties. By 1856,
there were no less than thirteen of these pay-as-you-drive roads in Fayette
county, aggregating a total of seventy-five miles. The longest road was
from Connersville to Fairview, a distance of eleven miles; the shortest was
the Benton\nlle-Milton road of two miles. The average length of these
roads was between six and seven miles. As late as 1885, seven of these
roads were still privately owned, or rather maintained, by pri\'ate jiarties.

ROADS UiV'DEK THE THREE-MILE LAW.

The old toll roads were gradually acifuired b\' the county and placed
under the super\'ision of the township road super\isors and all disappeared
before the close of the nineties. 1'he history of highway legislation within
the ]iast few years has been one of confusion ; in fact, so many laws affecting
roads have been jiassed that it is difficult to follow the xagaries of some of
them. .\t the present time there is a three-mile law which permits a county
to build a road of such a length under certain stipulated conditions. There
are sixteen three-mile roads already constructed in the county. 'Phese mads
are named after the person who was instrumental in having them constructed
and are as follow: George A. Looney, Orange township; Charles H. Flwell,
Posey township ; Charles IT. Flwell, Fairview township ; Janies H. De .\rniond.
Orange: William M. Gregg. Connersxille town.ship: D. W. Moore, Jackson

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 275

township; Lewis Matney, Orange township; Alherl Rees. Conners\'ille town-
ship; George Lambertson. Posey township; C". \\'. Martin, Connersville
township; James McCann. Connersville townsliip; Will Beeson, Posey town-
ship; Falmouth-Glenwood. Fairview township; C. A. Ryman, Posey town-
ship; Jesse Chrisman. Harrison township; Albert Collins, Connersville town-
sliip. Tliere are in 1917 about four hundred miles of impro\'ed roads in
the count}-; in January. 11)17. there were thirteen miles in tlie course of con-
struction.

The law prorates a certain amount of tiie automobile tax to the various
counties of the state in proportion to the number of miles of "improved
highways", the definition of such a road being somewhat confusing". The
1917 Legi^ature is considering several riidical changes- in the roath laws of
the state, the chief desire of the T-egislature being to frame some kind of a
statute which would put the state in a position to share the federal appro-
priation provided for in the Bankhead act of 1013. The interest in good
roads has never been more prominently before the people of the state than
it is at the present time and it is safe to say that within the next few years
Fayette county will have roarls which can Ije used at all times of the year to
the best advantage.

liRinOKS IX FAYETTE COl'NTY.

The question of bridges is and always has l)een a very ex))ensive con-
sideration .in the .county .owing, to the pre.sence of the White W"ater river
and the many .streams which ha\e to be bridged. The first bridge over the
river in the county was built at Connersville between the years 1838 and
1842, by .Minor Meeker, H. B. Woodcock and James Veatch. This bridge
stood until 1887, ^vhen it was replaced by the present structure, an attractive,
substantial frame covered liridgc with an arched ceiling and lighted by elec-
tricity. Tlie hrst and only bridge across the river between Connersville and
the northern line of the county is still standing. It 'is located ;it Waterloo
and was built by the Canton (Ohio) Wrought Iron Compan_\- between the
years 1881 and 1884 at a cost of $16,637.37. One span had to be replace<l
after com])lete destruction by a cyclone. The third bridge across the
river is just below Xulltown and the first bridge there was constructed by
the Canton firm two years prior to the btnlding <ii the Waterloo bridge.
The Xulltown liridge was destroyed in the s])ring of \<)\7^ ])y the most
destructive Hood which has occurred since the count\- was organized. The
county commissioners at once took stejjs to rejjlace it and a four-.s])an steel

Z-^d FAYETTE COUNTY, INDiANA.

bridge was constructed llie same year, During the past three years the
county has had to Imild a number of bridges which were swept out in the
spring of 1913, and this has necessitated a heavy outlay. Likewise many of
the highways suffered se\erely on account of the liigli waters at that time.

THE WHITE WATER CANAL.

The histor)- of Fayette county prior to the Ijeginning of th.e (7i\-il War
is replete with references to the White Water canal, and it is not too nuich
to sa}- that the building of this canal through the count}' and its suljse([uent
use meant as much to the early prosperity of the county as any other single
factor. While actual work on the construction of the canal did not begin
until 1836, the agitation for an artificial waterway down White Water to the
Ohio river began as early as 1822. In that year a convention nt delegates
from Randolph, Wayne, Fayette, Lhiion, Franklin and Dearborn comities
met at Harrison, Ohio, to consider the practicability of constructing a c;inal
down the White Water \-alle3'. The newspapers were enthusiastic in favor
of the canal, Augustus Jocelyn, the editor of the PJrookville Wc.^hrn Agrl-
cuhnnst, being the most active champion of the proposition. '!"he con-
sensus of opinion among the delegates at the con\-ention was heartilx' in
favor of taking steps toward a preliminary sur\ey, and tine beginning of
actual work as soon as possible.

Shortly after this meeting was held, Colonel Shri\-er, an engineer of the
United States army, began a survey for the canal, but died befoix- he had it
completed. y\fter a short suspension of the survey, the work wns resumed
by Colonel Standbury, also an engineer of the regular arm\% and within a
short time he completed the survey. His estimates of the cost somewhat
dampened the ardor of the advocates of the canal, and as a result the ques-
tion lay dormant until 1832, in which year the citizens of the valley peti-
tioned the Legislature for another survey, and the following year that body
authorized a preliminary survey. It was made in the summer of 1834 by
competent surveyors and their report was submitted to the Legislature by
William Goodwin on December zt^. 1834. The survey began at Nettle
Creek, near Cambridge City, followed the west fork of White Water to
BroOkville, thence down the river to Harrison, and from there to Lawrence-
burg on the Ohio fixer. The total length of the canal was seventy-six miles,
the fall of four Inindred and-ninety-one feet necessitating se\-en dams and
fifty-six locks. The estimated cost was $14,908 per mile, or a total cost of
$i,i42,T26 for the entire canal.

FAVnTTK COUNTY, INDIANA.

As uiight have been expected there was much opposition In the canal.
and it \\as only by tlie most ingenious arguments tliat tlie conslructinn of
tlie waterway was finally ordered. The discussion in the Legislature, in the
press and among the citizens of the state culminated in the act of January
27, 1X3(1, known as the mammoth internal-improvement hill. The White
Water canal was only one of a number of canals, highways and railroads
which were provided for by this act. but it is the unly one with which this
chapter is concerned. The White \\ ater canal was at last ordered constructed
and the sum of $1,400,000 was appropriated for its completion.

The actual work on the canal began on September 13, 1836, at which
time a big celebration was held at Brookville. Gov. Noah Noble, former
Gov. James B. Ray, Da\id Wallace, George H. Dunn and other speakers
were i)resent. and the occasion was one which must have brought great joy
to the as.sembled -thousands. , A pick, shovel and wheelbarrow had been
provided, and at-ithe cloge of the speaking one of- the- orators- -seized a- pick,
loosened the dirt for a few feet, another trundled the wheelbarrow along the
site of the future canal, another took the shovel and filled the \\heelbarrow,
and Wallace wheeled it ofif — and in this fashion the "ground was broken"
for a canal which was to cost considerably more than a million dollars, a
sum out of all proportion to the returns from it before it was discontinued
forever.

.\ SERIOUS FINANCIAI. PROBLEM.

It is not profitable in this connection to follow the construction of the
canal from year to year. The work proceeded rajiidly and by December 15,
1837, the supej-inleiident of con.str-uction reported that the section from
Brookville to Lawrenceburg was under way and about half com|jletcd. Me
further reported that nine hundred and se\enty-fi\e men were em])l<>yed and
that with the .same number of men the canal could be com])Ieted in two more
seasons. The laborers received eighteen dollars a month. < )n December
20, 1838, Superintendent Long reported the canal finished to lirookxille. but
it was not until June 8, 1839, that the first Ixjat arrived in I'.rook\ille from
Lawrenceburg. The cost of the canal to Brookville had been S6()4,6()5 and
it was easy to be seen that it would be impossible for the .state to complete
the canal within the original appro])riation. In fact the state was on the
verge of bankruptcy, and the canal commissioners reported on .\ugust 19,

278 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1839, that tlie state was unable to expend another cent on any of its canals,
highways or railroads.

What was to be done ? The canal was only partially completed : money
was needed to keep in repair that portion that was completed; the hopes of
the people of the valley for an easy outlet to the Ohio seemed doomed. The
people could not realize that the state was bankrupt, but the truth was soon
forced upon them as month after month went by and nothing- was done
toward a resumption of work on the canal. No work was done from the
fall of 1839 until the summer of 1842, when the state sold the canal to a
Cincinnati company headed by Henry S. Vallette, a wealthy man of that city.
There had: been some work done l>etween Brookville and Connersville before
the suspension in the fall of 1839, and within two years the canal was opened
to Connersville, the first boat from Lawrenceburg reaching the city in June,
1845. I" the following October the canal reached Cambridge City, and a
year later it was opened through to Hagerstown. The new company had
expended $473,000 on the canal between Brookville and Cambridge City,
part of this amount, however, being used for repairs on the portion com-
pleted when it assumed the ownership of the canal. The total cost of the
canal as reported in .1848 was $1,920,175.13.

THE BEGINNING OE THE END.

The canal was hardly completed before it began to fall into ruin. The
character of the \alley mafle the canal suffer from the floods which swept
down it e\-ery year, and to the present generation it seems queer that this
fact had not been considered before the canal was built. In January, 1847,
a flood destroyed the aqueduct at Laurel and the one immediately south
nf Cambridge City, at the same time cutting channels around the feeder
dams at Cases, i>niok\ille. Laurel, Connersville and Cambridge City. The
damage was estimated at $90,000 and during the summer of 1847 ^^'^^ com-
pany spent $70,000 in rejuiirs. In No\ember of the same year another
flood destroyed all the repairs that had been made in the summer and an
additional $80,000 was spent before the canal was again ready for use.
During the summer of 1848, through traffic was impossible, and it was not
until September of that year that it was again opened.' The following year
another flood rendered the canal useless and the peojjle began to despair of
the canal ever j)eing of any \-alue in the future. The agitation for a rail-
road down the \alle\- in the fifties and the assurance that it would be built
as soiin as the right of way could be secured, kept the canal company from

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 2J(.)

expending- any nune nionex- on the canal, although it was still used for local
traffic.

C.VN.Vl. SOI.n TO RAILKO.M) COMPANY.

The canal was tinally sold on July _'_', icSd^. at the court lu)use door
at Brookville by the L'nited Stales niar.shal to H. C. Lord, president of the
Indianapolis & Cincinnati Railroad Company, for the sum of $63,000. The
railroad had been trying to secure the canal for several years, so that it
could _u5e, the tow-path for its track. This sale, for some reason, was set
aside, alth'oug-h the railroad had started tn build its track, and the canal was
sold to the White Water Valley Railrond Company for the sum of $137,-
34(S. ij. Thus passed out of use a canal which had cost nearly two million
dollars and had never been in ojieration throughout its entire length more
than four months at an\ one time. Hut it was the means of bringing- thou-
sands of settlers into Indiana; it did furnish a cheap means of transporting-
produce to the Ohi(t and, even if it did cost such a staggering amount, it was
worth much more to the state tlian it e\er cost. Some \alues are not entirely
com])uted in dnUars and cents ,-ind such is the case with the AMiite W'ater
canal.

.\fter the canal passed into private hands the headquarters of the com-
pany was established at Conners\ille and remained there until the canal
passed out of existence. The company erected a substantial brick building
on the south side of Fourth street between Central and Eastern avenues, anfl
the building- is still standing immediately east of the Palace Hotel. It has
itnposing pillars facing the front and is the best type of colonial architectm-e
to be found in the city. The building- is now used as a private residence.

PRE.SENT USE OF THE WHITE W.NTER C.\NAL IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

The abandonment of the canal as a means of transportation was fol-
lowed l)_v the employment of portinns of it for power piu'poses.

The canal furnishes power at Connersville, Metamora and IVookville,
the i)Ower at all three places being of the feeder-dam ty])e. The power
froni the canal at Connersville is utilized by four different conipanies, the
following table exhibiting the extent (^f the use made b\- then-i :

Head Water Horse-

Xjime of Ciiiiiii;uiy in feet used AVliei'l powpr

Hydro-Electric Company 18 Portion 35 8n

McCann Milling Company 9 All 35 60

P. H. & F. M. Roots Manufacturing Co.... 23 Portion 21 90

I'hl & Snider Flour-mill 26 Portion 21 100

28o FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

'J'he water from the river is diverted into the canal by a dam constructed
across the river seven miles north of Connersville. The total fall of the
water from the intake to the tail race at Uhl & Snider's mill is eighty feet,
but of this total only fifty-three feet are used. The water is first used by
the Hydro-Electric Light and Power Company. At this' point the Conners-
ville Furniture Company also formerly used a 30-inch wheel developing 50
horse-power, but has recently discontinued it, and now uses the water fn^m
the canal only in its boilers and condensers. A few blocks further south the
full stream in the canal is used by the McCann Milling Company. The
stream is divided at the southern end of the town, where a portion of it is
used by the P. H. & F. M. Roots Alanufacturing- Company and the remainder
by the l^il & Snider flour-mill.

The total horse-power developed at Connersville from the canal amounts
to 388 horse-power, and yet experts have estimated that there could easily 1)e
produced an additional 210 horse-power. This is figured on the basis that
six inches per mile is suflicient fall for a hydraulic canal ; that the canal has
an available head of 76.5 feet; and that it has a discharge of from 85 to
90 cubic feet per second. The whole hydraulic system is owned and con-
trolled by the Connersville Hydraulic Company.

RAILROADS.

The first railroad to Conners\'ille was built by the Cincinnati & Indi-
anapolis Junction Railroad Company, later the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Day-
ton Railroad Company and now the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western Rail-
road Company. It was completed in 1862. As early as 1848 steps were
taken toward the construction of a road from Rushville, Indiana, by the way
of Connersville and Oxford, to connect with the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Day-
ton road at Hamilton, Ohio. In March, 1849, -li^ state Legislature of Ohio
granted the right to the railroad com])any to extend its road from the state
line to Hfunilton. The company was organized in 1849, 'ii""^ surveys were
made preparatory to the location of the road from Rushville to Hamilton.
However, the company could not agree on a route and a temporary suspen-
sion of operations followed. Early in the spring of 1852 the company was
reorganized and after electing a set of officers, adopted measures to construct
the road upon the route originally agreed upon. 71ie construction of the
road was commenced the same year but was not completed to Connei'sville
until twelve vears later. S. W. Parker and William Tindall were Conners-
ville men connected with the company in official capacities. Joshua Leach,

1-\YKTT1- Cor.NTY, IN'DIANA. jHl

the secretary and linancial aj^enl ot the road, hiter inoved tn C"nniH'r^\ ille, liv-
iii"^ liere at the time of liis death.

'I"he need of a <hreet nmte from ln(hana])oh-~ to Cincinnati led lo tiie
organization of tlie Oliio .S: in(h'ana]>olis Railroad (."ompanv in l'"c]>rnar\.
185,^, for the purpose of constrnctinL;- ;i mad from Ruslnillc to I ndianaiiolis.

Company. hi I(S()() an cHorl was mailc lo ciiiii])lelc the construction of the
road from Coiiiiersville to Uuslnille, hut hecansc of hnancial rcason> the
work was siispended. .U the liegiiinini;- of the ne\l ^])riut;- the controlling
interest in the companx- was ])urcliased hy a coni])an\- of tweKc men who
took up the work, and conii)leted the line lo Indianapolis. In |niie, iS()S.
trains were running hetween Iiidiana])oIis and Cincinnati. The estimated
cost of the road per mile from lndiaiia]>olis to Hamilton was twent\-one
thousand h\-e luiiidred and sixteen doUars and se\enl v-ti\e cents. The road
has a main track mileage of i(>.5 mileage in h'ayette countv and a side-
track mileage of <).JK miles, all of which has an as'^cssed valuation of $355,300.

liU; KOTK (WHITK W-\TKR nUISlOX).

It was not until after it was seen that the canal had outlived its useful-
ness that the huildiiig of a railroad along the course of the canal took on a
serious a.sjjcct. The floods of the latter fifties damaged the canal so that it
was little used after the hegiuning of the Civil War. hi iSO^ the Indi-
anapolis (K: Cincinnati Railroad Company secured the right lo use the tow-
path of the canal for the huilding of the railroad. The road was coni])leted
to Connersville in the s])ring of \i«.y and soon thereafter to Camhridge
City, from which place the road ])assed to Ilagerstown on the (.'olumhus.
Chicago & Indiana Central line. 'Die road has a track mileage of 14.1^1
miles: a side track mileage of j.^S miles, and an ;issessed xaluation of
$70,000. This road has passed through several hands and has ne\er heen
a paying projjosition, due iio( onl\- to llie limited terriloi-\- which il ser\cs.
hut also the heaw e-\i)eiise entailed hy llie fre(|uent Hoods which ,^weei)
down from the White Water \alley.

THE I.AKK KKIK \ \vr..ST|-.KX UAlI.RO.vn.

The Fort Wayne, Cincinnati (S: Louisville railroad, now the Lake h'rie
& Western, was originally a hranch of the Cincinnati & Indianapolis lunc-
tion railroad, extending from Connersville through Camhridge City lo Xew

282 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Castle and known as the Connersville & New Castle Junction railroad. The
road was built directly after the completion of the Cincinnati & Indianapolis
Junction railroad, it was subsequently extended and became known as the
Ft. Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati railroad. The mileage of the road in this
county is 4.87 miles: a side track mileaoe of .4[ miles and an assessed valua-
tion of $48,600.

Tlie railroad crossinj;;- the nurthweslern ])art of the county was orioin-
ally a part of the Lake I'-rie & Louisxille railroad, extendino- from ]'"remont,
Ohio t(i RusliAille, Indiana, and was com])leted on July 4, 1867. Subse-
(juently it became a i)ranch of the Jefferson\-ille, Madison & Indianapolis
railroad, but is now known as the Cambridge Cit}- branch of the Pittsburgh,
Cincinnati, Chicago & St. I.ouis railroad. 'Hie main track mileage of this
road within the county is 7.75 miles: the side-track mileage .39 miles. Tlie
total assessed valuation is $70,437, It was at one time known as the "Calico
road." because of the method used by its construction in paying for work in
merchandise.

The a.ssessment values already mentioned cover only the main tracks
of the railroads. The total assessment on the side tracks, rolling stock, and
impro\ements on right of way bring the total assessment for the railroads
of the county up to $688,560.

ELECTRIC LINES OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

There is only one electric line in Fa3-ette county — Indianapolis & Cin-
cinnati Traction Company — and its 9.28 miles of main track and .39 miles
of side track in Fayette county, together with its rolling stock and improve-
ments on right of way, bring its total assessment up to $60,942.

CHAPTER IX.
Agriculture.

Fayette county lies largely in the valley of White Water river and the
land in the valley is very productive. The soil is fertile and with scientific
rotation of crops yields abundantly year after year with little artificial ferti-
lizing. The different soils of the county are discussed in detail in the chapter
on Geology. The land area of the county is approximately 138,240 acres
and the census of 19 10 reported 134,200 acres in farms, or 97.1 per cent,
of the total area. The average size of the 1,126 farms was i 19.2 acres, and
the total value of all farm property was $11,443,825.

Methods of farming have undergone radical changes within the past
few years, and as a result farmers are getting better returns than ever before.
The work done by the agricultural experiment station of Purdue University
has been of incalculable benefit to the farming interests of the state. The
Legislature in 1913 provided a means whereby each county could employ
what was known as a county agent, whose duties were to co-operate with
the farmers in advancing their interests. The creation of the office was
an outgrowth of the demand on the part of the farmer to l)e kept in con-
stant touch with the latest and best agricultural thought, and the subsequent
development of the work as outlined in the act establishing the office has shown
the value of the county agent.

Never before has there been the interest shown wliich is now l)eing
manifested in scientific agriculture. Industrial trains under the direction of
Purdue University are sent up and down the state ; the university also has
an educational exhibit at the county fairs: frequent farmers' institutes are
held: short courses in suljjects of interest to the farmers are held, not only
at Purdue, but also in many counties of the state : corn shows, horse shows,
apple shows and exhibitions of all kinds of farming products are l)eing held
with increasing frequency : the federal government distrilnites an enormous
amount of literature bearing on agricultural topics and Purdue University
is doing the same thing, and more magazines and papers devoted to the
interests of the farmer are being read than ever before. The net result
of all this constructive work means better farming, larger returns, and
improved conditions in social, educational and economic life.

284 FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

EARLY AND MODERN CONDITIONS OF AGRICULTURE.

In the early history of the county swamp,s, marshes and ponds abounded
where, fertile and cultivated fields are the prevailing conditions at the present
time. Settlers avoided the Ioav and marshy tracts for the higher grounds,
not only on account of the ever-present water, but for health purposes. The
shack or cabin was generally constructed at or near a spring, and convenience
alone was the prime purpose in the location of other structures. The corn-
crib was as likely to be in close proximity to the front door as to be placed
in the rear of the habitation. The latter was built of logs; the logs were
usually "undressed." In most localities a fence enclosing the pioneer posses-
sions was unknown; but at a late period the "worm" fence was erected to
enclose the holding.

FARMING CONDITIONS IN THE TWENTIES.

Oliver H. Smith in his "Trials and Sketches of Early Indiana," presents
a vivid picture of agricultural conditions as existed in Fayette county in the
twenties. Since he was an actual resident of the county during that decade
and was actually engaged in farming, his description of the conditions of
that time merit inclusion in this chapter. To quote verbatim :

The finest farms around Connersville, in one of the most beautiful countries in
the world, cleared, with orchards and common, were fne and ten dollars per acre.
I bought the fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, adjoining Connersville, the
same now (1857) the residence of Hon. Samuel W. Parker, of .John Adair, ^of Brookville,
for nine dollars per acre, in three annual installments without interest. The brick
two-story dwelling in which I lived when I was elected to Congress, in the heart of
Connersville, twenty-six feet front, well finished, with back kitchen, lot twenty-six by
one hundred and eighty feet, good stable, I bought of >Sydnor Dale for three hundred
and twenty-five dollars — which was considered a ■ high price at that time. The
excellent farm over the hill below the town I bought of William Denman for five
dollars per acre, in payments. There was very little money in the country, and
produce was equally low in proportion. I bought the finest qualities of stall-fed beef
and corn-fed hogs, for family use, at a cent and a half .-i pound; corn, ten cents; wheat,
twenty-five cents per bushel ; wood delivered and cut short at the door at a dollar
jier cord : boarding at common houses, with lodging, from a dollar to two dollars a
week, and at the very best hotels at two dollars and a half. The first year I traveled
the circuit my fees fell short of two hundred dollars, and the second, when they
increased to three hundred, I felt as Sfife as a Stephen Girard. All of my wants were
supplied. I owed nothing and had money in my pocket. No white man had settled more
than five miles west of Connersville at that time.

EVIDENCES OF PROSPERITY.

FAYETTK COIXTY, INDIANA. 285

FAKMICD OXI.Y FOR MOMK RKOri KKM KNTS.

The soil was new aiul pnulnctixe, hut for a consideralile miinlier of years
the crops were not extensi\e. With markets placed at long tlistances. tlie
pioneer was contented to produce for home requirements. Yet. his remote-
ness from points where indispensable supplies were to be obtained, was a
matter of no little concern to him. As the ground was cleared antl the crops
increased, the question of marketing l>ecame more acute, and the difficulty of
getting the produce to the nearest market — then Cincinnati, — sixt\' miles dis-
tant, was embarrassing. The crops had to be hauled over hill and through
dale, the way being fre(|uentl\ inipassal)le, as the roads were mere apologies
for paths, with logs ami underl)rush cut away. Many days were consumed
in making the journey and the farmer had little inducement to increase the
output of his land beyond the home and immediate district demand. Writing
of travel over those iirimitive roads, an early pioneer of l\-iyette county
recorded the following :

Nothing was more winiiuon than to tind hy the wayside, at ne;irly every place
where good water could be had, a camping ground where the weary wagoner had
camped, as also liad the emigrant and hi.s family. They generally tied their horses
to the wagon-tongue on which was fastened a feed-trough, which, when traveling.
they carried swung to the hind-gate of their wagon, for the purpose of feeding their
horses. They would build a fire b.v which to cook their scanty niejil and. if night had
overtaken them, the ground was their bed and the star-decked heaven their canoiiy, ami
fortunate would they consider themselves if they h.-id .-i small luiiidle for a pillow.

The hoe or mattock was brought in service in the preparation of the
ground for crops. The mattock, as some styled it, was a tool al>out two feet
long, one end of which was a blade three inches wide, w ith a sharj) steel edge,
the other end being brought to a sharj) edge intended to be used as an ax.
Occasionally a field would be sown to produce what was termed "sick wheat."
The latter has been descrilietl as being little different from wheat grown in later
years, except in the appearance of a red spnt on the grain, or an indication <<{
sprouting. The cause for the wheat being so named has been attributed to
the excess of vegetable matter in this locality, jiroducing a sur])lus of straw
and not unfrequentlv a kind of rot or blight in many of the wheat grains,
which rendered it unfit for use, and was so named from the result on the
stomach of one eating it.

Bacon sold at 214 cents per ixmnd ; corn, jo to 25 cents ])er bushel: but
there was a season of great scarcity when it sold for $i._'5 per bushel. lUitter
for a long time sold for 3, 4 and 6 cents i)er pound. While produce was so

286 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

low, the farmer had to pay 50 cents per yard for muslin, that later could be
bought for 8 or 10 cents. Calicoes cost ^7y2 cents per yard. The foregoing
prices prevailed between 1810 and 1820. In the latter year oats sold at 8
cents jier bushel. Doctor Mason, an early settler in the county, wrote on the
foregoing subject as follows :

Corn was often sold at 6 cents a bushel .-mcl wheat at 25 cents; and it was difficult
to get money at that, and then only in small amounts. Salt was frequently as high
as $2.50 and $3 per bushel. When the farmer could sell his pork on foot at the rate
of .$1.50 per hundred, net weight, he felt rich and began to thrive.

. FARMING IMPLEMENTS OF PIONEER D.\YS.

In pioneer days farming implements were few and of rude and simple
construction, and could be made by an ordinary blacksmith. The plows used
were the bar-share and the shovel. The iron part of the former consisted of
a bar of iron about two feet long", and a broad share of iron welded to it. At
the extreme point was a coulter which passed through a beam six or seven
feet long, to which were attached handles of equal length. The mould board
was a wooden one split out of winding timber, or hewed into a winding shape
in order to turn the soil over. The whole length of the plow was eight or ten
feet. On this subject the following is gathered from the writing of a pioneer:

The old bar-share plow, with a coulter smd wooden mould-board, was the best plow
then in use. though by far the greater number used the shovel plow. . . . The
gearing or harness used by a majority of the pioneers was so novel in its construction
tli;it 1 must describe it. The bridle for the horse was an Iron hit. the.balaitce being of
small rope. The collar was made of shucks — the husks of corn. The liames were
shaped out of a crooked oak or a hickory root, fastened at the top with a cord and at
the boUoni In the same way. The traces were of rope, the backhands being of tow
cloth. The whiffletree or single tree was of wood with a notch on each end ; the trace
was hitched by a loop over the vk^hiflletree and to the hames through a hole. The
whiffletree was attached to the doubletree by a hickory withe, and sometimes by a
wooden clevis made of two pieces of tough wood with wooden pin ; the doubletree
fastened to the end of the plowbeam by the same wooden form of clevis, and sometimes
an iron one. To the rope bridle was attached a cord, called a single line, by which
file hor.se was driven. By far the largest number of plow teams was only with a
single horse, geared as before described and hitched to the shovel plow; the ground
broken up, crossed oft" and tended by the same plow .ind horse.

In the early history of this section the land was much better adapted to
corn than small grain, especially wheat, owing to the excess of vegetable mat-
ter in the soil. When the ground had become cleared of roots and other
obstacles, the land adniitted of the harrow, which implement was triangular
in form, resembling the letter A ; the teeth were as heavy again as those in

FAYETTK CcrNTV, INDIANA. 28j

later use in order to withstand tlie effects of collision with roots and stumps.
The introduction of the cast-iron plow was slow ; the harrow was improved,
the cultivator invented: drills for sowing and planting came into use, as did
other labor-saving implements, and the whole aspect of farming transformed.

.STRIKINC, C'ONTK.\ST TO PRKSENT METMOD.S.

For cutting grain the sickle w as first used, and was succeeded by a larger
iiTiplement — the cradle — which came into use about 1825. The cradle was
gradually superseded by the reaper, and mowers took the place of the scythe.
The first reaping machines merely cut the grain: a rake was necessary to
gather the grain into shea\es, ready for the binder. Self-raking machines
soon followed, and about 1878 self-binding machines were introduced. Grain
was threshed with a flail, which, in. its rudest form, was made of a hickory
sapling about two inches thick and se\en feet long. The grain was then
beaten on the ground, if there was no barn floor. Another of the old-fash-
ioned methods of threshing the grain, and the most common, was by tramping
it out with horses. There were no fanning-mills to separate the grain from
the chaiT. To raise the wind a linen sheet was held at the corners by two
men, and bv a semi-rotary motion the chafT was driven from the falling-
grain, the pure wheat lying in a pile, ready to be garnered. The sheet process
was at length succeeded by the fanning-mill. This slow method of separating
the grain has passed into oblivion, and the steam-jjower threshing machine
took its place, by which the grain is not only separated from the chaff, but the
latter is carried off and the straw borne to the- stack at the same tiine. .\
single machine now receives the sheaves and delivers the cleaned grain at the
rate of several hundred bushels a day. How wonderfully striking is the
change. A lad of ten years can mow u]) to one hundred acres of meadow in
an ordinary haying season, and the hay is all raked during the same time by
a single hand.

Our forefathers followed their agricultural pursuits on foot and all the
labor was done by hand, the results being small and the physical exhaustion
much. .\'owada}s, all farm work is done bv machinery — plowing, planting,
cutting, hu.sking and tying. Potatoes are now planted by a sower and dug
by machinery, as are also sown the plants from which springs the succulent
tomato. In short, present-day labor-saving devices operated on farms enable
work to be performed in much less than half the time devoted to the same
work fifty years ago. Persons familiar with the modern gasoline tractor, are
aware of its \alue in farming operations: the tractor was imknown twenty

2»0 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

}ears ago. Haybaling, shredding of fodder and storage of ensilage have
made it possible for the farmer to utilize to the Ijest advantage all of his for-
age crops.

The development of the canning industry led to the cultivation of the
tomato on a larger scale, to meet growing public demand for that edible. The
farmer, who formerly cultivated perhaps two dozen tomato plants in his
garden, is now devoting anything from a half-acre to three acres to the pro-
duction of this fruit, which is in demand on every Ijreakfast talile. In like
manner, the invention of the cream separator has revolutionized the dairy
industry, and has induced the farmer to increase his cattle stock for milk
purposes, being always assured that milk sup])lies will be received at the local
creamer^-, or lind a reach- market in the cities.

Many early immigrants to I' ayette county brought cattle with them ;
especially did those coming from Ohio and Kentucky, bring a cow or two.
Cattle were also brought from various otiier quarters, and though of common
class, in every way sufiiced the wants and answered the purposes of pioneer
times. The cattle of the early farmers \\ere suffered to roam at large, and
the}' went through the woods and uncultixated grounds, browsing for their
living, and b}' this means some of the native grasses were extirpated by being-
trampled dowi-i and cropped off early in the season, before giving the seeds
time to form. Few buildings sheltered the herds from the cold and piercing
winds, the deep snows and chilling rains of the winters. They hovered around
the stacks of wheat straw-, which served the double purpose of shelter and
subsistence. After corn husking in the fall, the}- were given these fields to
forage for food, and occasionally unhusked corn was thrown to them, the
ground being the feeding trough.

An improved breed of cattle was ])r()ugiit at an early day to Fayette
county from Kentucky and Ohio. Farl}- in the history of southwestern Ohio
the Shakers at Union village, in Warren county, were in possession of some
of the first descendants of the Kentucky importation of English cattle, and to
that locality importations of thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle direct from Scot-
land were made in 1854. Cattle from Union village were brought to Fayette
county, but at what date there is nu evidence to show. Newton Claypool, Gen.
William Caldwell and William Daily, about the year 1838, purchased in
Kentucky three heifers and one bull, which they brought to Fayette county,
and which were descendants of the Shorthorn cattle of 1837. The bull was in

CATTLE OX THE EDWIN :\I. STONE. FARM.

1911

BHil

»^ vf"

^--^-.

ij^^iMl

H^^^-^ji

P^PwS

Th'^

^ 'j^l

5flB

A GROUP OF THOROUGHBREDS.

PRIZE CORX.

:\IORTGAGE LIFTERS.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 289

joint ownership of the three men, and there being- but t)ne Democrat in tlie
number, he insisted on naming tlie animal, which was consented to, and the
bull was christened "Van Buren." At a time subsequent to the purchase just
mentioned, the man of whom the cattle were bought, brought a large drove
of the same Shorthorn breed to this locality, and at a still later period the
Hon. W. W. Thrasher purchased a Shorthorn bull and two cows from (jne
Cunningham, who resided near Lexington, Kentucky, and brought them to
Fayette county. In 1^5.3 Isaac B. Loder, James McCollem and Mr. Train
brought from near Lexington, Kentucky, several thoroughbred Shorthorn
cattle, and with them was the l)ull named "I'dlmont." The Shorthorn breed
is now to he found in almost every locality.

In the seventies Jersey cattle were introduced, and this breed is in favor
with many, owing to the richness of the milk ancP its properties for butter-
making. .\t a former day the Devon breed were raised to some e.xtent in
this county, but were not \ery jxipular, being wanting in size for beef cattle,
and thev never became numerous.

Fayette county has a just claim for a high grade in horse-flesh. How-
ever, in the early days of the county's history, oxen were more in use for
agricultural work than was the horse, the sustaining qualities of the ox prov-
ing more valuable in the heavy labor of clearing the ground for tillage.

Among some of the early breeds of horses in the county was "Kentucky
Whip," a blood bay horse, with black legs, mane and tail; this animal was
advertised in Connersville in 1829. In 1832 Merril Williams advertised
"Hilander," an iron-gray, standing sixteen hands high. About the same
period was introduced into the county a horse styled "Comet," and "Top
Gallant" was another of the early horses at Connersville. The latter was in
charge of John and Lot Abraham, and was descril>ed as "a dark chestnut sor-
rel, sixteen hands high, lofty carriage and a good mover." He was first
brought from Georgia to Butler county, Ohio, by a Mr. Titsworth; was sired
by the imported horse, "Matchless Bob" : his dam by the imported horse,
"Mast," and his granddam by the importe<l horse, "Diamond." The im-
provements in the horse are largely due to the infusion of the blood of the
thoroughbred ; the strains of blood have not Ijeen kept distinct, but the tend-
ency has Ijeen to blend it with the stock already in use.

Towards the late forties, the Xorman and Clvdesdale stocks were intro-
(19)

290 - FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

duced into Fayette county. A report issued in 1852 by the state board of
agriculture, showed that there were upwards of six thousand horses in the
county at that date ; that the quahty all round was excellent, and the prices
high — ranging from one hundred to two hundred dollars for good geldings,
and mares in proportion.

HOGS.

Referring to the quality of the hogs of the early settlers, a writer of the
period gives the following description :

Tliey were long and slim, long-snouted and long-legged, witb an arched back and
bri.stles erect from the back of the head to the tail, slab-sided, active and healthy.
The "sapling-splitter" and "razor-back," as he was called, was ever in search for food,
and quick to take alarm. He was capable of making a heavy hog, but required two
years or more to mature; and until a short time before butchering or marketing was
suffered to run at large, subsisting mainly as a forager, and in the fall fattening on
the "mast."

Probably no change wrought in the stock of the farmer is so marked
as in this animal. Those of today mature earl}- and are almost the re\-erse
of the "razor-back," having a small head, small ear, short neck, with a long
body and hams, and in general shape are almost square, and are capable of
taking on two hundred and fifty pounds of flesh in eight or ten months.

It is thought that one Jeremiah May was the first to introduce the breed
of hog known as "Poland-China" into Fayette county about the year 1832,
and with little exception this breed has been the most extensively raised in
this section ever since. Matthew R. Hull, a resident of the county in 1851,
gave the following description of this breed :

The Poland, crossed upon the Byfleld and Russian, exceed all others for beauty^
size and profit. They are a good grass hog, and are .sufficiently lively and industrious
to make a good living off good pasture. They mature early, have a small head, small
ears, short neck, thick shoulder, long body and long ham. and are capable of bearing
more fat than any other kind we have had among u.s. They are familiarly known as
the "Warren county hog." Some of these hogs turn the scale at four hundred and ten
pounds.

There was a belief expressed in 1872 that the word "Poland" as applied
to these hogs was a misnomer. It is believed to have originated from the
fact that a Polander residing in Hamilton county, purchased some of the breed
many years ago and disposed of them to purchasers who named them Poland
or Polander hogs. The national convention of swine breeders of 1872 re-
tained this misnomer for the reason that the great mass of breeders had been

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 29I

SO calliiii;- them tor several years prior t<i tlie date of Cdnveiitinn, and to cliange
a name generally used is difficult.

Thousands of hogs were amiually slaughtered and packed. an<l quite an
extensive jxirk market was carried on at Connersx ille fur nian\- \ears. The
report of the state lioard of agriculture for 1852 states:

Twenty-two tliousaml bogs hiive been slaughtereil ami iiaokerl at Coiiiiuisvillo din-
ing tiie past season, which will average two hundred and twenty pounds per ho.id, fur
which the average price paid was $5.50 per hundred.

The hog-packing- industry has not been active in C(imiers\il!e for many
years. The 1916 report of the county assessor showed a total of -^5,138 hogs
in the county at that time. With the price of hogs around ten cents a pound
during 1916, the farmers tiiid hog raising more profitable than ever before.

In the decade between 1830 and 1840, W. W. Thrasher, who lived on
the western edge of Fayette county, brought some fine sheep to that section
from near Lexington, Kentucky, of the breed known as "Cotswold," which
were among the first fine-wool sheep introduced into the countv. I'"or a
long period Mr. Thrasher continued to breed this variety and raised anil sold
thousands.

In 1852 the total number of sheep in the county was estimated at fifteen
thousand. At that time much interest was manifested in the growing of wool,
antl an encouraging number oi valuable breeds had been imported and propa-
gated. The price of the common breeds was from one dollar to one dollar
and fifty cents per head. For 1870 there were reported eight thousand one
hundred and five head of sheep in the county, and for 1877 o"b' three thou-
sand nine hundred and eighty-nine head. In 1878 the T'ayette County Agri-
cultural Society reported that the wool-growing interest of the cc^unty "was
on the wane."

Undoubtedly the decrease in the number of sheep in the county is largely
due to the disappearance of the local woolen factories. While sixty years
ago there were fifteen thousand sheep in the county, the county assessor's
report for 1916 shows a total of only 2,476, a fourth of which (589) were
credited tn Pose_\- to\vnshi[) alone, 'i liese figures indicate thai there are
only about one-seventh as many sheep at the present time in the countv as
there were in the days when the local woolen mills were in operation. It
may safely be .said that the abandonment of the mills, together with the
fact that the farmers found that other live stock was more profitable or

292 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

that the land used for sheep-raising purposes would yield a greater return
under tillage, fully explains the heavy decrease in the number of sheep now
raised in the county.

REPORT OF COUNTY ASSESSOR FOR YEAR ENDING JUNE, I916.

Farms. Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Hogs. Autos.

Connersville city 240 6 6 285

Connersville township 114 659 1.333 190 3.568 45

Jennings 80 475 654 307 2,446 44

Jackson 106 605 1,117 188 2,746 30

Columbia 75 350 614 94 1,696 21

Orange 85 513 735 182 1,990 31

Harrison 112 662 1,287 511 4,468 53

Posey no 657 841 589 4,014 51

Waterloo 70 327 714 177 1.714 23

Fairview 74 398 537 228 2,458 31

East Connersville 38 18 5 15

Connersville (Harrison

township) 15 251 I 8

Total 826 4,939 1,857 2,476 25,138 643

REGISTERED FARM NAMES.

One of the innovations of recent years in agricultural circles is the
registration of farm names. The Legislature in 1913 passed a law which
provided "That any owner of a farm in the State of Indiana may have the
name of his farm, together with a description of his lands to which said
name applies, recorded in a register kept for that purpose in the office of
the county recorder of the county in which the said farm is located." For
the privilege of having this official recognition the farmer must pay one dollar.

Since this law has been passed nineteen farmers of Fayette county have
taken advantage of its provisions, the last registration being dated October
II, 1916. The complete list of registrations follows:

August 28, 191 3 — Katherine F. Bailey, "The Pines."'

August 28, 1913 — Orris S. Ludlow, "Cosey Lawn."

August 28, 1913 — T. C. McBurney, "Summit Farm."

August 28, 1913 — J. H. Fearis, "Meadow Brook Farm."

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 293

August 28, 1913 — Effie B. Trusler, "Spring Dale."

August 28, 191 3 — Prof. John C. Bush, "Glen Bush."

September 5, 1913 — Emery A. Scholl, "Pleasant View Farm."

September 5, 1913 — George Ostheimer. "Park Place."

October 6. 1913 — Mary Coin, "Sunny Side."

November 8. 1913 — Theodore E. Murphy, "Maple Lawn."

June 14. 1914 — William C. Basse, "Bassdale."

August 4, 1914 — Peter Fiant, "Maple Grove."

October 22. 1914 — Charles Newland, "Grand View."

November jt,, 1914 — John J. Henwood, "Hill Crest Fruit Farm."

January 8, 1916 — Martha H. Ludlow, "Whispering Pines."

March 23, 1916 — Buell J. Thomas Estate, "Brookdale."

July 3, 1916 — A. Wildridge, "Spring Valley."

July 22, 1916 — Elisha Williams, "Pine Lawn Stock Farm."

October 11, 1916 — Anna Henry, "Highland Farm."

COUNTY AGENT.

One of the latest innovations in agricultural affairs is the establishment
of an office whose duties are concerned altogether with the farmers. The
General Asseml)ly of Lidiana, by the act of February 22, 1913, provided for
an official to \x known as the county agent. The law provided that the
state would guarantee a part of the salary of the office, while the counties
should raise the remainder by public subscription. Furthermore, the official
must be recommended by the agricultural department of Purdue University
before he can be elected by the county board of education. After this recom-
mendation by Purdue the local authorities have the right to accept or reject
the man proposed. Many counties of the state have taken advantage of the
law and employed county agents and the experience of the past three years
of those counties which have employed county agents indicates that the work
of the agent is being appreciated by the farmers.

During the year 1916 the farmers of Fayette county discussed the
c(uestion of securing a county agent. County Superintendent Trusler and the
countv lioard of education took the lead in advocating tlie establish-
ment of the office in the county, and as a result of their joint efforts a meeting
was held in the Commercial Club rooms at Connersville on Deceml)er 21,
19 16, to perfect arrangements for the establishment of the office. County
Superintendent Trusler represented the county board of education and I.-ouis
Perkins, J. Edgar Scholl, W. S. Brown, Grant Williams, James K. Fielding,

294 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Anthony Riebsomer, Howell Pike and Elmer Scholl represented the farmers
of the count}^ It was announced at the meeting that the guaranty fund of
five hundred dollars was raised and that the board of education would pass
a resolution at its regular January meeting calling upon the county commis-
sioners to take steps at once to employ a county agent. This notice on the
part of the board of education, backed by a petition signed by twenty free-
holder citizens,, makes it mandatory for the county council to take action.
By the time this volume is issued the county will undoubtedly have the office
filled, and if the agent measures up to expectations, the county will derive great
benefit from his services.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND FAIRS.

In the summer of 1834 an attempt was made to organize an agricultural
society in Fayette county. Horace Van Vleet, then editor of the Watchuian,
published at Connersville, wrote several articles on agriculture and explained
the importance of an agricultural society. On the solicitation of a number of
farmers he published a call for a meeting, which was responded to and resulted
in the appointment of General Caldwell for president and Horace Van Vleet,
secretary. About forty dollars was subscribed and paid in for the organization
to Van Vleet, but soon after this Van Vleet died. No claim was made for
the agricultural fund, and the first attempt to organize an agricultural society
came to an end with the death of the man who tried to establish it.

In the year 1841 a call was published for an agricultural meeting, to be
held on the Fourth of July, the meeting to be held in the court house. Dr.-
Philip Mason was appointed president, and Charles Shipley, secretary. There
was lack of animation in the meeting which went to show that the commun-
ity was not quite prepared for a permanent organization. Samuel W. Parker
was present and made a few remarks. He then turned the meeting to account
by getting subscribers to the Indiana Farmer, then published at Indianapolis,
and succeeded in less than an hour in getting fifty-four subscribers. So ended
the second attempt.

During the year 185 1 seven agricultural meetings were held to establish
an agricultural society. The attempt was discouraging, but several who were
faithful to the cause persevered, and success crowned their efforts. On Octo-
ber 18, 1851, a permanent organization of one hundred and forty-six sub-
scribers was formed and a constitution adopted. John Spivey was elected
president and D. W. Welty, secretary. According to the official report, as
■required and sent to the State Board of Agriculture, forty-eight dollars were

F.WKTTK COL-NTY, INDIANA. 295

received I)v the society. Because it was so late in the fall no exhihilion or
fair was held, and the money was loaned out.

THE FIRST COUNTY FAIR.

The first county fair in l'"ayette county was held in Connersxille in Septem-
ber, 1852. The fair ground site occupied the land on which now stands the
residence of E. W. Ansted and other hoines Ijetween Central avenue and the
canal, from the cemetery to the Cincinnati, Indianaixilis and ^\'estern rail-
road. By the fall of 1852 the membership had increasetl to 410. while by
1856 it had grown to 1,213.

.\t the lirst fair held, A. G. Saxon was awarded the lirst premium for
the best cultivated farm, and Benjamin Thomas the second premium for the
second best.

The receipts of the first fair were $1,052.06, the expenses $600.54, leaving
a balance of $451.52 in the treasury. The fair continued to prosper, the
receipts reaching as high as $3,233, and expenses in proportion, until 1861,
when the society declared its intention to dissolve and transfer its interests
to a joint stock company.

The second annual fair was held in the fall of 1853 and was known as
the I'ayette County Agricultural I-"air. The third annual fair was held on
September 20, 21, and 22, 1854. Samuel Heron was the secretary. Premiums
were given on crops, cattle, horses for all purposes, geldings and mares, asses
and mules, swine and fine wooled sheep. Sweepstakes were open to the world.
In another department premiums were offered on flowers, needlework, fowls,
grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, farming implements, plowing match,
woodwork, blacksmithing, leather work, casting, iron, etc., woolen manufac-
tures, designs, miscellaneous. To the best female equestrienne, exhibiting the
most grace and ease in riding, was awarded a splendid embossed side saddle,
valued at fift\- dollars. gi\en by John Cassaday, of Connersville. Rozie, daugh-
ter of Caleb B. Smith, won the prize. The judges of the contest were Dr.
George Chitwood, Greenbury Rush, B. M. Pumphrey, ^^. ^^^ Davis and
Charles Frost.

Among the women judges of the third annual fair were Catherine
McCarthy, Amanda McCullough, Sallie Lockwood, Elenora Youse, Helen
Heron. Eliza Cockefair. Airs. Hannah Spivey, Mrs. Phobe Caldwell, Mrs.
Elizabeth Veatch, Mrs. Nancy Jane Fiant and Mrs. Rebecca Montgomer)-.

Among the men who acted as judges were Minor Meeker, Alex Heron,

Helm, Josiah Smith, O. H. Woodcock, Christian Heller, Josiah Millikin,
Christian Brown, Othniel. Beeson, John SchuU, W. \V. Thrasher, Wilson

296 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Dale, Daniel Morrison, William Johnson, Byron Stephens, Milton Gardner
and Stephen Thomas.

Premiums were commonly paid in money ranging from one dollar to ten
dollars. In some instances premiums were paid with silver medals.

HORACE GREELEY ADDRESSE.S THE FAIR.

One of the prominent features of the fair held in 1858 was Horace
Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, who was present and delivered
an address. Premiums had been offered for the best cultivated and most
highly improved farm for which there were two entries, S. W. Parker and
Alexander Heron. The committee being unable to decide between the two,
recommended a premium to each, to the former for the best improved farm,
and to the latter for the best cultivated farm. A premium was also offered for
the best essay on agriculture, this being awarded to Samuel Little.

During the ten years of its existence al>out twenty-three thousand dol-
lars was handled by the society.

The joint stock association referred to above was known as the Fayette
County Joint Stock .Agricultural and Mechanical Society, and was organized
December 21, 1861.

Until the fall of 1865 the fairs were held on leased premises, but in the
fall of that year twenty-six acres of ground were purchased of A. J. Clay-
pool, situated about one mile north of the court house and subsequently suit-
able buildings were erected. In 1870 the grounds were valued at twenty
thousand dollars.

The earliest report accessible is the one of 1867. at which time A. B.
Claypool was the president. The number of entries for this year were as
follows: Live stock, two hundred and twenty; mechanical, ninety; agricul-
tural, two hundred and seventy-seven ; miscellaneous, one hundred and ninety-
six. The amount of premiums — live stock, one thousand two hundred and
forty-two dollars; mechanical, four hundred and four dollars; miscellaneous,
one hundred and eighteen dollars. The total receiptts of the fair amounted
one hundred and eighteen dollars. The total receipts of the fair amounted

The secretary's report for 1877 makes the following statement :

During the last decade the live stock interest has. predominated, but latterly it
Is giving away to the raising of grain ; about six thousand head of hogs were lost
in the past season by cholera. Cattle raising is profitable, and more attention is
given to the breeding of improved stock — three thousand six hundretl and seventy-six
head reported this over three thousand three hundred and twenty-two last year. More
attention is given to the breeding of good horses, especially heavy draft horses, for

FIRST FREE FAIR AT ROBERTS PARK, 1903— THE ONLY FREE PAIR IN THE
UNITED STATES.

EARLY OFFICERS OF THE FREE FAIR ASS0CL\T10N

FAYETTE COL'NTY. INDIANA. 297

which this edunt.v is iKvoiniiij; fjiinims. Stntislii-s show :iii incriMst' in mimlier. one
thousand four humlred and twenty head aKainst one tliousand three hundred and twenty-
eight the year before. Mules are used more than formerly, and are much improved
in size and appearance.

Fairs were held annually until 1884, when, at a meeting of the associa-
tion held on February 12, 1884, the stockholders surrendered their charter
and resolved to offer their grounds for sale. Between 1884 and 1903 Fay-
ette county was without a fair of any kind, the jiresent so-called free fair
dating from 1903.

FREE COUNTY FAIR.

Fayette county is unique in having the first free county fair in the state.
After the donation of the Roberts park by Col. James E. Roberts, of Indian-
apolis, in June, 1902, to the city, the question of utilizing the site arose.
Arising from the fertile mind of Mart Meyer and others was the original
idea of a free county fair. On June 8, 1903, officials of the first free fair
were chosen, and on June 12, 1903, an organization since known as the Free
Fayette County 1^'air Association had its birth. The first officials included the
following: F. T. Roots, president; W. F. Downs, secretary; Mart Meyer,
marshal. On August 28, 1903, ground was broken for the erection of the
main pavilion in which the townships made their exhibits. The formal open-
ing of the grounds took place Septemljer 9, 1903, when Colonel Roberts and
Charles W. Fairbanks were present. In 1904 an educational department was
inaugurated through the instruinentality of Dr. L. D. Dillman, ably assisted
by the educators of the county. In 1907 the city council l)uilt a ceinent seat-
ing terrace and in 1909, a number of ])ublic-spirited citizens of the city and
community erected a inagnificent amphitheatre building, built of steel over
this concrete work built by the city. The complete structure seats tliree
thousand people. General impro\ements have l)een made and now the
grounds are provided with all of tlie requisites necessary to a successful
county fair. Tlie officers of tlie fair association for 1917 are the following:
James C. Mount, president: James K. Mason, vice-president: F. W. Tatman,
treasurer: Jasper L. Kennedy, secretary; O. M. Hempleman, assistant secre-
tary: T. C. McBurney, su])erintendent. Tlie fair is on a firm financial I)asis
as is evidenced liy the fact that at the end of 1916 the association had a credit
balance of three thousand dollars.

In this connection it is quite appropriate to make mention of the name
of Tod Sloan, a Fayette county lad, who became the world's most famous
jockey. He began his career at Connersville and for some time was one of
the feature attractions at the county fairs in this section of the state.

CHAPTER X.

Military Annals.

Fayette county has had a part in the four wars waged by the United
States: War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War and Spanish-American
War. Ahhough the county was not organized until 18 19 it played a part
in the War of 1812 and there seems to be evidence of participation by
some of the settlers of the territory now within the county in an Indian
raid even as early as 18 10. Reference has already been made to the settle-
ment of John Conner on the present site of Connersville about 1808. Some
time before 18 10 Conner and other citizens built a rude log fort or stockade
in the village for protection against marauding Indians, and it was from this
fort that William Abernathy, then living at Fairfield, in Franklin county,
lead a company of volunteers in 1810 against some hostile Indians on Blue
river. The expedition proved successful and evidently convinced the Indians
that the settlements in the White Water valley were amply able to protect
themselves; at least, there is no evidence that the Indians ever attacked any of
the settlements in the valley.

There is no record extant of the names of these courageous settlers of
1810 who made the foray against the Indians, but it is probable that most
of them were from the vicinity of Brookville and Fairfield. Franklin county
was not yet organized, all the territory north of the present county of Dear-
born which had been purchased from the Indians being a part of that county.
There were undoubtedly a few of the settlers from Conner's Post, as it was
then called, who joined the expedition, but the}- could not have been many in
number.

It is not generally known that a company of soldiers was stationed in the
blockhouse in Connersville some time during 1812 and 1813. It is known
that William Helm, later an associate judge of the county (1819-26), com-
manded the troops, but how many there were, or who they were, is a point
concerning which no record has been found. All the facts obtainable of this
military station in Connersville have been collected by J. L. Heinemann,. of
Connersville, and set forth in his brochure, "The Indian Trail Down the
White Water Valley," which may be seen in another chapter in this volume.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 299

THE MILITARY PERIOD, 1816-1846.

When the forty-three delegates representing the fifteen organize<l coun-
ties met in June, 1816, they made ample provision for a state militia (Art.
VII). All able-bodied white citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty-
five, except those conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, were required to
be enrolled in some militia company and undergo such training as might be
prescriljed by statute. The article in the constitution was a lengthy one of ten
sections and prescribed in detail how the military arm of the state was to be
built up. Subsequently statutory provisions elaborated upon the constitution,
until it might be said that the state really, inaugurated what we might now call
a system of "militarism."

This complex military .system was in operation for thirty years, although
after the danger from Indian uprisings had subsided the system gradually
fell into decay. Little change was made in the system from the time of the
first Legislature until 183 1. In 1828 the adjutant-general of the state reported
that there were sixty-five regiments, organized into eighteen brigades, enroll-
ing a total of forty thousand officers and privates. This sounds like the
people were militant, and especially so in view of the fact that the state
experienced diflicult\- in 1916 in raising onlv three regiments for duty on
the Mexican front. !>ut these volunteers of the twenties, not to be classed
as volunteers as they are known toda}', knew that they were not in any imme-
diate danger of being called out for duty.

In 183 1 the Legislature revised the militia laws of the state, but from
that time interest gradually died out in local militia. The year following
the revision of the militia laws, the adjutant-general reported 50,913 ofiicers
and privates and this marks the high mark in the numl>er of enlisted men
under the law of 183 1. The one reason why the militia was kept up was
the annual muster of all enlisted men.

MUSTER DAY.

Holidays were few and far between in the early days of Indiana, but
there was one day in the year tti which old and young looked forward
with pleasant anticipation. This was the annual muster day — the day on
which the local militia donned their uniforms, shouldered their muskets and
side-arms, and paraded before an admiring public. Records have not been
kept in Fayette county which show the number of men in the local militia
companies, but they must have numbered several hundred. Regimental mus-

300 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ters were held either in the spring or fall, usually at the county seat, and on
a level tract known as the "parade grounds." On this eventful day every-
body in the county who could possibly get away was present. They came on
horseback, on foot and in wagons; the young and the old; men and women,
and, as one early settler said, there were as many dogs present as militiamen.
The people came partly to see the muster, partly to see each other — and many
came to eat and drink. More blood was shed in fistic encounters on this day
than all the rest of the year put together.

The muster itself must have been an interesting sight. The men had
to parade whether they had uniforms or not, and the great majority of them
were not uniformed. They wore all sorts of hats, or no hats at all; hundreds
of them were barefoot; most of them were in their shirt sleeves or at best
with linsey wamuses. As for arms, they lined up with all sorts of
weapons. Some had their old squirrel rifles, others had canes, others bore
hoop-poles, some were equipped with corn-stalks, still others had fence rails.
And this motley arrayed and strangely armed soldiery paraded for hours to
their own glorification and the amusement of the onlookers. They marched
two abreast, four abreast and ten abreast ; some were drunk, some sober.
Ludicrous as this must have been, yet it constituted a muster in the eyes of
the law.

This annual performance continued in much the same manner up to the
time of the Mexican War, although by the close of the thirties it had ceased
to have the importance that it had previously enjoyed. No effort was made
to keep the companies full, or the men equipped according to law. The Indians
had all been removed from the state; England was no longer to be feared
and consequently there did not appear to the hard-headed Hoosier any good
reason why he should spend so much time in drilling and parading. During
the progress of the Mexican War the Legislature passed an act putting an
end to the local militia — and thus the muster days of our forefathers came
to a legal end.

MEXICAN WAR.

An examination of the official records of the Mexican War shows that
Fayette county did not have a regularly organized company in any one of
the five regimeni^s which the state raised- for that struggle. Furthermore,
a detailed study of the rosters of these regiments does not disclose any volun-
teers from the county, although the method of crediting enlistments does
not make it possible to determine the counties from which they were made.
In that struggle of the latter forties (1846-48) the counties were not required

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 3OI

to liirnisli a definite nuiiil-)er of men. hence tlie official records furnisii no
clue as to the nuniher who may have come from Fayette county. It is
known, however, that there were a number of enlistments from the county
and also that a number of Mexican Wnv veterans from other counties in
the state later settled in the county.

THE CIVIL WAR.

On Sunday morning, April 14, 1861, the streets of Connersville were
filled with people discussing the fall of Ft. Sumter, which had taken place
the day previous. Il is doubtful whether a more solemn Sabbath had ever
been observed in the United States. For more than a decade there had
Jjeen threats of disunion, though no one really believed that the South would
ever openly secede — but the fall of Ft. Sumter was conclusive proof that the
long expected break between the North and the South had finally come.
To tell in detail the story of Fayette county and of the i)art it played in the
Civil War would take more space than could be given in this work.

No better description of conditions in Connersville on the eve of this
great struggle can be given than that contained in the issue of the Coiiiicrs-
villc Times of April 25, 1861. This was written during the week the events
here chronicled were taking place and presents a vixid picture of the actual
state of affairs at that time :

The greatest entliusitism has existed during the piist week. Meetings of all the
citizens of all the parties express a determination to aid the government with means
and money to be utmost capabilities of Fayette county, if need be. A cannon squad-
has been organized under the command of W. W. Frybarger, tendered to the governor
of the state, and accepted. They comprise a small band of brave hearts and stout
arms, and they will preserve the honor of Fayette county untarnished in the trying hour.

A company of volunteers of over a hundred men has been organized, tendered to
the governor and accepted. The company is 'styled the "Fayette County Guards," and
is officered as follows: Captain, Joseph Marshall: first lieutenant, Joseph (Jreer; second
lieutenant, Thomas J. Powell: third, lieutenant, Jesse Holton : first ensign, John Kensler;
orderly sergeant, John lleOleary.

* * * * A Zouave company is being formed. A large luniiluM- (it <iii/,cns t<f Fayette
county assembled in the court house square in Connersville on .\pril 2(illi for ilie pur-
pose of providing men and means for the defense and support of the constilnlion of llie
United States, and the laws passed by congress in pursuance thereof.

On motion. Elisha Vance was chosen president: William H. Beck inid William
Watton. vice-presidents: Henry Goodlander and Confucius B. Edward.s, secretaries. After
music by the Connersville band, the ladies and gentlemen comprising a choir for the
occasion sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," which was received with immense applause.

On motion a committee of three from Connersville township and one from each
of the other townships was appointed to draft resolutions expressive of Ilic scnlinients

302 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of tbe iieople of tlie county. The comiuittee consisted of the following seutlenien ;
Oonnersville, Benjnmin F. CUinwol, Judge Reid, Judge Wilson; Orange, .S;inuiel Little:
Jennings, Josejih D. Ross; Jackson, James Smith; Columbia, Hemnn Jones; Fairview,
John D. Lewis; Harrison, Thomas Jloffltt ; Posey. Isaac Powell; Waterloo, William C.
Forrey.

KESOLUTIONS -UiE ADOrTED.

Late Develin, of Cambridge City, was called to the stand and m,ule ;in eloquent
anil piitriolic speech. Subsequently the committee on resolutions snlmiitted .-i series of
resiiliitions, wliirh were unanimously adopted with great applause. Patriotic speeches
were made liy Rev. George Camiibell, Rev. P. Carlaud, Captain Joseph JIarshall and
I'.-iptain XewkirU. The resolutions were as follows:

"Whereas. In certain states of our county, citizens thereof having taken up arms
and are now in open rebellion against the same; and whereas for the purpose of put-
ting down said rebellion, maintaining the laws and authority of the governmeut, and
prosecuting the property of the same, the President of the United States has issued his
proclamation calling upon the loyal citizens of the same to volunteer their services and-
plaee themselves at the disposal of the government; and whereas, divers good and loyal
citizens of the county of Fayette, have, pureuant to the said proclamation, tendea'ed
their services. Therefore, in consideration of the premises aforesaid, it is hereby

•'Ordered hii the Board of County Commissionerf<, That the sum of five thousand
dollars of the funds of the county be and the same is hereby appropriated, to be paid
out on orders to be issued from time to time, as may be necessary, for the purpose
of maintaining and supporting the families of such iiersons as have volunteered or
may volunteer, as may stand in need of assistance during the absence of the persons
;ibove referred to.

■■Risiih<d. That the board of commissioners be instructed to appoint such .agents
in each i(i«iiship, .-is may be necessary for the purpose of acting as receiving and
dishursing .igc^nls in order to supply the families of the absent volunteers, who may
re(|uirc .issisiance and support in maintaining the same.

•■Uoiiilnd. That our senator and representative in the General Assembly be re-
quested to vote .-It the called session of the Legislature for an efficient, judicious and
military law. and for the appropriation of all money needed for a vigorous prosecution
of the war in which our country is now involved.

-RrsiiJrvd. That it may be necessary for the volunteers to furnish themselves with
uniforms and articles necessai-y for their comfort at the opening of the campaign, it
is requested that, in addition to the necessary uniform, each volunteer furnish himself
with one conunun blanket, one spoon, knife and fork, and file his voucher for the cost
thereof with the captain of his company for the reimbursement of the same.

■■!,'( snircil. 'I'h.it the county commissioners employ some competent person or house
to funiisli llie necessary uniforms for the voliiiiteei-s. and that proper vouchers be taken
for till' cdst thereof, so that the county may lie indemnified by the state or central
govei-niiient.

■■h'< siilicd. That Misses Roxa Edmonds, Oallie Disuey, Augusta Mason, Fannie New-
kirk, F,-niuie Durnan, Sophia Fi-ybarger, of Counersville township; Misses Matilda
Stone, Kitty Wagniicr and E, A. Irwin, of Orange township; Misses Harriet Thrasher,
Mary Bates and .lane .McCrory, of Fairview township; Misses Eda McMullen, Eliza
Jones and Sallie Cnlc. of Waterloo township; Misses Mary Munger, Frances Ix)der and
Lizzie Cole, of Posey township ; Misses Margaret Thomas, JIary Dale and Rosa Thomas,
of Harrison township; Misses Mary Jones, Mary Webb and Lydia A. Jlessersmith. of

FAYETTE COLNTY, INDIANA. 3O3

('(pUiiiiliia tinviisliip: Misses Mnry Kfllici-lonl. Alaii.-i Newhiiul :iii(l II.hIicI I'.uik, ,.f
JeuiiiiiKS towiisliip; Misses t'iiroliiic r.ofketl. Kiiiiico Moure iuiil lOiiiil.v Clifluii, of .}:uk-
sou townshii), are hereby requested to oill upon the citizens of Fnyette <'ounty and s<)llcil
(Umiitions of woolen bhinkets, and srive one to each volunteer from the county of Fnyette.
and the citizens of said comity be and arc licrcliy rccpu-stcd fo send fo said (Mnnniittee,
at the room of Hiss Fannie Ne^ykirl;. sin'li liJauUcIs as ilicy may lie williii;.' lu roii-
trilinte for the imrpose aforesaid.

"Rcxohcd, That the president of lliis nieelin- (ele-rapli 'I'. A. Morris, ipianeriiiasl.T
fieueral. that Fayette county will do liev duly iu furuisliiu^' vohuileers, aucl lilauUels.
knives, forks and spoons for their use.

lictnlrcd. That the county conunissioners he inslruileil lo huy the eanumi helouiriu^'
to W. W. Frybarger, for the use of the county, it heiii- uuderslood ih.-il said Kryhar;.'<M-
will sell the same at cost and carriage."

GENEROfS KEI.IEK El'ND.S RAISEO.

The ciiiiiniis.sioners were pre'^ent and respmided tn llie re(|iiests of tlie
tneelino-. and in accofdance with tlie order ])assed ])y tlieni, the followin.!.;'
agents \vere a])pointed tor llie ])nrpose of .sohcitint;- ])ro\isions : C'onners-
ville. josiali .Mnllikin; I'oiinersyiile townsiiip. (k-or^e Harlan and Stmit
Atherton : Jaekson townshi]). .\. \'. Laviniore: and Achilles IJackhouse; Jen-
nings township. J. J. Biirk and J. W. Ross; Cohimhia town.ship, George
Scott and Thomas J- Crisier ; Orange township, Emainiel Wagoner and
William Conner ; Harri,son township, Joseph Dale' and .Anthony Watt ;
Posey to-\vnship. Temple Reason and Jacob Newkirk: l^'airview township,
Joseph AI. Siitliffe and Amos (i. Smith.

May 10, 1861, marked a day long- to he remembered in Connersville
and Fayette connty. .\t ten o'clock on the morning of that day the "hXyette
Connty Uni(_in Gnards" were drawn up in line in the court house yard,
where Cajitain .Marshall sjioke a few words and Rev. William Pelan deliv-
ered a pathetic farewell address to the departing .soldiers, manv of whom
were de.stined neyer to return. .\t the close of the ceremonies each volun-
teer was presented \yith a small Testament. .-Vmid the waxing of flags and
the sound of patriotic music the soldiers departed for the camji. Party
lines were wholly obliterated and there was Init one aim anrl (jne cause and
that was the preservation of the L'nion.

VOLfNTEEU.S EOR THE UNION .\RMY.

The method of raising volunteer troo])s in the Civil War was very
diiTerent from the plan followed in the Mexican War. Each county was
asked lo furnish a number of men on each call of the President, the num-

304 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ber asked from each county being proportioned to the number of men of
military age. Officials were appointed in each county to have charge of
the enrolling of volunteers and they were charged with the duty of seeing
that the county furnished the quota proportioned to it.

The following pages list the regiments containing men from Fayette
county, together with the commissioned officers and a brief account of the
part the regiments took in the war. The muster rolls of the county have
not been found and the data given has been compiled from Adjutant-General
Terrell's reports.

• .SIXTEENTH REGIMENT.

Company E of the Sixteenth Regiment was one of the several com-
panies raised in Fayette county. Two Connersville men, John M. Orr and
William H. Greer, were captain and first lieutenant, respectively.

The regiment was organized at Richmond in May, 1861, with Pleasant
A. Hackleman as colonel. The regiment was organized with the intention
of remaining within the confines of the state for one year but need of men
caused the company to offer their services to the government the same day
that the news of the battle of Bull Run reached the North. The regiment
departed from Richmond on July 23, and was the first company to march
through Baltimore after the firing upon the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment.
After reaching Harper's Ferry, the regiment was assigned to the army of
General Banks. The regiment was not engaged in any important engage-
ment until October 21 — the fatal day at Ball's Bluff. In the afternoon of
the 22nd an attack was made upon the pickets, resulting in two men being-
killed. Immediately the regiment was rushed to the front, on the Bluffs,
and in the evening of the 22nd participated in an engagement w^ith the enemy.
On the following day the regiment was detailed to picket ditty, and was the
last regiment to recross the Potomac, reaching the Maryland shore on the
morning of the 24th. Two men were drowned during the expedition. On
December 6th the regiment went into winter quarters near Frederick City.

Winter quarters were broken up in February, 1862, and the long-
expected movement of the armies began. In March, with a detachment of
other troops, a bridge was built across the Shenandoah at Snicker's Ferry,
the structure being completed in forty-eight hours. At this point six men
of Stonewall Jackson's command were captured by Lieutenant Copeland.
On May 12 the regiment started on a march to Washington, D. C, and on

MODEL SILO BUILDLXG ON WHITE WATER CREAMERY FARM.

CUTTING WHEAT OX E. JONES FARM.

FAYETTE COfNTY, INDIANA. 3O5

the I4tli was mustered out nf the ser\ice and returned to huUana. ( )n
April 30 tlie commanding colonel was commissioned a brioadier-general,
and on May 13, in the presence of tlie regiment, was presented witli an ele-
gant sword by iiis men.

The regiment was reorganized for the tliree-years service at Indian-
apolis on May 2-, 1802, with Thomas Lucas as colonel. On August 30 the
regiment took ])art in the battle at Richmond, Kentucky, losing two hun-
dred men killed and wounded, and six hundred prisoners. After the defeat
the prisoners were paroled and sent to Indianapolis, where they remained
in parole cam]) until Xovemljer i, when they were exchanged.

FURTHER ACTION OF THE REGIMENT.

On January 1. 18(^)3, the regiment engaged the enemy at Chickasaw
Bayou, near Vicksburg, and was driven back, the brigade to which it was
attached losing five hundred men. On the iith it participated in a general
engagement near Arkansas Post, and was the first to plant its colors within
the fort: its loss was seventy-seven men killed and wounded. On May 16 the
regiment went into the trenches near Vicksburg, and participated in all of
the operations of the siege until the capitulation on July 4. In the assault
on the enemy's works on May 22. the regiment bf>re a conspicuous part,
holding an important position for nearly ten hours of continuous fighting,
and part of the time was within twenty-five feet of the rebel fort. During
the siege the regiment lost sixty men killed and wounded. The regiment
then marched to Jackson and thence was transi>orted to New Orleans and
distributed along the .Mississij)])i to protect transportation. In October the
cavalry corps was ordered on an expedition up the Bayou Tecbe, in which
section skirmishes were held with the enemy until Januarv 2. 1864. The
regiment was finally reviewed in New Orleans and was mustered out by
General Grierson and complimented for having the best horses that had ever
been in the department. As a compliment to the men whose terms of ser-
vice had not then expired, it was ordered that they be transferred to the
Thirteenth Indiana cavalry, thus putting together infantry and cavalry for
the first time during the war. The regiment was mustered out on June 30,
1865, at New Orleans. On July 10. 1865, it arrived at Indianapolis with
three hundred and sixtv-fi\e men and officers.
(20)

306 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.

Company H formed a part of the Thirty-sixth Regiment, which was
organized at Riclimond, and was mustered into the ser\'ice on September
i6, 1861, and immediately left for the front. During the fall and winter
of 1862 it marched and encamped with the army from Ohio, and reached
Nashville in February, 1862. From there a march was made to the Tennes-
see river and thence to the field of .Shiloh in time to participate in that great
battle, where it sustained a loss of nine killed, thirty-eight wounded and one
missing. It took part in the siege of Corinth, pursued Bragg through Ken-
tucky with Buell's army, participated witli Rosecrans' army in the battle at
Stone's river, and was at Chickamauga. Subsec|uently it joined Sherman's
army in the march to the sea and participated in the marches, skirmishes
and engagements of that campaign.

The successive commissioned ofTlcers of the company were as follow :
Captains, Gilbert Trusler, William F. Limpus ; first lieutenants, Addison M.
Davis, John L. Hensley, William F. Limpus, George Mullikin; second lieu-
tenants, William 1'". Limpus, George Mullikin, James Peterson and Joseph
Hilligoss. Gilbert Trusler, of Connersville, was commissioned major of
the regiment, June 3, 1863, and resigned in the following December. Daniel
D. Hall, also of Connersville, served as a surgeon of the regiment from
September, 1861, to March, 1862.

SIXTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

Company K formed a part of the Sixty-ninth Regiment, which was
organized at Richmond on August 19, 1862. Its successive commissioned
officers included the following : Captains, \\''illiam Iverr, Jesse Holton ; first
lieutenants, Jesse Holton, William G. Plummer, Joseph Senior. Harvey -\.
Zimmerman : second lieutenants, ^Villiam G. Plummer, Joseph Senior. Jed
Scott, of Connersville, was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel of the regi-
ment, and William M. Smith and William Stewart, both of Conners\ille.
served respectiveh' as quartermaster.

The first. real engagement of the regiment was at Richmond, Kentucky,
where two hundred and eighteen men were lost. The captured soldiers
were sent to the parole camp, and upon being exchanged the regiment was
reorganized at Indianapolis and left that place on November 27, 1862, for
Memphis, Tennessee, in command of Colonel Thomas ^V. Bennett. The

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. J^Oy

regiment was tlien detached down tlie Mississippi river with Sheldon's
tjrigade of Morgan's division of Sherman's wing of Grant's army, on the
expedition to Vicksburg. After engaging in several minor engagements,
the regiment began to advance in the movement against Vicksburg, March
30. On reaching Roiindaway Bayou, a rebel force was met and put to
riight. On April 30 the regiment began a march to Port Gibson, where on
May I, occurred the battle of Thompson's Hill. In this engagement Ihe
regiment lost se\enty-()ne men killed and wounded. After numerous skir-
mishes, on May J3, the regiment went with the Osterhaus division to the Black
river bridge, where it remained during the remainder of the siege of Vicksburg.

On l'>bruary 13, 1864, the regiment began its return to Indianapolis,
and after reorganization, departed on March 13 for Matagorda Island.
Beginning with March 27, it made a march through Florida and southern
Alabama, arri\ing in the rear of Blakely on April i.

On July 5, 1865, the battalion was mustered out of service (the regi-
ment was consolidated into a battalion) at Mobile, and on the 7th left for
Indianapolis, having sixteen officers and two hundred and eighty-four men.
This regiment left its dead in eleven states and participated in the battles
of Richmond, Kentucky, Chickasaw Bluffs, Arkansaw Post, Thompson's
Hill, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, the sieges of Vicksburg and Jack-
son, and the capture of Blakely, Alabama, which latter xictory caused the
surrender of Mobile.

SECOND C.WALKV, FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT.

Company L formed a part of the Second Cavalry of the Fortv-first
Regiment, that was organized at Indianapolis in September, 1861, with
John A. Bridgeland as colonel. The successive officers of the company
included the following: Captains. Isaiah D. Walker, Christian Beck, James
(i. Hackleman : first lieutenants. Christian Beck, James G. Hackleman, Pro-
basco Thomas; second lieutenants, James A. Smith, James G. Hackleman,
Probasco Thomas. Rev. \\\ Pelan was a chaplain. Flarvey Y. Burt sei-ved
as an adjutant for a short period and Charles Mount as commissary for a
year.

In l'>l>ruary, 1862, the regiment marched towarfl Nashville and from
that point to the Tennessee river, reaching the field of Shiloh after the
battle. During the next month it was actively engaged at Pea Ridge,
Tennessee, and at Tuscumbia, .Alabama, losing several men in each case.
In August the .same year it was again in Tennessee and contested with the

308 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

enem)' at Gallatin and McMinnville. In September, a march was made into
Kentucky, participating in the Buell and Bragg campaigns. On November
30, while the regiment was still at Nashville, a detachment under command
of Major Samuel Hill was highly complimented by General Rosecrans, in
special field orders, for having recaptured a government train, defeating a
rebel army, killing and capturing two hundred.

While at Mossy Creek, Tennessee, the regiment re-enlisted, January 10,
1864, and during the winter and spring was engaged in numerous scouts
and skirmishes, losing several men. In May, 1864, the regiment partici-
pated in Sherman's campaign against Atlanta, engaging in many skirmishes
and battles. The non-veterans were mustered out when Atlanta was taken,
and in September, 1864, the remaining veterans were consolidated into a
battalion of four companies and placed under the command of Major Ros-
well S. Hill. After a raid through Alabama antl Georgia, the regiment was
mustered out at Nashville. July 22, 1865.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.

Company A formed a part of the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regi-
ment that was mustered into the service on March 10, 1864, with James
Burgess as colonel. The regiment was first sent to Nashville and there was
assigned to the division of General Hovey. On April 5, the regiment left
Nashville for the front. The Twenty-third corps, to which the regiment
was assigned, arrived in front of Buzzard's Roost on May 8. On June i
the regiment was engaged in sharp skirmishes in the vicinity of Allatoona
and Pumpkin Vine Creek, and took a position opposite and near Lost Moun-
tain. After the enemy had evacuated the position, the regiment took posi-
tion on the right of Kenesaw Mountain. The regiment took part in many
engagements prior to the siege of Atlanta, in which it played an important
part.

On October 4, the regiment began its pursuit of General Hood, moving
by the way of Marietta to Allatoona, and thence, through Cassville and
Kingston, to Rome. The pursuit continued through Snake creek and White's
Gap to Summerville, and down the Chattanooga valley to Gaylesville, Ala-
bama, where the pursuit was discontinued. Subsequently the regiment was
transported to Na.shville, where it arrived on November 9. On November
21, the regiment constructed temporary breastworks at Columbia, and for
two days was engaged with the- enemy under General Hood. At Spring
Hill a severe skirmish occurred during which Company C was captured by

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 3O9

tlie enemy. On December 15 tiie army, nnder (ieneral Tliomas, advanced
from its fortifications aronnd X'ashville upon the army of General Hood,
and after two days of fioiiting', (lecisi\ely defeated the rebels.

In February, 1865, the regiment proceeded to North Carolina. Upon
reaching- Wise's Fork the enemy was encountered and repulsed in confusion.
On October 15 it crossed the Neuse river and marched to Kingston, thence
to Goldslx)ro, where the junction was formed with the victorious army of
Sherman, who had marched from Atlanta to the sea. The regiment was
mustered out at Greenslx)ro, August 31, 1865.

The successive commissioned officers for Company A follow : Captains,
John M. Orr, John M'. Hannah ; first lieutenants, John W. Hannah, Martin
S. Bush: second lieutenants, Martin S. Bush, Lot H. C. Pumphrey; George
F. Stewart, of Connersville, was a first and second lieutenant in Company
E : John B. Schissler, 'a first lieutenant in Company F. Quite a numljer of
pri\-ates from Company G were from Fayette county.

THIRD BATTERY.

On August 5, 1861, the Third Battery, Light Artillery, was organized
at Connersville, and was mustered into the service on August 24, 1861, with
W. W. Frybarger as captain. The battery was dispatched to St. Louis and
there became a part of General Fremont's army in the campaign through
southwest Missouri. When the campaign came to a close Captain Frybarger
was promoted to the office of major and was ordered to Indianapolis to organ-
ize batteries. Lieut. James M. Cockefair was promoted to captain. During
the summer and fall of 1862 parts of the Third Battery were dispatched to
different portions of Missouri, and engaged in numerous encounters and
skirmishes with the enemy, but no decisive battles were fought. During the
winter of 1862 and until late in 1863, the battery was located in and around
the vicinity of Springfield. In November, 1863, a majority of the members
re-enlisted as veterans. Under the command of Gen. A. J. Smith, it moved
through western Tennessee and on to Memphis, and with its division proceeded
to \'icksburg by boat, thence to Meridian, ^Mississippi. After having destroyed
the enemy's communications, the battery returned with the army to Tennes-
see. In the summer of 1864 the battery was engaged almost constantly in
covering the retreat of Banks' army, until it reached INIorganza Bend, on the
Mississippi river. Thence it embarked to Vicksburg and on to Mississippi,
where an extensive campaign was conducted. In the fall of 1864, the battery
moved with the Sixteenth Army Corps to St. Louis and joined the forces of

3IO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

General Rosecrans in the pursuit of General Price. After making a march of
eight hundred miles in twenty-four days without overtaking the enemy, the
battery returned to St. Louis and thence to Nashville, Tennessee. Combined
with the army of General Thomas, the battery took part in the decisive battle
in front of Nashville, on December 15 and 16, 1864. As a result Hood's
army was completely routed. Later the battery was placed under the com-
mand of General Canby, and operated with his army in the vicinity of Mobile.
It was actively engaged in the capture of Ft. Blakely, an event which com-
pelled the surrender of Mobile. The Third Battery was mustered, out at
Indianapolis on August 21, 1865.

Following the command of J. M. Cockefair, Thomas J. Ginn and then
Richard Burns commanded the battery.

ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTH REGIMENT, MINUTE MEN.

Company K of the One Hundred and Fourth Regiment, Minute Men,
was from Fayette county. The regiment was formally organized at Greens-
burg on July 10, 1863, with James Gavin as colonel. Including privates and
ofificers the company was composed of seven hundred and nineteen men. The
regiment marched from Greensburg to Sunman's station, thence to Lawrence-
burg, and on to Harrison, Ohio. After Morgan's eventful dash through
Indiana and Ohio, the regiment returned to Greensburg and was mustered
out on July 18, 1863.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINTH REGIMENT, ONE-HUNDRED-DAY
VOLUNTEERS.

Company F of the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Regiment, One-Hun-
dred-Day Volunteers, originated in Fayette county. The regiment was mus-
tered into the service at Indianapolis June 8, 1864, with George Humphrey
as colonel. From Indianapolis the regiment moved direct to Nashville, Ten-
nessee, where it was assigned to duty along the lines of the Nashville &
Chattanooga, Tennessee & Alabama, and Memphis & Charleston railroads.
These lines were being used by General Sherman for the transportation of
supplies to his army then advancing on Atlanta and due vigilance was recjuired
to insure constant transportation and communication. The regiment served
beyond the period of one hundred days, and returned to Indianapolis, where
it was finally discharged from the service.

In addition to the above-named companies the county was represented
in various other organizations, among which were the Eighty- fourth Regi-

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 3 II

iiieiit, Xelsoii Truslcr lieiiii^' at niie time a colonel; ■rueiity-tliird llattorv I-i,!;"lit
Artillery; Third Qivalry ( Forty-litth ) ; Sixth Cavalry Battalion (Seventy-
first) ; Thirty-fifth, Fourth Regiment (Hancock's Corps), One Hundred and
Forty-seventli Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, and Seventh Cavalry, Indiana
Volunteers. Dr. Joshua Cliitwood served as assistant surgeon and surgeon
of the Seventh Cavalry, Indiana \'olunteers, in 1863- 1864. Christian Beck
was a major of the Thirty-fifth regiment in 1863, and in 1864 was commis-
sioned lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth Ca\alrv.

morga">n''s raid.

The summer of 1863 furnished Fayette county with the most exciting
time it experienced during the Civil War. Many persons are still living who
recall the excitement aroused by the news that General Morgan had crossed
the Ohio in Harrison county and was reported to be headed for Indianapolis
with his cavalry command.

While Morgan's men never reached the limits of Fayette ct)unty, yet
Colonel Claypool, with the F'ayette Minute Men and the i^shland Home
Guards played a very important part in the preparation for defense, as
will be noted in the following account of Morgan's raid through Indiana.

On Wednesda}- morning, July 8, 1863. General Morgan crossed the
line from Kentucky tn Indiana. He had four thousand mounted men
with him. and for the next five days created more consternation in Indiana
than the state has ever known. It is not the purpose of this paragraph to
give in detail the story of Morgan's raid in Indiana, only in so far as it
is concerned with Fayette and incidentally FVanklin counties. Morgan first
appeared before Corydon, and at that place three volunteers were killed and
one mortally wounded. On the afternoon of the 9th Morgan marched out
of Corydon and soon appeared before Palmyra in the northern part of Harri-
son county. Here Morgan separated his forces, part going to Greenville,
part to Paoli and the rest going to \'ienna. Flis forces came together at
Salem at nine o'clock on the morning of the loth. From Salem, Morgan
started in an easterly direction, having found out that it was not prudent to
advance toward Indianapolis, as he originally intended to do. Some of his
men went through Brownstown and others through Canton and New Phila-
delphia and spent the night at Lexington in Scott county. On Saturday after-
noon, the nth, Morgan came in sight of Vernon, but there was too strong a
force posted there, so he passed the town without making an attempt to
capture it. On Saturday night Morgan camped near Dupont, about eight

312 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

miles southeast of Vernon. About four o'clock on the morning of Sunday,
July 12, Morgan passed through Dupont on the way to Versailles in Ripley
county. He reached that place at half-past one o'clock, captured Col. J. H.
Cravens with three hundred militia, and robbed the county treasury of five
thousand dollars of public funds.

CITIZEN SOLDIERY ON GUARD.

It was on this memorable Sunday that the citizens of Fayette and
Franklin counties received their first-hand experience of the Civil War.
The knowledge that Morgan with his band of marauders was in Ripley and
Dearborn counties on that day created the wildest excitement. The gallantry
and the alacrity with which the citizen soldiery rushed to arms in the defense
of their hofnes was praiseworthy and commendable in the highest degree.
From early Sunday morning until Morgan crossed the line into Ohio on
Monday night, the wildest excitement prevailed in both counties and prepa-
rations for defense were to be seen on every hand.

The Franklin Democrat, of Brookville, in the issue of Juh- 17, 1863, gives
the following graphic description of those exciting days in the town and sur-
rounding country:

"lu our town, witb the most generous enthusiasm, the people have hastened to
take up arms to drive out the impudent invaders of our soil. With a zeal and alacrity
almost without parallel, they have dropped the sickle and plow, and, rifie in hand,
have joined in pursuit of the freebooters. On Sunday, learnius that the rebels were
in the vicinit.v of Sunman's Station, every conceivable mode of conveyance was pro-
cured to convey our armed citizens to the locality where it was suppo-sed a collision
would take place. In his march, Morgan is making a wholesale work in the way of
stealing horses and his men are mounted on the finest stock in the countr.v. Several
of the citizens of this county were relieved of tlioir horses by this freebooter and his
men. Among the citizens of the county who contributed horses to Morgan's cause,
against their own will, were John P. Case, of New Trenton, and Dr. John Cleaver,
of Drewersburg. In addition to robbing the stables, the marauding band did not
hesitate to appropriate any articles which met their fancy as they rode through the
country.

According to the best information obtainable, there were only about ten of Mor-
gan's men in this community. Two troopers appeared at Oldenburg in Franklin county
on Saturday afternoon, and riding iuto the blacksmith shop of 3. H. Kessing, they told
him they wanted their horses shod at once. They insisted on having new shoes put
on their horses, but Kessing told them he did not have any, although he did ha^e
some hanging from the ceiling of the shop. There were some farmers in the shop,
but the troopers demanded that their horses be shod at once, and told Kessing that
when he had them shod to bring them to the Kuntz saloon, and they would pay for the
work. He shod them and took them to the saloon, but they immediately jumped
upon them and rode away without paying. They rode off toward St. Marys, and

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FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

iiii't lidiiiiuic Siefei-t aldiii; tlip road. Seifort had .iiisl suli
money in liis pofkc-t, but the trooinns kindly ii'licvcd li
reaching St. Marys they appeared [<< have pas'^cd (i\cr ii
tliey are next heard of at Xew Alsate.

<»n Sunday ten of Morgan's men appo.iicd ai llic Imiii
ihree miles west of St. Peters, and asked to hi' fiMl. Wliilf
something for them to eat tliey visited the haiii to looU ;i
he had heard of their coming and had hidden liis liorses
any horses, they satisfied themselves liy taking three sliirt
After eating the meal prepared for tlieni hy Mrs. l>iidlcy,
farm of Frank Bosfelt, in tlie same lowiisliip :iii(l look a .-oiipU" of liorsis. They
continued on east, and on the otliei- side of New 'rrcnlou inot the oiiinihus L,'oiii^' up
the Miami hill and comiielled all of the passengers to li.ind over their nioney .iiid val-
ual)les. One man from Hrookville. Alliert ("ooper. escaped some way or otiicr. while
the others were relieved of their money, and hid in an oais field near tlie road. The
onmibus company lost twelve horses.

It was expected that Brookville woiihl ho .■ilt.irkcil hy .M(iru:ni and coii-^cqiu'iilly
every effort was made to defend the town. Colonel Cl.iypool. hroiii;lil to Hrookville
on Sunday the Fayette Minute Men .inil the .\shland Ibnne Guards, numhering. alto-
gether, about one hundred and fifty men. The mounted troops remained in Hrookville
until Thursday morning and carried away with them the heartfelt wi.shes of every
member of this community for the soldierly bearing and gentlemanly deiiortment which
characterized the whole troop during their stay. As an evidence of the nniuner in which
they were treated by our citizens, the following resolution w.is nn.inimonsly passed liy
them .lust previous to their depart lire:

■■l{rs<,ln<l. That the heartfelt thanks of the Fayette .Minute .Men and the Ashland
H<mie (Juards be hereby tendereil to the citizens of Brookville. for their generous hos-
pit.-ility and kindness during the time that said conip.-inies have hwn ipi.-irteied in their
midst, and that this resolution he imlilished in the Uriiidiiiit and iHfrndn ■'

As the war advanced it became increasingly difficult to fill the quota
of the county and toward the latter part of the war it was filled with consid-
erable difficulty. Drafts and the offer of lx)unties became necessary to meet
the demands of the state authorities. On October 6, 1862, a draft assignment
was inade to Fayette county as follows: Connersville township, six; Orange
township, one ; Harrison township, five ; Posey township, t\\ent\-se\'en : \\'ater-
loo township, eighteen ; Fairview township, thirteen.

With the exception of a very few the (juota of Fayette county was com-
posed of volunteers. The county, with a total militia enrollment in Sep-
tember, 1862, of one thousand six hundred and eighty-one men, had sent to the
field five hundred and sixty men. recjuiring the foUowiiig month the small
draft of seventy.

314 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

SUFFERING AND ANGUISH.

A detailed story of the part Fayette county took in this conflict will
never be told ; it is one of those events which cannot be pictured. As far as
a recital of the battles and marches of the various regiments containing Fay-
ette county men is concerned, that is a mere matter of official record. But
no pen will ever trace the story of the suffering and anguish experienced
by the women and children who were left behind ; that account was indelibly
stamped on their hearts and minds and most of it never even found vocal
expression, and certainly none of it ever found its way into the official records.
The county officials and groups of citizens in a private capacity ministered to
the material wants of those dependent upon the soldiers in the field, but
they did not have the power to assuage their grief or offer compensation
for the loss of a father, son or husband. And thus a vital part of the
Civil War history of Fayette county must be dismissed as being of such
a character that the chronicler cannot record it.

RELIEF AND BOUNTIES.

The material assistance rendered the dependent families during the
progress of the war is a matter of official record. The county funds for
this purpose during the entire war were in charge of James Elliott, who
was designated as the "county agent." He distributed a total of $64,366.37
for the relief of soldiers' famihes, and an additional amount of $9,201.45
for other ptirposes of a charitable nature. This total of $73,567.82 repre-
sented only a part of the money expended in behalf of the dependent families.
The various townships voted funds to the amount of $190,664, part of which
was for relief and part in the shape of lx)unties offered for enlistments. In
the latter case the amount, that is, the bounty money, was sufficient to take
care of the family during the absence of the father, husband or son at the
front. Before the end of the war the total bounty — state, county and town-
ship— paid the individual recruit amounted to five hundred dollars. The
county itself paid bounties totaling $190,764.

Nor was this the full extent of the aid extended to those who needed
help. Not only did every church have an organization which actively assisted
in this charitable work among the needy at home, but there were scores of
other organizations working along the same line. The soldiers in the field
Avere the recipients of food, clothing and other comforts from their loved

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 315

ones at home. The farmers in the various townsliips donated wood and food
to the cause. A notice in the newspapers on October 22, 1863, gives the
information that two hundred and fifty cords of wood had been donated
for needy families. Other references in the newspaper files note donations of
wood from time to time. On one day the farmers of Waterloo township alone
contributed seventeen loads of wood; on another occasion forty loads were
credited to the Lockhart neighborhood, and other townships and separate com-
munities contributed in proportion. Connersville township reported donations
of fifty-two loads of wood at one time. The largest number of loads at
any one time was reported at one hundred, that number l>eing contributed
in December, 1864.

THE END OF THE WAR.

The long struggle finally came to an end with the fall of Richmond in
April, 1865, and when the news was received in Connersville it was made
the cause of great rejoicing. The Times, in commenting on the receipt of
the news that the capital of the Southern Confederacy had fallen, had the
following to say in its issue of April 13:

Sueli sceues never liiive ;iud probably uever will occur again in Connersville as
were witnessed last Monday. The fall of Iticliuiond was celebrated here in a measure,
but then the cup of joy was not yet full, and the surrender of Lee and his army
remained to assure our people of the final triumph of the glorious old Army of the
Potomac, and to make "assurance doubly sure" that the Rebellion had received its
death blow. Early on Monday morning the glad news of that great event was borne
us on the telegraph wires, and our pen cannot portray the joy with which our citizens
received the news that the army which for four years had given the Rebellion all its
vitality, was among the things of the past. Demoralized, battered and broken it had
been, but our fondest hopes were consummated when the bleeding remnant of the Army
vf Northern Virginia laid down its arms at the feet of that glorious hero, U. S. Grant.
Upon the receipt of the news the first notes of rejoicing rang forth from the church
bells, which had the day before called their congregations to peaceful worship; to these
chimes were soon added those of the court house bell and all other bells, both large and
small, in the town, and the clamor had reached its climax when guns and anvils joined
in the chorus. The stores were closed, every-day avocations were abandoned instantly,
and soon the whole population of the city were jambed into Monroe street. Then
who can describe the scene that followed and continued far into the night? Not a
countenance but bore a smile. Shouts upon .shouts rent the air amid the shaking of
hands and frantic embraces. The people were wild with joy. Col. Nelson Trusler
arrived from Indianapolis in the evening, and in resiwnse to the call of his fellow-
citizens made a short .si)eech, which aptly illustrated the condition of the people. He
said that he left Indianapolis that morning because ever.vbody was drunk, and he
wanted to go to some place where he could find sober folks; they captured and detained
him awhile at Cambridge City, but there he found the citizens drunker than they were
at Indianapolis.

3l6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Ivast Siiiulay was a glorious epoch, and if it were not a day for whicli all other days
were made, yet it was a day for generations, and our children will hereafter hold it in
grateful remembrance so long as the nation sh.ill survive.

ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

An account of the news of the assassination of President Lincoln was
given to the people of Conners\'ille and Fayette county in the Times with
its issue of April lo, 1863. It must have been an occasion of impressive
moment to judge b}' what the editor has to say :

Ceremonies appropriate of the funeral of the President of the United .States were
held in all the churches of Connersville that are regularly oijened for worship, yester-
day. The stillness and solemnity of the Sabbath prevails throughout the town. The
business houses were closed the entire day, and uiwn all were the emblems of mourn-
ing. The court house and many of the private residences were also draped in mourning.
Such a scene was never before witnessed in Connersville.

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.

I~ayette county did not have a company in the Spanish-American War,
but a number of young men from the county, mostly kom Connersville,
enlisted in companies recruited in other counties in the stats. An examina-
tion of the official roster of the five regiments raised by the state for service
in this war shows the following with their residence given as Connersville:
Edward L. Cooley, Frank R. Dinger, Charles E. Payne and Harry Wregg,
all of Company A, One tlundred and Fifty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volun-
teer Infantry, mustered in on June 16, 1898, and mustered out on November
4, 1898: Clinton Crago, Jacob Godar, Joe Morford and Thomas J. Wolfe,
of Company D, same regiment ; Basil Middleton, Will Glisson, Harry H. Hall,
Charles S. Hoffner, George Holder, Will Myers, George A. Plummer and
Ernest L. Ragan. of Company H, One Hundred and Sixty-first Regiment,
Indiana Volunteer Infantry: George W. Eshelman, Henry A. Hosey, Charles
'M^'illiams, Jr., and Joim F. Hunt, Second United States Volunteers, Engineer
Corps : and Aquilla B. Hatton and Clement D. Rowe, Fourteenth United
States Signal Corps.

The only enlisted man from Fayette county to rise above the rank of
a private was Harry Hall. He was appointed corporal on October i, 1898.
The records show that Basil Middleton was mustered in as a musician with
the Rushville com])any. All the others were privates.

FAYETTE COl'XTY, INDIANA. 317

,Nn MILITARY NOTKS.

l'"a}ette county's only na\al ofticer. Lieut. -Coninianck-r Hilary Williams,
is now executive officer alioard the "'Xew Hampshire,'" one of the navy's
largest fighting ships. Lieut. -Commander Williams, the son of .\m1jrose
Williams and wife, was liorn and reared near Harrishuri;- and received all
of his elementary etlucation in this county. He was ajipointed to the Xaval
.\cadem\- at .\nnapolis in the spring of 1803, •i''"' ^^'^^^ graduated from that
noted institution at the beginning of the .Spanish-American war. During
the time that the L'nited States fleets and the shi])s of Spain were contesting
for supremacy upon the high seas. Williams, then a midshipman, was assigned
to duty aboard the historic "Oregon." which made a record-breaking cruise
around Cape Horn. He was in the battle of Santiago on board the "Iowa."
This naval officer's younger brother. Major Arthur Williams, of the United
States army, received an appointment to \\'est I\iint in 1897 ''^''"' ^^''^ gradu-
ated from that celebrated institution four years later. He is now stationed
at San Francisco as a member of the l'nited States Engineering Corps.

Edward Berling is a Connersville boy who is now in the l'nited States
navy. He enlisted at lndiana])olis, January 29, 1916, and after serving a
short time at Great Lakes, Illinois, was assigned to the battleship "Okla-
homa." He has received se\'eral promotions and is in line to occujiv still
higher positions.

In February. 1016, Russell T. \\'agner, of Conners\ille, enlisted in the
ser\-ice of the United States nav\- and served the usual ajiprenticeship ;it
Great Lakes. Illinois. He remained there until Mav _' [ and then was
assigned to the battleship "Florida."

The most recent enlistment in the navy from Connersville was that of
Earl Gwinnup who enlisted in January, 1917. He is now at Great Lakes,
Illinois, receiving his preliminary training.

It is not known how many of the young men of Fayette county have
served for various periods of service in the navy, but one of the most prom-
inent of the number is D. E. Trusler, now editor of the CoimcrsviUc Dailv
Examiner. He was in the navy from h;o5 to 1909 and during that time
visited every port of any importance in the world, crossing the equator no
less than twenty-eight times. He was first stationed on the "Charleston"
and later on the "West Virginia."

The only Fayette county boy to invade Mexico with General Pershing
in 1916 was Charles J. Drescher. of Connersville. He enlisted, on January

3l8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

5, 1914, at Atlanta, Georgia, and became attached to Troop D, Eleventh
Cavalry, of the regular army. He enlisted as a private and on November
I, 1 916, was promoted to coqDoral.

Another Connersville boy who is a member of the regular army is Alvin
H. Hall. He enlisted on June 5, 1916, and on August 5, 1916, was sent to
Ft. Bhss, Te.xas. He is now stationed at that point and is a member of
Troop B, SeA'enteenth Cavalry.

William N. Ochiltree was one of the young men of Connersville to go
to the Mexican border with Company I, in the summer of 1916. Upon
reaching the border he was promoted to first orderly and was promoted
from time to time until he became supply sergeant.

.\lbert Kuhlnian, of Connersville, enlisted in the regular army in
P'ebruary, 191 5, and at the present time is stationed at Honolulu.

Will K. Henry is a Connersville boy serving in the United States army
in the Philippine Islands.

Major Edward Chrisman. son of Jesse Chrisman and wife, was appointed
to West Point Academy in 1884 and graduated in 1888. After graduation
he was stationed at Omaha, Nebraska, for a short time and then spent one
year in the torpedo school at Willets Paint near Brooklyn. When war was
declared between the United States and Spain, he entered the army as a first
lieutenant, finally being promoted to captain. He was in the memorable
siege of San Juan Hill and has seen service in the Philippine Islands. He
is now stationed in the canal zone, in Panama.

A Connersville boy who has made an enviable record in the regular
army is Basil Middleton, now instructor at Culver Military Academy. At
the outbreak of the Spanish-American War he enlisted with Company H,
One Hundred and Sixty-first Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, as a
Inigler. During the Mexican activity of 191 6 he served as captain, and
adjutant of the First Regiment, Indiana National Guard, stationed along
the Llano Grande river. He is an expert rifleman and has won many honors
on account of his excellent markmanship.

MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS.

There are two organizations in the county which are based on wars in
which the United States has engaged. One is the Daughters of the American
Revolution and the other the Grand Army of the Republic. There was for-
merly an organization of the Sons of Veterans in Connersville, but it has
ceased its existence as an active organization.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 3I9

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

Connersville Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was organ-
ized on April lo, 1909, with the following charter members: Flora Cald-
well Broaddus, Mrs. Sophia Alice Chitwood, Cornelia Disney Conwell, Annie
Disney Conwell, Lillian Chambers, Margaret I. Dickson, Mrs. Sarah Eliza-
beth Carver, Mrs. Irene Pepper Johnson, Mrs. Isabel Morrison Kensler, Mrs.
Mary Susan Pepper and Sophia Ethel Pepper. The first officers were as
follows: Regent, Mrs. Tracy B. Johnson; vice-regent. Miss Cornelia Con-
well; recording secretary, ]\liss Margaret T. Dick.^^on : registrar, Mrs. P. H.
Kensler; treasurer, Mrs. K. \'. Hawkins; historian. Flora Broaddus: chap-
lain, Mrs. Mary Pepper.

The membership of the chapter has shown a commendable growth since
its organization and now has fifty-nine actix-e memljers on its roll. They
follow : Mrs. Laura Jane Backous, Ethelyn May Backous, Isabel Ball, Rachel
Blanche Hall, Josephine Barrows, Mrs. Ruth Hull Barrows, Mrs. Bessie Mer-
rell Bird, Mrs. Lillian Wilson Beck, Mrs. Sophia Alice Chitwood, Cornelia
Disney Conwell, Annie Disney Conwell, Mrs. Eleanor McCann Carlisle, Mrs.
Rebecca L. Chrisman, Margaret I. Dickson, Mrs. Caroline Barrows Dixon,
Mrs. Beulah Hamilton Frazee, Essie May Frazee, Mrs. Alice Green Gray,
Mrs. Margaret Pratt Hawkins. Mrs. Rozzie Lair Hull, Mrs. Elizabeth New-
kirk Houghton, Mrs. Mabel Sanders Hart, Mary Helen Huston, Mrs. Jessie
Olive Hayes, Mrs. Gladys Lockhart Hassler, .Mrs. Irene Pepper Johnson, Mrs.
Isabelle Morrison Kensler, Mrs. Anna Sinks Kehl, Inez Lockhart, Mrs. Emma
Sanders McFarlan, Mrs. Elh Hughes McFarlan,. Mrs! Madge Kensler McKen-
nan, Mrs. Adella McGrew Michener, Mrs. .\delia McGee Mclnto.sh. Mrs.
Mary F. Murphy, Jessie Murphy. Mrs. Fanny H. Xe\'in. Mrs. Estella Norris
Ochiltree. Sophia Ethel Pepper, Mrs. Pearl Sanders Page, Mrs. Fanny Tay-
lor Sanders, Mrs. Lulu Trusler Sil\e\-, .Mrs. Mary Helen VValden and Mrs.
Mabel Buckley Zeiu-ung. Three of tlie active members are also life members,
namely: Mrs. Isabel Morrison Kensler, Mrs. Margaret Pratt Hawkins and
Mrs. Adelia McGee Mcintosh.

The non-resident members include the following: Mrs. May Sinks
Crane. Cincinnati, Ohio; Harriet Day, Laurel, Indiana; Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth
Garver, Huntington Park, Cahfornia;. Elizabeth Johnson, Indianapolis,
Indiana ; Ada Belle Jacques, Des Moines, Iowa ; Mrs. Ruth Merrell Jackson,
Highland Park, Chicago; Mrs. Kate Limpus, Laurel, Indiana; Mrs. Genevieve

320 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Beck Middleton, Culver, Indiana; Mrs. Anna Conwell McElhinny, Ames
Hill, West Brattleboro, Vermont; Etha Anna Wright, Toledo, Ohio.

Since the organization of the local chapter it has lost only two by death :
Mrs. Martha Anna Brumfiel, died July 5, 191 3: Mrs. Mary Susan Pepper,
died December 31, 191 5.

The chapter has made an effort to locate the graves of all the Revolu-
tionary War soldiers who are buried in the county, and thus far has located
ten: Jonathan Davis (1760-1845), Springersville cemetery; James Hamer,
Union cemetery; Daniel Bloomhart (died in 1837), Jonathan Gillian (1758-
1833), James Justice (1742-1832), Nicholas Keemar (died in 1828) and
James Pierce, Orange township cemetery: Amos Milner (died in 1851), Mt.
Garrison cemetery: Robert Groves (died in 1855) and Samuel Isles (died
in 1855), Fairview cemetery.

The chapter has presented a flag to the public library of the city and
a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence to each of the five school
buildings in the city. On April iq of each year the chapter gives three prizes
to the pupils of the eighth grade for the best essay on a Revolutionary sub-
ject. It has contributed to the Southern Industrial Institution, and to the
purchase of Turkey Run. As a Centennial Memorial it selected a site for a
boulder on which will be inscribed "To the Defenders of Our Country."

The officers for the year 1916-1917 are as follow: Regent, Mrs. C. C.
Hull; vice-regent, Mrs. Scott Michener; recording secretary, Mrs. Fanny
Nevin ; registrar, Mrs. P. H. Kensler ; treasurer, Mrs. J. E. Page ; historian,
Mrs. W. F. L. Sanders: chaplain, Mrs. A. L. Chrisman.

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.

Connersville Post No. 126, Grand Army of the Republic, was instituted
on January 9, 1883, in accordance with the charter granted on December
20, 1882. The installation ceremonies were in charge of P. C. Iliff, O. D.
\\'ebster. Adjutant Pixell and Quartermaster-Sergeant Campbell, of Rich-
mond, Indiana. Of the original thirt3^-six charter members only twelve are
now living. Their names are Justin K. Proctor, ^^'illiam N. Young, James
M. Waldrip, George S. Johnson, Joseph S. Hoover, Samuel Kirkham, John
Payne, Harvev Smith, Lycurgus L. Cooley, James S. Scott, George F. Stew-
art and John H. Whiteford. The deceased charter members are William J.
Jewiss, Frank W. Reynolds, S. W. Johnson, Robert Utter, John A. Dunn,
William Cotton, Thomas J. Clark, Noah Lyons, Homer B. Woodcock, Wil-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 321

Hani G. Plunimer. Tlioiiias M. I-ittle, Gabriel Dresclier, Samuel H. Van
Kooton. Dr. Samuel N. Hamilton, John W. Ross, A. E. Barrows, Thomas
Shaw, Barton S. Barker, D. B. Ball, Dr. \'incent H. Gregg, Jacob Kribs,
Newton Perkins and Adolph Segrist.

This is the only post which has ever been established in the county and
has had a total membership of alwut three hundred during its entire career.
The membership at any one time has not reached this number. Since its
organization it. has held regular meetings. At first they were held weekly,
but for several years the post has met only twice each month. The hall,
which is over the First National Bank, is furnished by the county commis-
sioners. It should be mentioned in this connection that the county com-
missioners are authorized by law not only to pay for the rental of the hall,
but also to allow fifty dollars for the burial expenses of each old soldier.
In 1916 the appropriation for the hall was one hundred and fifty dollars,
while seven hundred dollars was appropriated for the burial of old soldiers.
There are now two soldiers of the county in the National Soldiers Home at
Dayton, Ohio, but none in either the National Home at Marion, Indiana, or
the State Soldiers Home at Lafayette. The best estimate of the present num-
ber of Civil War veterans in the county places the number at one hundred
and twelve, of whom thirty-seven are now members of the post.

OFFICERS OF THE POST.

The first officers of the post were as follow : John A. Dunn, post com-
mander; W. G. Plummer, senior vice-commander; Capt. George S. Johnson,
junior vice-commander; W. N. Young, officer of the day; S. H. Van Kooton,
officer of the guard; John W. Ross, quartermaster; J. M. Waldrip, sergeant;
T. M. Little, chaplain; W. J. Jewiss, adjutant; T. J. Clark, sergeant-major;
Robert Utter, cjuartermaster-sergeant. In connection with the foregoing
Comrades Woodcock and Reynolds were appointed as an administrative com-
mittee.

The officers for the year 1917 are as follow: George Williams, post
commander; Elbert DeHaven, senior vice-commander; Oscar Caswell, junior
vice-commander; William T. Murray, adjutant; George F. Stewart, quarter-
master ; Justin K. Proctor, sergeant : John Whiteford, chaplain ; Lycurgus L.
Cooley, officer of the day ; Frank Mason, officer of the guard ; Peter Cline,
sergeant-major; A. Y. Neff, quartermaster-sergeant.
(21)

322 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

SONS OF VETERANS.

Davis Camp No. 4, Sons of Veterans, was instituted at Connersville
on March 7, 1884, by Col. J. E. Edmondson, assisted by the members of
the Connersville Post. The camp was organized with nineteen members
and named in honor of Lieut. A. M. Davis, who was wounded at the battle
of Shiloh and afterwards died from the effects of the wound. About 1906
the order was revived, Camp Frank I-. Johnson being instituted and at one
time having a membership of seventy-five, but after two or three years the
camp died because its members were too busy to keep up regular meetings.

It is interesting to note that there are at the present time nearly three hun-
dred men in Fayette county eligible to membership.

CHAPTER XI. j

The Bench and the Bar.

Moses is credited with being- the first lawyer in history and since the
days when he compiled the first code the legal profession has been con-
sidered one of the most highly honored professions. As long as men persist
in \iolating the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule, so long will there
be need of lawyers: and accordingly every community finds it necessary to
have lawyers in its midst.

Fayette county was hardly more than organized when the first lawyer
made his appearance. Somewhere in the embryonic village of Connersville,
William W. Wick hung out his shingle in 1819 and he appears to have had
the field to himself until Oliver H. Smith appeared on the scene in the spring
of the following year. From that day down to the present time the lawyer
has been an intimate part of the life of the county, and, as far as is known,
all of the lawyers of the county have been residents of the county seat.
No other town has been of a sufiicient size to attract a lawyer.

The question of rating lawyers on the basis of their ability is a difficult
thing to do, and yet by common consent there are a few of the lawyers of
the county whose pre-eminence is universally conceded. First and foremost
among this number are the two Smiths, Oliver H. and Caleb B. (not kins-
men), both of whom rose to a high rank in their profession and to a Jiigh
position in the affairs of the nation, the former becoming a United States
senator, and the latter, a member of Congress and later secretary of the
interior under President Lincoln. An extended sketch of both men is given
in another chapter.

Ranking along with these two men is Samuel W. Parker, a teacher,
newspaper editor, member of the Legislature and finally a member of Con-
gress. .\s a lawyer he was probal)ly the equal of either of the' Smiths,
although he was not as widely known in national affairs. These three men-
together with William W. Wick, .\ndre\v Kennedy and Samuel C. Sample',
constitute the leaders among the lawyers of tiie county who finally reached
the halls of Congress. Wick, Kennedy and Sample, however, can hardly
be considered as Fayette county lawyers, since they left the county shortly

324 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

after being admitted to the bar and cast their lots with other counties in the
state.

MORE LAWYERS IN CONGRESS.

There are two other local lawyers who have been elected to Congress,
Jeremiah H. Wilson and Finly H. Gray, the latter having closed his third
term on March 4, 1917. Wilson was a former common pleas and circuit
judge, and after his second term in Congress (1875) located in Washing-
ton, D. C, where he practiced until his death. This completes the list of
lawyers of Fayette county who have succeeded in being elected to Congress.
Jonathan McCarty, the other congressman from this district elected from
this county, was not a lawyer.

Of the remaining lawyers, now deceased, there are a few who stand out
above the rest. Probably the best of the earlier group was Benjamin F.
Claypool, who was born in Connersville on December 12, 1825, and who
spent his whole career in the city of his birth. He. is credited with being
the first person born in Fayette county to graduate from Asbury (DePauw)
University (1845). He took a prominent part in political affairs. He was
a delegate to the first Republican convention in 1856 and served as presi-
dential elector in 1864 and again in 1868. He was also interested in bank-
ing, first as president of a state bank and later as president of the First
National Bank of Connersville, serving in the latter capacity until his death.

Contemporaneous with Claypool, and but two years younger, was
James C. ■ Mcintosh, likewise a native of Connersville (January 13, 1827-
August 27, 1878), and a lifelong resident of the city. He was also a gradu-
ate of Asbury (DePauw) University, class of 1849. ^"d a year after gradu-
ating began the study of law and practiced continuously from the time of
his admission to the bar in 1851 until his death in 1878. He is deserving
of being ranked with the best lawyers in the county.

LAWYER ALSO A POET.

A peculiarly gifted lawyer of Connersville for twenty-five years was
John S. Reid, a native of Scotland, and a resident of the United States from
1839 until his death at Indianapolis, September 5, 1879. He was educated
at Oxford, England, and after coming to this country took a degree from
Miami University, Ohio. He taug+it school and practiced law at Liberty,
Indiana, from 1840 to 185 1; practiced in Connersville from 1851 to 1876,
and lived in Indianapolis the last two years of his life. He served as a com-

ItEUBEN COXNEIt.

KAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 325

nion pleas judge for seven years ; as a member of the constitutional con-
vention in 1850-51, and as a member of the state Senate. He was con-
sidered one of the best poets of the state during his generation and left one
pretentious volume of verse to justify his right to be classed among the
poets of the state.

Reuben Conner was for more than forty years one of the leading law-
yers of the local bar. Born in Decatur county, Indiana, December 8, 1850,
he became first a teacher and later a lawyer, practicing in Connersville from
the time of his admission to the bar in 1873 until his death, February 9,
191 5. He never held an ofiFicial position, but devoted his whole legal career
to the general practice of his profession. He has one son, Alonzo, who is
now practicing in Connersville.

The official careers of all the lawyers of the county as far as they have
been connected with the local courts is given in the discussion in the latter
part of this chapter. The bar in 1917 is composed of the following mem-
bers: F. B. Ansted. F. I. Barrows, L. L. Broaddus, Albert L. Chrisman,
James A. Clifton, Alonzo Conner, Frank M. Edwards, Richard N. Elliott,
George C. Florea, Hyatt L. Frost, George W. Goble, Finly H. Gray. George
L. Gray, J. S. Hankins, E. Ralph Himelick, G. Edwin Johnston, David W,
McKee, John S. Muddell, WilHam E. Ochiltree, Clarence S. Roots, W. E.
Sparks, Raymond S. Springer, Charles F. Vance and Allen M. Wiles — a
total of twenty-four.

Tt is not possible to give a summary of the living lawyers. They are
yet making their rq^utatioos liefore the bar. Of the older attorneys, George
C. Florea, George I,. Gray, Hyatt L. Frost, David W. McKee, L. L. Broad-
dus and W. E. Ochiltree may be mentioned. Raymond S. Springer, the
present judge of the circuit court, is the youngest judge who has ever been
elected to the bench in the local circuit and one of the youngest in the state.
All of the younger generation of lawyers are graduates of law schools,
while practically all of the older members of the bar received their training
in the office of some lawyer already in the practice.

LAWYERS OF F.WETTE COUNTY FOR ONE HUNDRED YEARS.

It win probably never be known how many lawyers have practiced in
Fayette county. Under the old constitution every lawyer who practiced in
any other than his own county had to be admitted to the bar of any other
county where he might happen to have a case. For this reason the local

326

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

records in the clerk's office, which gi\'e all the lawyers prior to 1852 who
were at any tirne employed in a case, do not give a clue as to the actual
residence of those so listed. The following list of lawyers includes only those
who have been actually residents of the county for a time at least. The list
follows :

Ansted, Frank B.
Barrows, Frederic I.
Broaddus, Lunsford L.
Burrows, William S.
Chrisman, Albert L.
Claypool, Benjamin F.
Clay pool, Jefferson H.
Clifton, James A.
Conner, Alonzo
Conner, Reuben
Daily, William
Durnan, Richard A.
Rdwards, Frank M.
Klliott, Richard N.
Fay, James A.
Finchi Cyrus
Florea, George C.
Florea, I^ewis W.
Forrey, William O.
Fduts, Ivewis O;
Frost, Hyatt L.

CiOble, George W.
Gray, Finly H.
Gray, George L.
Hale, Martin
Hall, Ozias
Hankins, J. S.
Hiraelick, E. Ralph
Huston, Frank M.
Johnston, G. Edwin
Justice, Joseph
Kennedy, Andrew.
Little, Joseph I.
Little. Thomas M.
Mcintosh, James C.
Mcintosh, James M.
McKee, David W.
Muddell, John S.
Murraj', Charles A.
Nevin, Frank E.
Ochiltree, William E.
Parker, Samuel W.

Kay, Martin M.
Reid, John S.
Roehl, Charles
Roots, Clarence S.
Sample, Samuel C.
Sinks, Augustus M.
Smith, Caleb Blood
Smith. Oliver Hampton
Sparks, W. E.
Spooner, William L.
Springer, Raymond S.
Trusler, Gilbert
Trusler, Ira T.
Trusler, Nelson
Trusler, Thomas
Vance. Charles F.
^'ance. Elisha
Veeder, Charles
Wick, William W.
Wile.s, Allen M.
Wilson. Jeremiah M.

THE COURT HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

The history of the various courts of Fayette county takes the discussion
outside the limits of the county. The county has ne\'er had a separate circuit
court, having been united with one or more counties since its organization.
The same may be said of the old common pleas court, which lasted from
1852 to 1873. The following account of Fayette county in its relations to
the various courts with which it has been connected has been compiled
directly from the official records. No effort has been made to characterize
any of the lawyers; in fact, many of the court officials herein mentioned
were not lawyers, and did not pretend to be. If an associate or probate
judge was a lawyer it was counted as an accident. Dr. Philip Mason, how-
ever, takes the trouble in his autobiography to explain how hard he studied
law in order to pass the necessary examination to qualify for the office of
probate judge, but there is no evidence to indicate that he ever tried a single
case in the locaj courts. His legaJ career .seems to have been confined solely
to his administration of the office of probate judge.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 327

FIRST SESSION OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.

The legislative act oi December 2<S, 1818, creating Fayette county, pro-
vided that the count}- should start its independent career on the first of the
following Januar\-, but it was not until May 3, 1819, that the first session
of the circuit court con\ened. The first court met at the house of George
Reed in Connersville, with John \\'atts as president judge and Train Cald-
well and Edward \Vebb as associate judges. The first court house, a rude
log structure, was not ready for occupancy until later in the year.

The judicial system of the state under the 1816 Constitution bore little
resemblance to- the system established by the present Constitution in 1852.
During the first thirty-six years of the history of the state (1816-1852) the
circuit judges, known as president judges, were elected by the Legislature
for terms of seven years. Each cpunty, howe\-er, elected two judges, known
as associate judges, who sat with the president judge, or, in his absence, had
the authority to preside o\-er the circuit court. These associate judges were
more frequently than otherw ise men of no legal training, but made up in
good common sense what they lacked in judicial knowledge. The associate
judges, like the president judges, had a tenure of seven years, and in many
counties they ser\-ed two or n-iore tern-is.

\\'hen Fayette county was created it was attached to the third judicial
circuit, which, at that lin-ie included the counties of Randolph, Wayne, Frank-
lin, Dearborn, .Switzerland. Ripley and Jennings. Fa^-ette county remained
in the third circuit until the act of January 20, 1830, made it a part of the
sixth circuit with .\llen. Delaware, Randolph, Henry, Wayne, Union, Riish
and Elkhart counties. During the eleven years it was a part of the third
circuit only two president judges presided o\er the local court, John Watts
and Miles Eggleston. At the time the county was organized, Alexander
Meek was the presiding judge of the third circuit, but he resigned on Febru-
ary 2, 1819, before a session of court had convened in the county. John
Watts was elected by the Legislature on February 2, 1819, and continued to
preside over the circuit until January 21, 1820, when he was succeeded by
Miles C. Eggleston, one of the most famous of the early judges of the state.
Judge Eggleston was still on the bench of the third circuit when Fayette
county was placed in the sixth circuit by the act of January 20, 1830.

Three- days- a-fter the Legislature had created the sixth circuit it elected
Charles H. Test as the first judge of the new circuit, and he remained on
the bench of the circuit until he resigned on January 20, 1836. Judge Test

328 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

was followed by Samuel Bigger, who served until he resigned to make the
race for governor. He was elected and served one term (1840-1843), being
defeated for re-election in 1843 by James Whitcomb. Upon the resignation
of Judge Bigger the Legislature elected James Perry to fill out the unex-
pired term. Judge Perry served seven years, being followed on January 23,
1844, by Jehu T. Pllliott, who occupied the bench for a full term. The last
president judge was Oliver P. Morton, who served from February 15, 185 1,
to October 12, 1852, on which date the new Constitution went into operation.

ELECTION OF ASSOCIATE AND PROBATE JUDGES.

As has been mentioned, each county elected two associate judges during
the period of the 1816 Constitution. The first two associate juc|ges elected
in Fayette county were Train Caldwell and Edward Webb, the latter of
whom served continuously from February 2, 1819, to February 2, 1847,
when he was succeeded by John Scott, who served until the new Constitu-
tion went into effect in 1852. Caldwell resigned on March 21, 1819, and
two days later the governor appointed William Helm to fill his unexpired
term. The successive judges following Helm, with the dates of their service
were as follow: James Brownlee, February 2, 1826 — died in office, July,
1827; William Miller, chosen at a special election and commissioned on
November i, 1827, to serve seven years from February 2, 1826; John
Treadway, February 2, 1833 — resigned on April 18, 1837; Stanhope Royster,
appointed on June 23, 1837, to serve seven years from February 2, 1832, (so
his commission reads), but Royster actually served until February 2, 1840:
Jeremiah M. Wilson. February 2, 1840-February 2, 1847; Joshua Mcintosh,
February 2, 1847-October 12, 1852.

In addition to president and associate judges the state had probate
judges under the 18 16 Constitution. Such probate business as came before
the circuit court prior to 1818 was handled by that court, but with the act
of January 29, 181 8, there was established a si>ecial probate court in each
county in the state. These courts were to be presided over by the associate
judges of the circuit court sitting as such. The statute also provided that if
court was not sitting the clerk of the circuit court might take proof of wills
and testaments and grant letters of administration and letters testamentary.
However, all probate business transacted by the clerk was- subject to the
subsequent approval of the associate judges. The next step in the history
of the old probate court was taken with the act of February 11, 1825. an
act which provided for a further separation of the probate court from the

rAYETTE COUKTY, INDIANA. 329

circuit court, the associate judges still being left in charge of the court. The
two judges held the sessions of the probate court at the county seat on the
week immediately preceding the session of the circuit court.

A SEPARATE PROBATE COURT.

The business of the circuit and probate courts increased to such an extent
that by 1829 it was deemed advisable to establish a probate court with a
separate judge, and the act of January 23 of that year effected a complete
separation of the probate from the circuit court. Instead of placing the
court in charge of the two associate judges, provision was made for a spe-
cial probate judge, elected by each county, for a term of seven years. The
county sheriff and clerk of the circuit court were made ex-officio officers of
the newly established court. This court continued in operation until 1852,
when it was abolished by statute and all probate business placed under the
jurisdiction of the newly created common pleas court.

The first session of the probate court in Fayette county convened on
April 26, 1819, with Train Caldwell and Edward Webb, associate judges,
in charge. As has been stated, the associate judges had charge of the pro-
bate court until 1829, the first elective probate judge, Philip Mason, being
commissioned on August 18, 1829. Mason handed in his resignation on May
26, 1834, and there seems to have been an interim when there was no pro-
hate judge in the county. Justus Wright, who was elected in August of the
same year, was commissioned to serve seven years from August 4, 1834,
and was re-elected in 1841 and 1848. serving until the court was discpn-
tiruied in 1852.

CHANGES UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

The discussion thus far traces the judicial history of Fayette county
up to the adoption of the 1S52 Constitution. The new Constitution made
a radical change in the judiciary of the state. Under the old constitution not
only had the president judges been elected by the Legislature, but the supreme
judges as well. In fact, all the state officers — secretary of state, auditor,
treasurer, adjutant-general and others — had been elected by the Legislature.
But with the new Coj,istitiitipn all of. tliis changed. The supreme, judges and
all state officers were elected l)y the voters of the state. Tiie president judges
gave way to circuit judges elected by the voters of each circuit, the old asso-
ciate and probate judges being discontinued. But while the probate court

330 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

was abolished a new court — tlie common pleas court — was created by, statute
(May 12, 1852) to take o\er the jDrobate business and also some of the busi-
ness formerly coming under the jurisdiction of the circuit court. This
new court continued in operation until abolished by the Legislature with the
act of May 6, 1873, all business over which it had had jurisdiction being
transferred to the circuit court.

The act establishing the common pleas court divided the state into forty-
four common pleas districts, Fayette county being united with Franklin
and Union counties in one district. John S. Reid became the first judge of
this district in 1852 and served by re-election until October 28, i860. The
act of March i, 1859, redistricted the entire state for common pleas purposes,
placing Fayette county in a district with Franklin, Union and Wayne. The
district was not numbered by the act, but the succeeding Legislature (March
II, 1861) gave each district a number, the one containing Fayette county
being No. 6. Jeremiah M. \\'^ilson liecame judge of the enlarged district
on October 28, i860, and served until he resigned on March 6, 1865. John
F. Krbbey was appointed to fill his unexpired term and was later elected,
serving Iw re-election until the ofiice was abolished bv the act of May 6,

1873.

Each common pleas court had a special prosecutor with a two-year tenure.
James R. McClure was the first prosecutor of the district to which Fayette
county was attached, and served from 1852 to 1854. His successors were
as follow: Joseph Marshall, 1854-1856; Nathaniel McCrookshank, 1856-
1858; Clement C. Cory, 1858- 1860; John C. Whitridge, 1860-1864; Henry
C. Fox, 1864-1868; William H. Jones, 1868-1870; John L. Rupe, 1870-1873.

REORGANIZATION OF THE STATE JUDICIARY.

The constitutional convention of 1850-51 had no more troublesome prob-
lem before it than the reorganization of the state judiciary. As it was finally
worked out, the Constitution pro-\'ided that "The judicial power of the state
shall be vested in a supreme court, in circuit court and in such other courts as
the General Assembly may establish." The one "other court" established in
1852 was the common pleas court, which has just been discussed. The Legis-
lature, by the act of June 17, 1852, divided the state into ten judicial circuits,
Fayette county being played in the fourth circuit with the counties of Dear-
born, Franklin, Decatur, Shelby, Rush and Union. The next change in cir-
cuiting was made by the act of May 5, 1869, which reorganized the fourth-
circuit to include Fayette, Decatur and Rush counties. The act of April 22;

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 33 1

1869, had placed Union, Franklin, Dearborn and Ohio in tiie newly organized
twenty-sixth circuit. The act of March 6, 1873, recircuited the entire state and
united Fayette with Rush and Decatur counties in the eighth circuit. The
next change was ])rought about by the act of March 2, 1883, this act leaving
Rush and Decatur counties as the eighth circuit and uniting Fayette county
with Franklin and Union counties in the thirty-seventh circuit, h'ranklin
and Union counties had been constituted as the sole counties of the thirty-
seventh circuit by the act of March 6, 1873. No change has been made in
the thirty-seventh circuit since 1883.

CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES.

The first circuit judge elected for the circuit to which Fayette county
was attached in 1852 was William M. McCarty, who ascended the bench
on October 12, 1852, and served until he resigned on July 29, 1853. Will-
iam S. Holman was at once- appointed to fill the vacancy, but he resigned
on August 10, 1853, before holding a session of court in the county. Reuben
D. Logan was then appointed and served by subsequent re-election until Octo-
ber 12, 1865. He was followed by Jeremiah M. Wilson, who had resigned as
common pleas judge of the district to make the race for the circuit judge-
ship. Judge Wilson ser\-ed a full term of six years, being followed on October
12, 1871, by William A. Cullen. During Judge Cullen's term the circuit
was changed by the act of March 6, 1873, and he was transferred from the
fourth to the eighth circuit. Judge Cullen was followed, October 24, 1877,
by Samuel A. Bonner, but the act of March 2, 1883, transferred Bonner to
the newly reorganized eighth (Rush and Decatur) circuit and Judge Ferdi-
nand S. Swift to the newly reorganized thirty-seventh circuit (Fayette, Frank-
lin and Union). Judge Swift had been appointed judge of the thirty-sev-
enth circuit on July 28, 1880, following the death of Judge Henry C. Hanna.
Judge Swift was on the bench of the thirty-seventh circuit for twentv-four
years, serving continuously from the time of his appointment until Octoljer
27, 1904. George L. Gray became judge of the circuit in 1904 and served
two full terms, being followed by the present judge, Raymond S. Springer,
on October 26, 19 16.

"k neces.sary evil."

The office of circuit prosecutor in Indiana has Ijeen subject to a large
number of legislative acts. A lawyer under the i8i6 Con.stitution once stated
that the prosecuting attorney was a "necessary evil," and the difficultv that

332 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the Legislature experienced in getting the office and its duties defined shows
that there was a great divergence of views concerning the "evil." The Con-
stitution of 1816, unlike its successor of 1852, made no provision for the ofifice,
and it was not until 1824 that the Legislature formally established the office.
Prior to that date the president judge appointed a prosecutor for each term
of court. The act of 1824 provided that the Legislature should elect a prose-
cutor for each circuit, whose term of office was to be two years — the salary
to be certain stipulated fees and such additional "compensation as the judges
in their discretion may allow." No radical change was made in the method
of election or matter of compensation until the act of February 11, 1843.
This act placed the election of the prosecutors in the hands of the voters of
each circuit, the tenure remaining two years, and the compensation continuing
on a fee basis. Four years later (January 2"], 1847,) the Legislature — ^appar-
ently solely on political grounds — provided for a prosecutor for each county,
again allowing the voters of the counties to fill the office. This act was so
expensive that it aroused a storm of disapproval and the Legislature was
forced (January 16, 1849.) to repeal it in part. Two circuits, the fourth
and the eighth, were allowed by this act of 1849 to elect a prosecutor for
their respective circuits. But continued dissatisfaction with the county prose-
cutor led the Legislature (February 14, 1851), to return to the former method
of allowing each circuit to elect one prosecutor, and the Constitution of 1852
(Sec. IT. Art. VH.) embodied this method of providing for the office.

LT.ST OF PKO.SECUTING ATTORNEYS.

The list of prosecutors for the circuit to which Fayette county has been
attached since 1824, when the office was established, has been compiled from
the records in the office of the secretary of state at Indianapolis. The list
follows: Oliver H. Smith, August 9, 1824 — resigned August i, 1826;
Amos Lane, appointed August i, 1826-December 30, 1826; Cyrus Finch,
December 30, 1826-December 30, 1828; Martin M. Ray, December 30, 1828-
January 20, 1830: James Perry, January 25, 1830- January 25, 1832; Will-
iam J. Brown, January 25, 1832 — resigned December 10, 1836; Samuel W.
Parker, December 10, 1836-December 10, 1838; David Macy, December 10,
1838-December II, 1840: Jehu T. Elliott, December 11, 1840 — resigned on
January 23, 1844; Samuel E. Perkins, appointed on January 23, 1844-August
20, 1844: Jacob B. Julian. August 20, 1844-August 2j, 1846; John B. Still,
August 27, 1846-August 27, 1848 (from 1848 to 185 1 each county in the
circuit elected a prosecutor, Fayette county electing William S. Burrows,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 333

wlio served from August 2y, 1848, to August 18, 185 1) : Josliua M. Mellelt,
August 18, 1851-October 12, 1852 (the 1852 constitutiou went into oi>era-
tion on October 12, 1852) ; Oscar B. Horcl, October 12, 1852 — resigned on
November 2, 1854; William Patterson, November 2, 1854 — resigned on Aug-
ust 13, 1858; Sebastian Green, appointed on August 13, 1858-November 2,
1858: Henry C. Hanna. November 2, 1858-November 2, i860: Milton H.
Cullum, November 2, 1860-November 3, 1862; Samuel S. Harrell, Novem-
ber 3, 1862-November 3. 1864; Creigliton Dandy (or Daudy), November
3, 1864-November 3. 1866: Kendall M. Hord, No\ember 3, 1866-Novem-
ber 3, 1668; Piatt Wicks, November 3, 1868-July i, 1869; Alexander M.
Campbell, appointed July i, 1869-October 21, 1872; Elias R. Monfort, Octo-
ber 21, 1872-March 6. 1873; Robert B. F. Pierce. March 6. 1873-October
26, 1874: Orlando B. Scobey, October 26, 1874-October 26, 1878: John L.
Bracken, October 26. 1878-October 26. 1880: Richard A. Durnan, October
26, 1880— resigned January 22, 1881 ; Marine D. Tackett, appointed on Janu-
ary 22, 1881-March 2, 1883: Leland H. Stanford, March 2. 1883-October
22, 1885: Lewis M. Develin, October 22, 1885-October 22, 1889; George W.
Pigman, October 22, 1889-October 22, 1893; George L. Gray, October 22,
1893-October 22, 1895: F. M. Smith, October 22, 1895-October 22, 1897;
George L. Gray, October 22. 1897-January i, 1902; Frank E. Nevin, Janu-
ary I, 1902-January I, 1904; Robert E. Barnhart, January I, 1904-January
I. 1908; Allen Wiles. Januar}^ i, 1908-January i, 1910; Frank M. Edwards,
January i, 1910-January i, 1916; James A. Clifton, January i, 1916-Janu-
ary I, 1918; E. Ralph Himelich. January i, 1918-Jahuary 1,-1920.

- . - CHAPTER XII.

The Medical Profession.

There is no more interesting chapter in the history of Fayette county
than the one deahng with its physicians. More than one hundred years ago
the followers of .■Esculapius were plying their profession in this county, and
during the century which has passed since the first physician arrived there
have been at least ninety who have been identified for a greater or less
period with the county. There may have been more, but the names of that
many have been preserved. Local medical societies have not kept a com-
plete list of the physicians and for this reason it has not been possible to
get all who have practiced in the county, or more than the most meager data
concerning most of them.

The first physicians were usually trained in the ofiice of some practi-
tioner and were without any college training. Doctors Mason and Chit-
wood trained probably a score of the physicians of the county. Doctor Mason
for many years always having one or more young men in his office prepar-
ing themselves for the profession. The early physicians made free use of
native herbs and "yarb" doctors were to be found everywhere, many of
them attracting their patients by advertising that they would use no calomel.
Most of the physicians prior to the Civil War period made all of their own
medicines, and some of these remedial compounds were fearful concoctions.
There was nothing the old-time doctor would not attpmpt to cure. A search
of okl physicians' records shows that they had specified cures for such diseases
as scrofula, rheumatism and consumption. One physician of the thirtie.s
used whiteoak bark for one disease, redoak for another, blackoak for another,
and a judicious mixture of the three for still another.

.\CCOUNT BOOK OF DR. WILSON THOMPSON.

Dr. A. J. Fletcher, of Connersville, has in his possession the account,
book of Dr. \Vilson Thompson, but there is nothing in the old ledger to
indicate that he ever practiced in Fayette county, nor has any reference to
a physician of that name been found in the county. Doctor Fletcher picked

FAYKTTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. •^^5

the ledger up in Harrison township. On the fly-leaf the old doctor says that
he began practice in January. 1830. However, the same prescriptions used
by Thompson were widely used in Fayette county. The day-by-day charges
from January i, 1830. to May 4, 1831. do not indicate wliere he was prac-
ticing, but from that date to the end of the ledger book ( November 24,
1834) he was located at Lebanon, Ohio.

The old record is interesting in .showing the charges for medical services
in those days, ranging from six and a quarter cents upward. It also con-
tains a number of prescriptions, three of which are gi\en in the old doctor's
own words :

For "King's Kvil." — R(Kk s,ilt pulverizoil mikI milieil dii m tine clotli next to tlie
wound and wash with the siiiue in solution.

To Cure the Cancer.— A.shes of the Imrlie of Ued Olve made in lie anrl boiled down
to the consistance of molasses, spi-ed this on leather and appl.v to the sore for 90
minutes, renue it-e»:er.v 00 minutes for three times, then follow with salve of Rosin,
bee.swax aud sheeps tallow .

Cure for Rhumetism — Tal^e one quart of whiske.v. one iHinnd tol)ac(o. 12 pods
red i)epper, steep the tobacco and pepper together in water, then add the whisky and
1 iwund hog's lard and boil them to.aether till the whisky .ind water is evaporated.
then strain.

Just how tliis latter fearful concoction or decoction was to be taken,
whether inwardly or outwardly, in long or short doses, bv the spoonful or
by drops, the good old doctor fails to state.

EARLY PHYSICIANS OK FAYETTE COUNTY.

.\moiig the earHest physicians who settled iti Fayette county were John
Bradburn. James Tliomas. Joseph .Moffitt, Temple F. Gayle and Joseph
S. Burr.

Doctor Bradburn was a native of Lancaster county. Pennsylvania, and
as early as 1814 settled within the limits of Fayette county in the vicinity
of Harrisburg. The doctor's experience as a practitioner in this county was
marred by a fearful tragedy in which he became instrumental in the death
of two young men in the spring of 1825. . Shortly afterward, the doctor
removed to the southern part of the state, and later to the vicinity of Brook-
ville. where he died.

Doctor Thomas was born in New York and was one of the colony
of immigrants that settled in the vicinity of Harrisburg in 1819, and formed
what was commonly known as the "Yankee Settlement." He was a college
graduate and for years was a successful practitioner in the countv.

336 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Dr. Joseph Moffit was another physician who came from the East and
settled in the village of Connersville. He came to this county in 1820, a
graduate of Yale, and was a man well versed in his profession. He died in
1833-

A ROOT DOCTOR.

About this time Burr and Gayle came to Connersville and began the
practice of medicine. Burr was a doctor who utterly denounced "doctor
larnin' ", as he spoke of it and based his cures entirely upon the "root" sys-
tem, common sense, and a knowledge of human nature. The story is told
that a few days after he arrived in the village there appeared nailed to the
weather-boarding of the hotel an enormous swamp-lily root almost as large as
an average size man, with head, eyes, ears, nose and mouth nicely carved,
arms and legs with feet stuck on, and just above the sign on a board,
marked with chalk, "Joseph S. Burr, Root Doctor; No Calomel." The
news of the arrival of the root doctor spread over the country like wild-fire,
and hundreds came from all parts of the county to see the doctor and the big
root.

Doctor Moffit looked upon the strange root doctor as a quack, intending
to gull the people, and spoke of him freely with the utmost contempt, while
on the other hand the root doctor openly charged Doctor Moffit with killing
his patients with calomel. The people soon began to take sides, some for
roots and some for calomel. It was a sickly season and a great many of
Doctor Moffit's patients died. Each case of death was referred to by the
root doctor as evidence that the calomel doctor was killing the people and
many believed the slander. Doctor Moffit was at length almost driven to
despair, and called upon O. H. Smith to bring action for slander against
Doctor Burr. Smith at first objected but ultimately yielded at the urgent
request of the doctor. The action was brought and some five of the attorneys
of the circuit were engaged on each side. The trial lasted for more than a
week; the lawyers distinguished themselves and the evidence pro and con left
the case in doubt in the minds of the jury and bystanders whether the people
died "with the fever" or were killed by the "calomel doctors." The widow
of a man who had recently died was called as a witness by Doctor Burr.
Doctor Moffit remarked as the witness was brought into court, "that he
had him now, as he. could prove by a witness in court that her husband died
before he got there." The jury failed to agree and was discharged and the
case was cont4nued. The root doctor ran away and the suit was dismissed
by Doctor Moffit.

•AY^-TTE COrXTY, INDIANA.

DIPLOMAS EASILY ACQUIRED.

337

The effect nf tliis trial upon the practice of medicine in Fayette county,
as well as upon the necessary qualifications to practice, was prodigious. Doc-
tor Burr had been granting diplomas to his students upon three weeks' study,
and as a result the country was soon filled with root doctors. One of his
graduates, by the name of Thomas T. Chinn, a constable three weeks before,
barely able to write his name, sallied • forth with his diploma to the then
"New Purchase" as Doctor Chinn. His sign — "Root Doctor and no Calo-
mel"— flung to the public eye upon newly-painted lx)ards hung upon the limb
of a tree near his log cabin, but he was soon relegated to medical oblivion.

Dr. Philip Mason, another "Yankee," was lx)rn on December lo, 1793,
in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and settled in what is now Fayette county
in 1816. He .served as one of the Franklin county commissioners when Fay-
ette county was a part of that county. In 1824 he finished his course of
reading and clinical studies under Doctor Moffitt, of Connersville, and began
the practice of medicine at his farm in Columbia township, where he remained
until the spring of 1827, when he removed to the village of Danville (now
Orange ) and tiiere in connection with Dr. Jefferson Helm continued his
practice. Upon the death of Doctor Gayle, in the following fall, Doctor
Mason moved to Connersville. In 1829 he was elected the first probate judge
of Fayette county, and served as such until. 1834. He later served in thp
Legislature. He practiced in Connersville and also operated a drug and book
store for a few years. He died on April 25, 1869.

SOME OTHER PIONEER PRACTITIONERS.

Temple E. Gayle came to Connersville early in the twenties and was soon
recognized as a practitioner of superior qualifications. He died in October,
1827, at the age of thirty-two. A local paper in commenting on him after his
death said of him: "As a man of talent the doctor was excelled by few, if
any, in the state : as a practicing physician he was eminently successful and
popular."

Jefferson Helm was born in Mason county, Kentucky, in 1803. He
located in Connersville in the twenties and studied with Doctor Moffitt and
Doctor Mason, l)eing licensed to practice in 1827. He first started to practice
in Orange township, later moving to Glenwood and in 1845 permanently set-
tling in Rushville, where he died in 1888.
, ■ (22)

338 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Hayman W. Clark studied with Doctor Moffitt and Doctor Mason at the
same time that Doctor Helm was in their office and was admitted to practice
in 1827. No record of his future career has been found.

Samuel Miller and Charles Brown complete the list of physicians who
located in the county in the twenties, but little is known of either. Miller
came from Dayton, Ohio, in 1828, while Brown is known only from the fact
that he advertised his appearance in Connersville by an announcement in the
local paper in 1830. The later career of both men is unknown.

Ryland T. Brown, a native of Lewis county, Kentucky, located in Rush
county, Indiana, in 1821. For a time he acted as a guide for land seekers,
later attending Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati. He was graduated from
♦liat institution in 1829 and in August, 1832, located at Connersville, where
he formed a partnership with Doctor Mason. It seems that Doctor Brown
was the owner of the Indiana Telegraph iii the early forties. In 1853 he was
appointed state geologist by Governor Wright and filled the office until 1859.
In 1858 he was elected to the chair of natural science in the Northwestern
Christian University at Indianapolis. He was the author of a well known
text-book in its day, "Brown's Physiology."

D. D. Hall, a native of Virginia, located in Connersville in the thirties,
and "with the exception of a few months of service in the Civil War as surgeon
of the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, continued to
practice in the city until his death, June 20, 1871.

ROLL OF PRACTITIONERS IN 1846.

During the period prior to the Civil War a number of physicians located
either at Connersville or at some of the villages in the county, but definite
information is lacking concerning most of those early practitioners. In 1846
•the following physicians were practicing in the county: Connersville — Philip
Mason, Samuel Miller, D. D. Hall, John Arnold, E. A. Bacon and S. W.
Hughes; Cokimbia township — Greenburg Steele; Alquinaj — Alfred Ruby;
Columbia township — George Winchel; Harrisburg — U. B.. Tingley; Water-
loo— ^Amos Chapman ; Everton — Presley Libay ; Orange township— rEdward
Daniels.

One of the most famous of the early physicians of the county was
George R. Chitwood, the father of the late Dr. Joshua Chitwood and Dr.
Frank A. Chitwood, now practicing in Connersville. The senior. Chitwood
was born in Gallia county, Ohio, May 10, 1805, and was licensed to practice
medicine and surgery in 1830. The following year he located at Mt. Carmel,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 33^

in Franklin county, Indiana, and remained there for a few years. In 1835-36
he attended lectures at Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, and in 1837 located
in Liberty, in Union county, Indiana. In 1846 he was granted the degree of
doctor of medicine by the Western Reserve Medical College of Cleveland,
Ohio. In 1849 he located in Connersville and for the next ten years devoted
himself to private practice. In 1859 he was elected to the chair of general
pathology and physical diagnosis in the Cincinnati College of Medicine and
Surgery. The following year he was transferred to the chair of obstetrics
and diseases of women and children, holding that jiosition for six consecu-
tive sessions.

In 1861 a directory of the town credited it with nine physicians: G. W.
Barber, G. R. Chitwood, Joshua Chitwood, V. H. Gregg, D. D. Hall, S. W.
Hughes, James M. Justice. W. J. Pepper, S. W. Vance and Philip Ma.son.

FAYETTE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.

On May 24, 1856, the physicians of Fayette county met and effected an
organization, calling it the Whitewater Valley Medical Society. In the tem-
porary organization Dr. G. R. Chitwood presided and Dr. Samuel W. Vance
acted as secretary. Permanent organization was effected by the election of
the following officers : Dr. Amos Chapman, of Alquina, president ; Dr. W.
A\'. Taylor, of Vienna (Glenwood), vice-president: Dr. Samuel W. Vance, of
Connersville, recording secretary: Dr. L. D. Sheets, of Liberty, corresjwnding
secretary: Dr. D. D. Hall, of Connersville, treasurer; Dr. Daniel Frembly, Dr.
George R. Chitwood and Dr. O. S. Ramsey, censors. The following were
charter memljers of the society : Dr. Samuel Miller, Dr. D. D. Hall, Dr.
Amos Chapman, Dr. P. S. Silvey, Dr. W. J. Pepper, Dr. D. Fremley, Dr.
W. W. Taylor, Dr. Samuel W. Vance, Dr. H. W. Hazzard. Dr. A. H. Thomp-
son, Dr. G. R. Chitwood, Dr. M. F. Miller, Dr. C. D. B. O'Ryan, Dr. V. H.
Gregg, Dr. R. T. Gillum, Dr. U. B. Tingley and Dr. O. S. Ramsey.

.\t the annual meeting held on April 22, 1858, the societv was dissolved
by mutual consent of its officers and members, and on May i of the same
year, the physicians of the county met at the court house and founded the
I'^ayette County Medical Society with the following officers: Dr. U. B.
Tingley, president; Dr. P. S. Silvey, vice-president; Dr. Samuel W. Vance,
corresponding and recording secretary; Doctor Gregg, Doctor Pepper and
Doctor Chapman, censors. The society retained its working organization
until the breaking out of the Civil War, when its deliberations were quietly
discontinued in the general suspense that followed the first clash of arms.

340 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

REORGANIZATION OF THE SOCIETY.

During the four years of strife, no attempt was made to reorganize the
society, but after the establishment of peace and the readjustment of natural
conditions, a reorganization was effected. In 1866 the society was reorgan-
ized with the following membership : Dr. D. D. Hall, Dr. W. J. Pepper,
Dr. Samuel W. Vance, Dr. G. R. Chitwood, Dr. Joshua Chitwood, Dr. V. H.
Gregg, Dr. U. B. Tingley, Dr. G. W. Garver, Dr. A. .Koogler, Dr. J. G.
Larimore, Dr. W. H. Smith and Dr. R. W. Sipe. The latter three represented
respectively Waterloo, Fairview and Fayetteville.

In 1879 the society became a member of the Indiana State Medical
Society, but in so doing had to reorganize and draft a new constitution.
Pursuant to the reorganization the following officers were elected : Dr.
Samuel W. Vance, president; Dr. W. J. Pepper, vice-president; Dr. Joshua
Chitwood, secretary; Dr. V. H. Gregg, treasurer; Dr. S. N. Hamilton, Dr.
George R. Chitwood and Dr. G. A. Sigler, censors.

The organization is still maintained in 1917, but it does not hold regular
meetings. Most of the physicians of the county belong to it as well as to the
Indiana State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. The
physicians of the county in 191 7 include the following practitioners: Irvin
E. Booher, F. A. Chitwood, J. H. Clark, B. W. Cooper, L. D. Dillman, W.
R. Phillips, R. H. Elliott, A. J. Fletcher, J. H. Johnson, J. R. Mountain.
H. S. Osborn, W. J. Porter, J. S. Rice. M. Ross, J. M. Sample, H. W.
Smelser, Bernard R. Smith and Frank J. Spillman.

The principles of osteopathy were introduced in Fayette county largely
through the efforts of Dr. J. H. Baughman, a graduate of Dr. A.' T. Still's
original .school of osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri. Doctor Baughman
practiced in the county about a dozeii years, retiring late in 1916, with the
intention of taking up special practice in a metropolitan city. He was suc-
ceeded by Dr. G. C. Flick, who is now actively engaged in osteopathic gen-
eral pi-actice.

Besides these followers of the healing arts. Dr. A. T. Sweatland is
engaged in chiropractic work.

Mention may also be made of Glen L. Brown, who has, as superintendent
of the Fayette Sanatorium, administered curative baths and massages. Such
services, as well as electric applications, are offered by J. N. Whiteis, who
carries after his name in the telephone directory and in other advertising.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 34f

tile mystic ami a\ve-insi)iring symbols "J. J. J." In connection with the med-
ical profession should be mentioned the name of Roy C. McKennon, a manu-
facturing and analytical chemist, who has done much work for the profession,
particularly urinalysis. It should also be mentioned that Dr. Joseph R.
Mountain, a pfominent general practice physician, has installed a very com-
plete X-ray photographic equipment, which lie uses very extensively for his
own practice and for other physicians.

The physicians of the county have uniformly been active in all phases
of the county's development. Doctor Mason was a probate judge for several
years and also served with distinction in the General Assembly of the state.
Dr. R. T. Brown later became state geologist. Dr. G. R. Chitwood and his
son, Joshua, were also prominently identified with the varied interests of
the county. Of the many physicians since the time of the Civil War who are
now deceased, the names of Doctor Hamilton, Doctor Hughes, Doctor Vance,
Doctor Gregg and Doctor Sipe are among the best remembered. Doctor
Derbyshire is credited with being the first man in the county to own
an automobile.

PHYSICIANS OF FAYETTE COUNTY FOR ONE HUNDRED YEARS.

The following alphabetical list of physicians has been compiled from
the records of the local County Medical Society, the files of the newspapers,
city directories, volumes of O. H. Smith and Philip Mason, the "Medical
History of Indiana" (Dr. G. W. Kemper) and from conversations with
old residents and the several physicians still living in the county. In this
list are some who may hardly l>e called orthodox physicians, but the his-
torian has called all those who practiced the healing art by this title. Con-
cerning many of these ninety-three physicians very little is known, other
than that they practiced in the county for a time. A volume could easily be
written about the medical profession as it has existed in Fayette county, but
the limits of this chapter forbid such a procedure. The days when the phy-
sician was also a dentist are still recalled by old citizens. One Merchant
Kelly of Harrisburg, while primarily a dentist and public-school teacher,
was also a "pill doser." Among the scores of healers of many different
varieties who have appeared in the county, this Kelly seems to have left
a distinct impression on the minds and jaws of a large number of people.-

342 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

DENTIST MADE HIS OWN TOOLS.

Kelly was probably the first professional dentist in the county and the
stories of his dental operations are still current. He made all of his own
tools and invariably filled teeth with gold, although Doctor Mason advised
filling them with tin-foil. Kelly was never seen in a vehicle, but, eschewing
such transportation as beneath the dignity of a man of his profession, he
was wont to traverse the county on foot, carrying all of his dental para-
phernalia in a large carpet-bag. One of his operations has been graphically
described to the historian, the reciter of the story being the daughter of
the victim.

The patient had a very sore tooth and asked Kelly to extract the
offending member. Preliminary to the actual extraction, the patient was
asked to lay flat on his back out in the yard, and then with one knee on his
victim's breast and a clamp securely fastened to what was supposed to be
the tooth in question, Kelly began a tortuous, twisting movement which
resulted in two teeth being violently and painfully pulled from their sockets —
but, strange to add, he had not only extracted two instead of one, but had
actually missed the one causing the trouble. It is not on record what the
victim said or did, but Kelly did not pull any more teeth for him.

ROSTER OF FAYETTE COUNTY PHYSICIANS.

The complete list of physicians — and those claiming such designation —
follows: John Arnold, E. A. Bacon, G. W. Barber, Charles Barnes, J. H.
Baughman, Hugh Beaton, Irwin E. Booher, John Bradburn, Charles Brown,
Ryland T. Brown, Thomas Buchanan, Joseph S. Burr, Daniel W. Butler,

Byles, Amos Chapman, Thomas T. Chinn, Frank A. Chitwood,

George R. Chitwood, John E. Chitwood, Joshua Chitwood, Hayman W.
Clark, J. H. Clark, B. W. Cooper, Jonathan Cox, James J. Dailey, Omer E.
Dale, Edward Daniels, A. W. Daum, Ephraim Derbyshire, Lurton D. Dillman.
Roy H. Elliott, A. J. Fletcher, James Ford, O. P. M. Ford, G. C. Flick, Daniel
Frembly, George W. Garver, J. T. Gassard, Temple E. Gayle, R. T. Gillum,
Stanton E. Gordin, Cameron Gossett, A. Graham, Vincent H. Gregg,

— Haines, D. D. Hall, E. Everett Hamilton, Samuel N. Hamilton,

H. W. Hazzard. Jefferson Helm, J. H. Hoag, Frank G. Hornung, Samuel
W. Hughes, J. H. Johnston, A. C. Jones, George E. Jones, James M. Justice,
A. Koogler, H. M. Lambertson, J. D. Larimore, Pressly Libay, V. D. Lud-

FAYETTE CnuNTY. INDIANA, 343

wick, D. H. McAl)ee. D. D. McDougall, G. W. McNutt. Philip Mason. M. F.
Miller, Samuel Miller. Joseph Moffit, Joseph R. Mountain, C. D. B. O'Kyan,
H. S. Osborn. W. J. Paxton, William J. Pepper, W. J. Porter, W. R. Phillips,

O. B. Ramsey, J. S. Rice, Richardson, M. Ross, Alfred Ruby, J. M.

Sample, I,. D. Sheets, S. D. Shepard, G. A. Sigler, P. S. Silvey. Richard \V.
Sipe, H. W. Smelzer, B. R. Smith, \V. H. Smith, Caleb Smitii, F. J. Spilman,
Greenbuiy Steele, A. T. Sweetland. W. W. Taylor, James Thomas, Alex-
ander D. TATrell, A. H. Thompson. Joiin Turner, Samuel W. Vance. John
Wall, Elias Welister, George Wincliel, J. X, Wliiteis, I'riali H. Tinglev.

CHAPTER XIII.
Banks and Banking.

The history of early banking in Connersville is enveloped in more or
less obscurity and it is impossible to trace with any degree of accuracy the
history of the private banks which existed prior to 1852. Connersville evi-
dently did not have a bank chartered by the state until after the present Con-
stitution was adopted in 1851, although some of the early merchants carried
on a banking business for the convenience of their customers. Most of this
so-called banking consisted of buying and selling notes and the handling of
paper currency issued by the merchants themselves. During the flourishing
days of the old White Water canal there was very little specie jn circulation
in the state, practically all of the currency being in the form of bank paper
of various kinds, and the "shin-plasters" issued by the merchants. When
the Legislature chartered a state bank in 1834, the act establishing the bank
divided the state into ten districts and provided that the directors should
select one town in each district for the branch bank.

Fayette county was placed in the third district with the counties of
Union, Rush, Wayne, Henry, Delaware and Randolph. The bank for the
district was located at Richmond by the directors, Newton Claypool, Elijah
Coffin and Achilles Williams. Claypool was then a resident of Connersville.
If there was a bank of deposit in Connersville during the lifetime of the state
bank chartered in 1834, it was a private concern and not a part of the state
system.

^The Constitution of 185 1 provided for a state bank (Art. XI.) and the
Legislature of the following year passed an act formally establishing a state
bank. The act was dated May 18, 1852, and was to go into effect on the
1st of the following July. Connersville was one of the first fifteen banks
organized in conformance with this act, the state bank directors reporting
that many as being actually organized by December, 1852.

Of the first fifteen banks organized in 1852 the Bank of Connersville, as
it was designated, started out with twice as much capital as any of the other
banks, its original capital stock being $400,000.

FAYKTTF. COUNTY, INDIANA. 345

DF.VEUIPMENT OK BANKING.

Tliis hank was opened for Imsiiiess in tlie rear of l'"rybarger's store
which stood at the soutlnvest corner of Central avenue and Fifth street,
However, it was not long- after the institution was opened before it was able
to build a three-story brick building which stood on Central avenue between
Fourth and Fifth streets. The first president of this bank was George Fry-
barger, later followed b\- A. B. Conwell. The Fayette County Bank was
opened sometime in 1853 in the building which stood at the southeast corner
of Central avenue and Fourth street, and which is now used as the Palace
hotel. The stockholders of this bank included such men as Newton Clay-
pool. L. D. Allen, Henry Gmidlander. .Minor Meeker. Josiah Mullikin, Henry
Simpson and Meredith Helm. The cashier of this bank was L. D. Allen
and when tlae board of directors replaced him with E. F. Claypool in 1854,
he at once started a bank of his own. calling it the Savings Bank of Indiana.

Allen associated himself with Elisha Vance, a lawyer of Connersville,
in his undertaking and they opened their bank in the building erected by the
White Water Canal Company on Fourth street between Eastern and Central
avenues. This building stands to the rear of the present Palace hotel and
is now used as a residence. This bank issued one- and three-dollar cer-
tificates signed by L. I), .\llen and T. G. Stevens. J. L. Heinemann has
some of these certificates bearing the date of August 2T,, 1854. The bank
evidently did not command public confidence; at least it closed its doors
within a year.

The Fayette County Bank was consolidated with the Connersville branch
of the Bank of the State of Indiana in January, 1857. T'""^ directors of that
institution were John Caldwell, Newton Claypool, Henry Simpson, Amos R.
Edwards, Thomas J. Crisler, ^\^ W. Frybarger and Sherman Scofield.

James Mount and William Merrill opened a bank in 1857 '" t^i^ room
formerly occupied by the Bank of Connersville, and for several years car-
ried on a kind of bank business under the name of the Farmers Bank.

FIRST NATIONAL BANK.

The Comiersville branch of the State Bank was reorganized as the First
National Bank of Connersville on February 13, 1865, with a capital stock of
$100,000. The first officers were: President, B. F. Claypool: cashier, E.
F. Claypool. Xhe fir.^t board of directors consisted of J. M. W'ilson, H. D.
Carlisle, P. H. Roots, F. M. Roots, B. F. Claypool and E. F. Claypool. In

346 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1873 P- H. Roots was chosen ])resident and Charles Mount, cashier. In
1879 P. H. Roots died and was succeeded in the presidency by his brother,
F. M. Roots, and F. T. Roots, son of P. H. Roots, became vice-president.
From 1873, until his death in 1883, G. W. Uhl was assistant cashier. The
business of the bank is still conducted at the old location on the northwest
corner of Central avenue and Fifth street. The present brick building was
erected to replace the small two-story brick structure in which the business
was formerly conducted.

The present officials are : President, G. C. Florea.; vice-president, T. C.
Bryson; cashier, L. K. Tingley. The directors are G. C. Florea, T. C. Pry-
son, L. K. Tingley, E. D. Johnson, A. E. Leiter, George Cain, J. E. Williams.

The following condensed statement shows the position of the bank on
December 16, 1916: .Cash and exchange, $210,770.04; loans, $468,924.75:
United States bonds at par, $101,000: others bonds and securities, $49,171.98;
stock in Federal Reserve Bank, $3,900: due from United States treasurer,
$5,000: bank building, $70,000; furnit^ire and vault, $1,000 — Total, $909,-
766.77. Capital stock, $100,000: surplus, $30,000: undivided profits,
$17,942.36; deposits, $661,824.41 ; circulation, $100,000 — Total, $909,766.77.

THE FAYETTE NATIONAL BANK.

On November 17, 1892, the Fayette Banking Company was organized and
began business in the small room at the corner of Sixth street and Central
avenue, now occupied by the Grand Leader store. J. B. McFarlan, Sr.,
served as president, Jos. I. Little, cashier and P. H. Kensler, assistant cashier.
The first board of directors consisted of J. B. McFarlan, Sr., W. W. McFar-
lan, Jos. I. Little, William Newkirk and George M. Sinks.

Late in December, 1894, the company moved into the corner room of
the McFarlan building just across the street from their old location, which
has been occupied ever since by the institution and its successor — The Fay-
ette National Bank.

The business was successful from the start, and when in 1902 the change
was made to The Fayette National Bank, their deposits had grown from
$12,806.52 to $301,184.48. At that time also the capital was increased from
$30,000.00 to $100,000.00. The business has continued to grow steadily
and solidly with the passing years, until now the deposits have reached

$679,574.47-

.While some of the original officers and directors have passed away,
the bank has been practically under 'the same management all these years —

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 347

the present president and cashier liaving l)een officially connecteil with the
institution from the beginning.

The present officials of the hank are: President, P. H. Kensler; vice-
president, J. E. Huston : cashier, Charles Casse! ; assistant cashier, Alton G.
Trusler. The board of directors is comprised of E. \V. Ansted, P. H. Kens-
ler, G. \V. Ansted, J. K. Huston and W. B. Ansted. The bank is a member
of the Federal Reserve Bank.

The following is tlie statement of the condition of the Fayette National
Bank at the close of business, November 17, 1916.

Resources.

Loans and discounts -$613,517.33

Overdrafts 2,876.68

United States bonds 102,000.00

Bonds, securities, etc 22,675.00

Stocks in Federal Reserve Bank 4,200.00

Furniture and fixtures 2,000.00

Due from United .States treasurer 5,000.00

Cash and due from banks 174,022.06

$926,291.07
Liabilities.

Capital stock paid in . . $100,000.00

Surplus 40,000.00

Undivided profits 8,016.60

Circulation 98,700.00

Deposits 679,574.47

$926,291.07

Growth in deposits: November, 1912, $584,754.54; November, 1913,
$590,716.58: November, 1914. $592,700.29: November, 1915, $629,957.39;
November, 1916, $679,574.47.

FARMER.S AND MERCHANTS TRUST COMPANY.

The Farmers and Merchants Trust Company, Connersville, was organ-
ized on April 5. 1902, with a capital stock of $100,000. The first officers of
the company were : President, F. T. Roots ; vice-president, E. W. Ansted :
cashier, B. F. Thiebaud ; secretary and treasurer, B. F. Thiebaud. The first

348 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

directors were: F. T. Roots, E. W. Ansted, Julius Turkenoph, U. H.
Rothschilds, L. T. Bower, B. F. Thiebaud and F. R. Beeson.

The present officials are : E. W. Ansted, president ; F. B. Ansted, vice-
president; B. F. Thiebaud, cashier; F. M. Tatman, assistant cashier; B. F.
Thiebaud, secretary and treasurer. The directors are E. W. Ansted, A. A.
Ansted, M. Holberg, James McCann, R. T. Huston, F. B. Ansted and B. F.
Thiebaud.

The following is the report of the condition of the Farmers and Mer-
chants Trust Company, at Conners\ille, at the close of its business on Novem-
ber 17, 1916:

Resources.

Loans and discounts $684,799.79

Overdrafts 1,202.79

Bonds and securities 21,338.71

Furniture and fixtures 1,000.00

Real estate 9,574.00

Due from Banks and Trust Companies $95,112.16

Cash on hand 34,572.44

Cash items , 2.947.69 132,632.29

Total Resources $850,547.58

IJnbilifies.

Capital stock — paid in $100,000.00

Surplus 30,000.00

Undivided profits 20,000.00

Exchange, discounts and interest 5.503.91

Demand deposits $490,440.80

Demand certificates 166,702.87 657,143.67

Notes, etc., rediscounted 37,900.00

Total Liabilities $850,547.58

THE CENTRAL ST.\TE BANK.

The Central State Bank at Connersville was organized on March 9,
1907, with a capital stock of $60,000. The first officials were : President,
W. W. McFarlan; vice-president, A. E. Barrows;, cashier, Frederic L Bar-
rows; assistant cashier, H. M.. McFarlan,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 349

The present officers are: President, Alex Edwards; vice-presidents, E.
M. Michener, F. I. Barrows; cashier. A. H. Rienian. The board of directors
is comprised-of Alex Edwards, E. M. Michener, F. I. Barrows, A. H. Rie-
man. J. R. Mountain. B. M. Barrows, C. I. Sliowalter and George Manlove.
The bank owns the building on the corner of Central avenue and Seventh
street. By the early part of 191 7 the deposits were over $300,000.

Tlie following is the report of the condition of the Central State Bank
at Connersville, at the close of business on November 17, 1916:

Rrsoitrccs.

Loans and discounts $172,128.91

Overdrafts 690.27

Other bonds and securities 41,690.00

Furniture and fixtures 3,425.00

Other real estate 41 ,600.00

Due from Banks and Trust Companies $35'399-39

Cash on hanrl 12,575.88

Cash items 3,915.44 51,890.71

Total resources $3 10,824.89

[Jahilities.

CajMtal stock — ])aid in $ 60,000.00

Surplus 5,250.00

L'ndivided profits 2,429.91

Demand deposits $198,473.99

Time certificates 23,665.74

Certified checks 1,005.25 223,144.98

Bills payable 20,000.00

Total liabilities $3 10,824.89

I-AVETTE SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION.

The Fayette Savings and Loan Association, of Connersville. was organ-
ized in May, 1887. During the thirty years it has been in operation it has
been the means of assisting hundreds of its members to build and own homes
of their own, and has tbus contributed inrna.,small.rHeasure to the general
prospecity of the community. The association now has a subscribed capital

350 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Stock of $1,495,000 and cash assets, about $700,000. A statistical summary
of its condition at the time its last report was made shows the following:
Total membership, 1,338; investing members, 842; borrowing members, 496;
amount of capital stock subscribed and in force, $1,472,500; value of shares
when matured, $100; rate of interest, 6 per cent. The present officers are as
follow : President, John T. Lair ; vice-president, Richard G. Wait ; secretary,
F. I. Barrows ; treasurer, E. M. Michener ; assistant secretaries, Caroline Bar-
rows Dixon, Arthur Dixon; other directors. Fred C. Neal, Charles I.
Showalter, Charles Monyhon.

GERMAN BUTLD'iNG AND LOAN ASSOCIATION.

The German Building and Loan Association of Connersville was incor-
porated on April 20, 1902. with an authorized capital stock of $500,000.
The first officers were as follow : President, D. W. Andre ; secretary, John
Rembusch : treasurer, F. R. Beeson. Its condition at the time of its last
report is shown in the following summary: Total membership, 460; invest-
ing members, 310; borrowing members. 150; amount of capital stock sub-
scribed and in force, $211,400; par value of shares when matured, $250;
rate of interest, 8 per cent; total shares of stock in force, 2,114. The pres-
ent officers of the association are as follow : President, James E. Pattee ;
secretary, William Frank; treasurer, James McCann; attorney, G. Edwin
Johnson.

HOME LOAN ASSOCIATION.

The Home Loan Association of Connersville was incorporated on Decem-
ber 20. 1902, with an authorized capital stock of $1,000,000. The first
officers were as follow : President, J. B. McFarlan ; secretary, John Payne ;
treasurer, W. H. Bertsch; attorney. Finly H. Gray. The last report of the
association shows the following: Total membership, 1,397; investing mem-
bers, 1,061; borrowing meml^ers, 336; amount of capital stock subscribed
and in force. $1,070,200; par value of share when matured, $100; rate of
interest. 6 24/100 per cent. The present officers are as follow: President.
W. T. Edwards ; secretary, S. O. McKennan ; treasurer, R. C. McKennan ;
attornev, W. E. Ochiltree.

CHAPTER XIV.

EducatioiVai. History of Fayette County.

The first schools of Fayette county were either voluntary- schools taught
by some public-spirited i)ioneer or else what was known as a subscription
school. Public schools supported by a state fund did not come into exist-
ence until after the adoption of the Constitution of 1852. The educational
history of Fayette county before that time was not dissimilar to that of other
counties in the state. As early as 18 1 8 the Legislature of the state made
provision for a seminary fund in the various counties of the state. This
was made necessary because the first constitution of the state, which was, in
a measure, based on the Ordinance of 1787, provided that every sixteenth
section of land in the state should be set aside for school purposes. This
land was to be sold or, if a purchaser was not to be found, it was to be
rented and the proceeds from the sale or rent were to be used for the main-
tenance of schools. Unfortunately, the price of land in Fayette county was
verv low, and the result was there was not a sufficiently large sum derived
from this source for school purposes. In addition to the proceeds of school
sections, the money from fines, forfeitures and money collected from win-
ners in gam\)lipg, when tlae. loser was. not- on- hand to claim- it. was placed
in the school fund. In the early days of the history of the state lotteries
were a common thing, and, strange as it may seem, the first university in
Indiana — the University of Vincennes — was put on a sound financial basis
by a lottery scheme, which was authorized by the territorial Legislature.

Since there was but little public money for school purposes, it was not
jxissible to get teachers without offering them additional compensation.
Hence for a period of about thirty-five years, Fayette county had what was
known as subscription schools. L'sually the patrons of a school district
would build a rude log school house and some itinerant i>edagogue would be
selected -to -"coiKkKH--sdiool" for periods varying from two to six months.
The rates of tuition were very low, and the average compensation of the
early teachers seldom amounted to more than twenty dollars a month. The
usual rate of tuition was from seventy-five cents to one dollar a quarter, and

352 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the masters were frequently paid in wheat at thirty-seven and one-Iialf cents
a bushel, or corn at eight or ten cents a bushel.

The teachers were nearly always men, for the reason that in those days
physical prowess was as essential to success in a schoolroom' as a well disci-
plined brain. No truer picture of early school days in Indiana has ever
been drawn than may be found in Eggleston's "Hoosier School Master."
The qualifications of the early school teachers were \ery limited, and as late
as 183 1 the Legislature of Indiana went on record to the effect that "the
English language, writing and arithmetic" should constitute the qualifica-
tions for a teacher in the schools of the slate. These are the "three Rs" of
our forefathers and they passed their examination in "readin", "ritin' and
"rithmetic" before a trustee who very frequently was unable to read or write.
Therej.yveje many cases where no examinations were given, this being
p^peicially, ihe j^ase with those teachers who derived all of their compensation
fro^n subscriptions.

the' EARI^Y SCHOOL HOUSE DESCRIBED.

This article would not be complete without a description of oiie of
these early log school houses. By the law of 1824, for building school houses,
each voter was made a builder. When a school bouse was to be built the
people would meet and eacii was asSigiied to some particular class of work — •
there were choppers, masons (daubers), h6wers and the like. A fine of
thirty-seven and one-half cents a day was required of those who did not
work or pay the equivalent. The building might be as large as the patrons
wanted to make it, but, interesting to note, the Legislature provided that
the floor had to be one foot off of the ground and the ceiling at least eight
feet high. As a matter of fact, however, the roof was frequently used as
a ceiling. The interior arrangement was designed with the view to taking
advantage of the one window on either side of the building. This window
was made b}- removing a log from the side of the building and covering the
opening with sheets of well-greased linen paper. The paper frequently fur-
nished another purpose as well. On it wei^e written the letters of the alpha-
bet by a good penman, also the .\raliic and Roman notation, as well as vari-
ous geometrical figures. Before this window was placed a long, hewed log,
made as smooth as possible, and this was the table at which the boys and
girls ■ saf diirtng' the period of their writing lessons. The rude bench before
this equally rude table was without a back, and as far as that was concerned,
there were no benches in the school with backs. The pupils sitting at the

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 353

long- table had tlieir copy Ijefore them on the window, and many stories are
told of the letters of Jonathan Jennings, the first governor of Indiana, which
served as copies for the boys and girls of early Indiana. The two ends of
the school house were occupied by a door and fireplace, respectively. The
fireplace was from fi\e to ten feet wide, and enough wood was consumed
during a long winter to heat a modern school building of several rooms.
As to the equipment of the rooms and the supplies of the children, there
was a great variance. There was no paper for use for any purpose, except
in the copy-book, and oftentimes the writing exercise had to be done on a
slate. If paper was used, then the writing was done with a goose quill pen
and with ink made out of pokeberries, walnut juice or soft-maple bark. In
order to make this ink have the proper consistency and permanency, copperas
was used, while the modern blotter was simulated by fine sand sprinkled over
the paper. The ]5a])er at that time was made out of rags and was expensixe
in comparison to its cost toda)'. Consequently, it was used as sparingly as
possible, while the slate was considered as indispensable as the spelling book.
There were no dictionaries, no globes, no maps, and in many of the first
school houses there was no blackboard. However, this last deficiency was
soon remedied, since it was necessary to have a blackboard for ciphering.

The course of study and the method of recitation should be briefly
noticed. As has been stated, the "three Rs" furnished the basis of the edu-
cation which was given in the early schools. There were no classes in
school, as we understand them. Grading the pupils according to their age
or adxancement was unheard of. I-'or many years the pupils held up their
hands when they thought they had their lessons ready to recite, and the
teacher would call them one by one to his seat, and have them repeat their
lesson — and what is interesting, they had to memorize their lesson word
by Word. There were really as many classes in school as there were pupils.
These schools, supported in part by public funds, but mostly by private sub-
scriptions, continued to flourish until the adoption of the new Constitution
in 1852. Then there was ushered in a new era in education throughout the
state, although there were many counties which were slow to take advantage
of the provisions of the new law.

establishjMent of free public schools.

The problem of free public schools was practically settled before 1852,
although it was several vears before the svstem became universallv estab-
(23)

354 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

lished over the state. In 1848 the people of tlie state were pennitted to vote
on the question of free schools, but it was a decade liefore Fayette county
had the system in operation.

The legislative act of February 16, 1848, provided for a viva voce on
the cjuestion "Are you in favor of free public schools?" If Fayette comity
voted on the question it made no return of the vote to the secretary of state.
The vote of the state stood "8,523 to 61,887 in favor of the proposition.
The succeeding Legislature submitted a second proposition to the voters of
the state on the question of free schools, the act of January 17, 1849. P™"
posing a vote on the question "Are you in favor of the act of 1848-49 to
increase and extend the benefits of the common schools?"" At the election
held on August 6, 1849, Fayette county declared itself in favor of the ques-
tion by a \ote of 932 to 925.

The records of the public schools of the county outside of Connersville
are very meager and it is impossible to trace the steps which the county took
to establish the new free school system throughout the county. In the suc-
ceeding pages an effort has been made to collate the chief facts about each
township separately as well as to gi^■e a separate account of the old county
seminary, the Connersville city schools and Elnihurst School for Girls. The
present county superintendent of schools, Claude Trusler, has been collecting
the material for a history of the schools of the county and his material fur-
nishes the basis for this chapter. After a few points of general interest are
taken up the remainder of the chapter will be devoted to a discussion of
the schools of each township, the seminary, Connersville schools and Elm-
hurst School for Girls.

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.

There was no system of public schools under the 1816 Constitution and
it was not until after 1852 that there were ofificials at the heads of the schools
of the \'arious counties of the state. At first the official was known as the
county examiner, but the Legislature in 1873 created the office of county
superintendent of schools as it is now known. Since that date the following
men have been elected to the office by the trustees of the various townships
of the county. The office is filled every four years and is the only one in the
county which demands certain qualifications of its incumbents. The county
superintendents of Fayette county since 1873 have served in the following
order: J. L. Rippetoe, 1873-75; Josiah Gamble, 1875-87; Frank G. Hornung,

FAYETTi: COrNTY. INDIAN.

1887-89: P.. V. Thiehaud. i88()-oi : G. W. Rolierlsnn, 1891-95: W. II. CA\
well, i8()5-97: Cahin ( )oliiltree, 1897-1907; Claude Tnisler, since 11)07.

lNI' M HR.\TION STATISTICS.

.\ Study of the enunieratin
shows tliat in most of the tdwnsli
tion during tlie past tliirty years

I of children of school age, year by year,
ps there has been a decrease in the enumera-
the greatest decrease being in Connersville

and Posey townships. The city of Connersville shows the greatest increase.
.\s far back as 1854 the city enumerated 612 children of school age. These
figures, by 1887. had increased to 707 and by 1916 to 1.985. In 1887 there
were 51 school houses in use, but by 1916 this number had decreased to 29,
because of the consolidation of many of the rural schools. The following
table exhibits the enumeration by townships in 1887, 1897, 1907 and 1916,
together with the number of school houses in use at each period :

Townshii)s.

1887

Connersville 415

Posey 218

Fairview 169

Orange 1 77

Harrison 22^

Columbia 166

Jackson 211

Jennings 184

Waterloo 149

Kast Connersville .... 97

Conners\-ille City 707

Number of

Enumeration.

School Houses.

897 1907

1916

1887

1897

1907 1916

220 240

220

195 162

145

191 132

145

139 141

167

141 246

266

108 155

183

4 4

19^ 195

155

168 126

150

2 2

140 144

140

118 214

222

T I

,181 1,803

1.985

4 4

CONNER.SVILI.F. TOWNST

There liave lieen schools in C()nners\ille township for more than one hun-
ilreit \eai"s. the first building for sciiool purjjoses having been erected about
1814 near where Williams creek em])ties into White Water ri\er. This was
a log structure standing on the farm of Thomas Hinksoii, this pioneer
farmer alsc) serving as the first teacher and continuing to teach for several
vears. Hinkson was educated in a Catholic school and seems to ha\e had

356 FAYETTE COUNTY^ INDIANA.

more scholastic training than most of tlie early teachers of the county.
Another of the early teachers of this same vicinity was a Miss Ingham, who
held forth in a log school house in 1819, the same standing where the Lock-
hart school house stood in later years.

One of the earliest school houses erected in the county was on the farm
of John Kellum, a few rods east of where Longwood station now stands.
The structure was built of logs but was weatherboarded with slabs. At one
end of the house was a large fireplace and on each side a cupboard. The
house was well lighted, having windows on three sides, and was provided
with two doors. Desks were built the full length of the walls on three sides,
the benches being the same length as the desks. The older pupils sat with
their faces to the wall and the little ones on long benches with no desks.

Unfortunately, there ha\'e not been records kept of the early schools
of the county and the names of most of the pioneers teachers have disap-
peared along with tlie log school houses in which they wielded the rod.
Among the early teachers of Connersville township may be mentioned Millie
Perin, Jonathan Shields, Hannah Hathaway, Philip Mason, Ryland Brown,
John Justice and Har\'ey Xutting, some of whom taught in the village of
Connersville.

INTERESTING NOTES OF A RAMBLER.

Several years ago there appeared in one of the local papers an account
by one "Rambler" of a school known as "Solomon's School", which stood
on the east side of the ri\er. The vivid description of the building, its ecjuip-
ment, its pupils, the method of instruction and the general conditions of
educational affairs at the time this school was in operation, were graphically
set forth by the "Rambler" in this article and it seems appropriate to give
the account in full in this connection.

The buikling Wiis iiboiit eijrbteen liy tweut,v-two feet, of i-ound logs, with a fireplace
occupying one end of it. A file of six or eight hoys were usually detailed to tarry in
the baclv logs, while the lesser ones carried iu the fore, middle and top sticks, and
occasionally this huge pile of wood and the fire by it would cause the cry of fire
to be raised by some who were watching other things closer than their books The
windows consisted of one log removed from each of the three sides of the building,
slats placed vertically in the si^ace, and newspapers pasted on those slats and to the log
above, then the paper oiled with melted lard applied with a feather to admit the light ;
then a temporary fortification, consisting of forks and poles, was thrown up to prevent
(he stock from eating out the paper thus saturated with the grease.

The furniture in the room was as simple and primitive as the room itself. The
writing tables were one long board under each window and the same length of it.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 357

.MttMclied to the wnll nud roslini; on wooden iiins driven into tlie \v;ill, inclining' :\ lillle
downward at the outer end. At these tables tlie writers sat with their faees to tlie
window. The seats consisted of blue ash saphngs, cut the in-oi)er length, split in two,
two holes bored at proper angles in each end, and also in the middle, for the legs,
the split log then being placed with the bark side up, the bark being all nicely shaved
off. On these seats have we sat swinging our feet back and forth from early dawn to
Latest eve, wishing we were anything else but a school boy ; wishing there was no such
thing as a school house, school teachers, school books, pen, ink or pai)er in the world.
Foolish, inconsiderate thought, childish thought. But then we thou.ght and .ictcil ami
talked like a boy, but since we have viewed things from a different standpoint.

Could the sc'hool boy of the present day [this article was written in the seventies]
compare the stock of books now in use in the schools with that used in those primitive
times, he could appreciate his advantages over those of the early settlers of the county.
(Jeograiihy, grammar, globes, outline maps and uther modern facilities for stud.v wetv
neither seen nor talked of in the schoolroom of those days. There is one tribute of
re.spect we willingly pay to the teacher, and that is, considering the times, the sur-
roundings and the facilities, he taught a very .good school.

In those days there were certain inalienable rights claimed by the scliool boys, which
had been handed down from time immemorial from father to son. and that was the
right to close the door against school teachers about the holidays: a right, too, to which
in some localities they still adhere with the same tenacity that a descendant of Abraham
adheres to his nationality. Now. the big boys and the little boys were not willing that
this time-honored usage should pass by uiiimproAed on the present occasion. Accord-
ingly a council of war was held and the subject discussed in the most formal manner,
the question being: Shall we bar out the teacher and make him treat? was put and
<-arried by such a vote that no veto could set it aside. The next (inestion was. how
shall the castle, windows, door and chimney be so fortified that a successful attack
c.innot be made either from the front, flank or rear. To do this, bolts, bars, benches,
spikes, with a large lot of other weapons, offensive and defensive, were called into
requisition, not forgetting a good supply of fuel and provisions, for the siege might
last for several days. Morning came and with it came hope, fear, doubt, anxiety, and
solicitude as to the result. Directly the teacher is seen in the distance, approaching the
scene of contest, quietly and peacefully: he comes on nnconscioiu* of the spirit of nnitiny
and rebelli(m within. He comes to the door, attempts to open it: all is silence within:
he gues.ses the cause, retreats, recounoiters, examines the vxilnerahle points, gathers a
large rail, and in old Roman style, tries his battering ram on the door once. Crash,
it comes against the door: he retreats to a greater distance to give it greater momen-
tum: crash, it comes the second time; down comes the door: in comes the rail, full
length into the school room. All is hurry-scurry within, and during the general fright,
the teacher enters through the breach. "Seize him and tie him." was the rallying cry.
It was like magic: soon he was surrounded, borne down by the crowd, which had
merged all ^li.gnity in the right of the scholar. The teacher comes to terms, is released,
and soon a squad of the quondam rebels is sent off to bring the treat. Jleantinie the
benches are righted, the door is repaired, the good things come, all partake, and care
nothing whether they are presidents or plebians. And thus passed the Christmas of
ISIS at the old log school house. Among those who attended this .school were the
(iilkeys. .Sparks, .\ldridges. Harlans. Thomases, Streets, Whites, Denisons. McCreas and
Williamses. *

358 - FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

DECREASE IN ENUMERATION.

The enumeration in Connersville township has shown a very marked
decrease during the past thirty years. In 1887 it amounted to 415, but by 1916
it had dropped off to 220, although there are only two fewer school houses
at the present time. The only high school in the township is in the city of
Coimersville. There are still six rural schools in operation, the teachers for
the present year (1916-17) being Blanche Paris. Mary Harlan, John Peck,
Mrs. Elizabeth Mahle, Mrs. Jennie Carter and Serena Ostheimer.

East Connersville has a separate school in charge of the village. It
has a large brick building and employs four teachers, M. R. Lake, Mrs.
Charity Rudd, Gertrude Elliott and Ruth Koch. East Connersville had an
enumeration of 97 in 1887, 118 in 1897 and 222 in 1916. There is no high
school work in the school.

It quite often occurs that pulilic buildings are peculiarly designated and
one striking example exists in Connersville township. The institution in
mind is known as the Contention school. Many decades ago a log school
house was built on the hill near the site of the present building, and after
the old building had served its day of usefulness the question of a new one
arose. .Mong with this (juestion was the selection of a site. Some of the
patrons were in fa\or of building on the old site, but many more were in
favor of a new site and the latter was finally chosen. Community factions
arose, long-time friends became enemies, and until the important question
was finally settled the entire community was in constant turmoil. Thus the
name "Contention" has lieen \ery aptly applied to the school and although
the school house was constructed in 1854 or 1855 the name still remains
and will doubtless persist.

WATERLOO TOWNSHIP.

The first .school in \\'aterloo townshi]) dates from 18 15, the building-
being erected on section t6 and the hrst teacher being Elijah Holland. About
two years later a school house was built in section 17. although this second
Ijuiiding may have been originally erected as a dwelling. At least it was
used for school purposes and it is known that Absalom Heaton and a man
by the name of Taylor taught in it. The first building- mentioned seems to
lia\-« been in use only a short time as a school house. In the southern por-
tion of the township log school houses made their appearance before 1820

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 359

and here were finiiid Alexander Wilson and a man hy the name of Hardin,
lidth (if wlumi tauijht fmni time to time.

'J1ie first frame hnildins.;- f(jr school purposes seems to have lieen erected
ahout iSji. It stood in the northwestern part of the township near the
river. -\n Irishman by the name of (".ray was ])rohal)ly the first teacher in
this frame huildini;-. .\t the ancient villat^e of Sprinoersville there stood a
frame building in tiie cemetery, which building seemed to have been used
for both school and church, purposes. There lia\e never been more than
four school houses at any one time in this township. As far back as 1879
a total of 262 pupils were enrolled in the township schools, but by 1887
the enumeration had dropped to i^<), while in loK' there were only 140
enumerated in the entire township.

In 10 '3 the countv superintendent and township trustee. T. O. Simpson,
eft'ectetl a consolidation of tlie four schools of the township and a modern
brick building was erected in the eastern part of section 0 to accomodate all
the pupils of the townshi]). .\n accredited high school was established and
three years of high-school work are now gi\en b\- the two high-school teach-
ers, l-'ay O. Burns and Lon Ranch, both of whom are graduates of Indiana
I'niversity. The two grade teachers in the school are Efifie Squires and
MarY Greer. This is the only township in the county with only one school
building — one of the \ery few townships in the state where complete con-
.solidatioii has been perfected.

JENNINGS TOWNSHIP.

The desire for education in the early days of Jennings township marie
itself manifest in the erection of a school house about a mile southwest of
Alquina. During the period from 1826 to 1830 Baylis Jones was one of
the teachers, .\nother school that was in existence about the same time was
what was kncjw n as the I'A-estone school and stood about a mile east of the
church at Mt. Garrison. 1"he early teachers at this place include Green
Larimore. Matthew R. Hull, Washington Curnutt, Thomas ()T^>rien and
John P. Brown. Robert Wooster, fine of the first preachers in the C(iunty.
was also one oi the first teachers in this townshij). He was a teacher of
more than average ability and a man who tlevoted his life to the advance-
ment of education and religion.

In the periiid between 1832 and i<S4o a school was conducted in the
vicinity of Alquina by S(|uire Harrison and subsequently by a man named
Barnard. These schools were all run by subscription and continued in

360 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

operation on this basis until after the introduction of tlie present system of
free pubHc schools.

For more than seventy years there were four school houses in the town-
ship, but at the present time there is only one district school outside of
Alquina, the one located just south of Lyonsville. There has been a high
school at Alquina for many years, and on December 6, 1916, the school was
granted a commission. There are now four teachers at Alquina, two of
whom devote all of their time to high school work, the high school teachers
bemg Earl Lines and Edith Haines, both graduates of Indiana University:
and the grade teachers, Ruth Kline and Mazie Moore. Three hacks are in
use to haul the children from the various parts of the township. The teacher
at Lyonsville is Catherine Gettinger.' Some idea of the difference that the
years Iiave wrought is shown when it is stated that in 1880 there were
ninety-six pupils crowded in the same room in which only twenty-three sat
in the winter of IQ16-17. Emery A. Scholl, the present superintendent of
the Lutheran Sunday school at Lyonsville, was a pupil of the school in 1880
and has a vivid remembrance of the crowded room, three pupils in a seat,
and the teacher, C. W. Carpenter, ])arading up and down the aisles with a
large hickory gad in hand. At least twenty-five of the number were grown.

ORANGE TOWNSHIP.

Orange township was settled later than most of the townships of the
county and did not have a regularly organized school until 1823. Li that
year Eleanor Blair taught school in a small log cabin just north of the
village of Fayetteville (now Orange). The next school of which any definite
record has been preserved was tauglit by a Miss Mitchell in the abandoned
cabin of a man of the name of Russel. This cabin stood about a mile and
a half northeast of Fayetteville, and there a few terms of school were taught.

The first school organized under the legislati\-e act of 1824 in this town-
ship, known as district No. i, was luiilt on the upper part of Garrison creek
on land donated by John Coley. The funds for the building were raised by
a tax levied on the citizens to be benefited, most of whom paid their appor-
tionment in labor or supplies. This building was as fine a structure
as ingenuity could devise and pioneer carpenters could erect. It was built
of hewed logs, with a floor of walnut puncheons, with the inevitable clap-
board roof, but its aristocratic feature was a stone chimney. The best evi-
dence points to one Gunn as the first teacher in this new building, but how
luno- he held forth is not known.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 361

Tlie year tnlluwing- (i8-'5) tlie second scliool district was urs;ani/,ed in
the tuunshii), the building 1)eing- erected in Kayetteville (now Orange), then
known as Danxille. Among the early teachers in this second district was
Wiley J. Daniel. The fir.st log structure in Danville was later replaced by
a frame structure, and in this J. 1'. Daniel held forth for .several terms.
Another early teacher of Danville was James Rhodes.

Another one of the early schools was on the farm of Rbenezer fooper,
one and one-half miles south of Glenwood. Reverend Cooper built the
school house himself and taught the first school.

The Sains Creek settlement was early provided with a school building
which stood in the northwest corner of section 36. Somewhat later a second
building was erected about four hundred yards south of the one just men-
tioned. Among the early teachers of these two schools were John Bell,
Thomas Points and .Me.xander I'atton. This townsliip had hve school
houses in 1880 and an enrollment of about J75.

The present school year ( 1916-17). finds the school houses reduced to
three in number, a certified high school at Orange, doing four years' work,
and two district schools. It is the plan to raise the standard of the high
school so that it will be eligible for a full commission during the coming
vear. Roth the high school teachers for 1916-17 are graduates of Indiana
University and are fully competent to place the school on the highest basis
provided for high schools of the state. Edgar Starr is principal of the
Orange consolidated high school, and is assisted by Merle Colvin. The two
grade teachers in same school are Rolland Morris and Marguerite Sipe. The
district teachers are \\'illiam Cameron and Brvan Da\ison.

Ahhough the task of making a living was foremost in the minds of
the pioneers in Jackson township yet they were not too busy nor too poor
to provide for the education of their children. The first log-built school
house of which there is any mention in that lownshi]) was located in section
21. northeast of Everton. .\ccording to tradition, a man of the name of
John Lee taught school in this i)lace ])rior to 1817. Subsequent teachers
were .\ndrew Lewis and Lot Creen. The next school house in this settle-
ment was in section 26 and stood on the farm of Obediah Estis. Lot Green
is given the credit of teaching the first school in this building. For a num-
ber of years school was held in the log meeting house that stood at the grave-
yard on Poplar Ridge and which was occupied by the Society of Friends

362 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

for a number of years. Thomas O'Brien, an Irishman of more than ordin-
ary intelHgence, was a teacher in this vicinity for several years and among
his pupils were the Truslers, \\'ard3, \\'rights and Becketts, some of whom
became prominent characters in state and national affairs.

In section 19 stood a log cabin where school was conducted in 1816 or
1 81 7. However this cabin was used only until a better structure could be
jjuilt, the erection of which was effected about 1819 or 1820. Joseph Moore
\\as the first teacher. William Siixey taught the same school a few years
after.

The fourth school house erected in the township was built about 1822,
in section 24, about two or three miles west of Everton. Among the early
teachers were William Eskew, Robert Gathers and Robert Willis. Subse-
quently another school house was built in section 30, on the north fork of
Bear creek and John Gunn was one of the first teachers there.

An abandoned dwelling hicated in section 12 was used as a school house
in 1827 or 1828 and Travis Silvey was one of the first teachers. About the
same time a log school house of the old t}'pe was erected just east of the
Mt. Zion church. The attendance at this latter school was quite large and
many interesting" stories cluster around it. The ages of the pupils ranged
from six to twenty years. The girls and young men were often larger and
older than the teacher and as a result many pranks were played upon the
teachers without fear of any real punishment. According to a story handed
down to this generation a teacher of the name of John Barnes, who taught
there as early as 1829, was "barred out" on one occasion. The boys after
being satisfied that he could not make an entrance to the school house, and
Barnes himself being aware of the same fact after making several vain
attempts with a large timber used as a battering ram, agreed upon a com-
promise that was suggested by the boys, to the effect that a neighbor of the
name of Baker, who lived close by, had a good store of winter apples and
that if going for a bushel was any object the barricade would be removed.
Immediatel}- the apples \\ere forthcoming.

11:e townshijj had se\'en school houses from its earliest histor}', but the
flight of years has been attended with a heavy decrease in the number of
school children of school age and at the present time there are only four
buildings in use. There is a non-commissioned high school at Everton in
charge of Sherman Waggoner during the school year 1916-17. The two
grade teachers at the same place are Ethel Moore and Frank Scott. The
three district school teachers are Grace Newland, Hazel Banning and Edna
Lake.

FAYETTE COfNTY, INDIANA. ^^63

POSEY TOWNSHIP.

The first teacher in Posey township was George Manlove and he taught
in the first house erected for school purposes, the same standing in the south-
east corner" of the township, in section 28. A school house just across the
line in Wayne count)- from the Loder settlement was in use as early as 1S20
and was patronized by the residents of Posey township. This school was
in charge of Joseph Williams, one of the best known of the earl\- teachers
of Wayne county.

The decade between 1820 and 1830 witnessed the erection of live scIkjdI
houses in Posey township, scattered over the township in such a way that
schools were in easy access to all the pupils living in it. One of these
stood in the Van Buskirk neighlx)rhood, alx)ut a mile and a half west of
Bentonville, and was erected about the end of the decade. It was one of
the typical log \-ariety — round logs, greased-paper windows, log seats and
puncheon floor. Among the first teachers were John Treadway, John Legg
and Lavinia Church. Miss Cinn-ch was the first woman teacher in the com-
munity and probably the first in the townshi]). The house was in use only a
few years, being replaced by another log structure about a quarter of a
mile farther west. These schools, as were all the schools of an early day,
were what were known as subscription schools, although the second one
mentioned was maintained by public funds Ijefore the introduction of the free
public-school system in the fifties. Merchant Kelly taught in the settlement
west of Bentonville for many years.

There were never more than six school houses in the tow'uship. Even
as far back as the seventies there was a high school at Bentonville, although
it was later discontinued and was not re-established until a few years ago.
Hyatt Frost taught there in 1879, and from 1880 to 1884 B. F. Thiebaud
taught the school. There is now an accredited high school in the \illage doing
three years of high-school work. Within the past few years a modern brick-
school building has been erected at Bentonville and all but one of the rural
schools has been discontinued. The pujjils from the various parts of the
township are hauled to the consolidated school, which has four teachers,
two of whom devote all of their time to the high-school wurk. The high-
school teachers are L. S. Miller, princijjal, and Mayme Thonii)son, assistant;
Sarah Hussey and Emma Sutton, grade teachers. The one rural teacher is
Mrs. Charles Freeman. The enumeration in tins township has dropped from
218 in 18S7 to 145 in 1916.

364 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.

Fairview township was not organized until 1851 and hence the schools
of that part of the county prior to that year were either in Harrison or
Orange township. The township lies in the part of the county west of the
Indian treaty line of 1809 and was consequently not settled until in the
twenties. The first school house was erected in 1825 about a half mile
east of what was known as Moffit's crossing and was the third district of
what was then Orange township. This building was the typical log structure,
but, unlike most of them, it had a stone fireplace in the center of the room.
Jonas Price was the first teacher in the building.

The Fairview neighborhood had its first school house about the same
time, the building standing just across the line in Rush county at the old
burying ground. In fact, the building was erected to be used for both church
and school purposes, the site being donated by Robert Groves. A Mr. Noble
was probably the first teacher there.

There were two other schools which made their appearance within the
present limits of the township before 1830 : One was in the Jeffrey neigh-
borhood where Thomas Dawson became the first teacher; the other was in
the northern part of the township, then a part of Harrison township, in
which John Legg was the first preceptor, he later was followed by a pedagogue
by the name of McClure.

While not in Fayette county it seems that mention should be made of
the Fairview Academy, just across the line in Rush county, an institution
of learning established in 1848, which was patronized as liberally by residents
of Fayette county as by those of Rush county. Among those instrumental
in organizing the school were Dr. K]3hraim Clifford, W. W. Thrasher, Wil-
liam Shawhan, Rev. H. R. Pritchard, Rev. George Campbell, John Campbell,
John Thrasher, Donovan Groves and G. B. Bush. The brick building was
erected by Josiah Smith at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars.
The first principal of the academy was A. R. Benton, a graduate of Bethany
College, W^est Virginia, who resigned after alx)ut ten years of service to
accept the chair of Greek in Northwestern Christian University at Indian-
apolis. Other instructors were Rev. Daniel Van Buskirk, William Thrasher,
Walter Campbell and Professors Hull, Bowen and Piercy. The school was
under the control of the Christian church and during its prosperous years
numbered students from all over Indiana, as well as from Illinois, Ohio,

FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. 365

Kentucky, Louisiana and New York. The school was discontinued in tiie
eighties.

There have never been more tiian five schools in the townsiiip, hut since
the system of consohdation has been introduced the number has been reduced
to two, a certified high school at Falmouth with six teachers and one district
school. It is the intention to have the high school in shape to obtain a com-
mission as a full commissioned high school during the coming year. The
principal for the present year (1916-17) is Ernest JeiYrey, his assistants in
the high school being Florence Doane and Alfred Hall. The grade teachers
in the school are \'ina Lockhart, Xellie Retherford and C. W. Saxon. The
one district school in the township is in charge of Frank Tlinchman.

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

Among the early settlers in Columbia township were some families from
the Eastern states and they brought with them certain ideas regarding edu-
cation which they wished to adopt in this new country. Hence they were
not long in establishing schools. The first school house established in the
township was near the old graveyard just below Nulltown and was erected
in the summer of 181 5. Gabriel Ginn, a pioneer from Kentucky, was the
first schoolmaster and taught in this house for several years. The next
school taught in the township was in a cabin one mile south of Alpine,
taught by Mark Acre. Robert Helm and a woman whose name was Klum
taught in the same community.

The second school house built in the township was situated one mile
north of the village of Alpine and was erected about 1821. Daniel Mclntyre
and Dr. Philip Mason were two of the early teachers in this school. Another
one of the school houses built at an early date was the one on the farm of
Hickson Halstead. John Ronald was the first teacher.

There were other log cabins built in the township for school purposes,
but their locations and dates cannot be ascertained. Other teachers besides
those mentioned who taught in this section of the county were Benjamin
Smith, James C. Rea, David Allen, George Winchell and Jefiferson Crisler.
It is interesting to note that the pioneers of this township laid great stress
upon the fact that their children should be taught spelling. Spelling and
reading constituted the fundamental studies, supplemented with a little writing
and simple arithmetic.

There are sliJl four rural schools in operation in the township, but
no high-school work is given in the township. Those desiring high-school

366 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

work are transferred to adjoining townships having high schools. The
teachers for the year 1 916- 17 are Anna Smith, Marie Utter, W. H. Tate
and Mrs. Anna Custer.

HARRISON TOWNSHIP.

The people of Harrison township have ever been wide awake to the
advantages of education and as early as 1818 school was held in a log
school house on the farm of John Tyner near the South Lick Creek church.
The first teacher or teachers of this school are not known, but Millie Perin
and William McKemmey were among the first and the latter taught several
terms in this place. Subsec[uently, Manlo\-e Caldwell, Hugh Gilchrist, Jeffer-
son Casady and a man by the name of Banks \\-ere teachers. Hawkins
Hackleman was a pupil in this school when it started and his daughter, Mrs.
Willard Robinson, of Harrison township, still has the arithmetic which he
compiled. It is a stitched volume of more than one hundred pages and con-
tains all of the principles of the subject up to the double rule of three. Three
of the children of this pioneer later taught in the township: George and
James Hackleman, and Mrs. Willard Robinson.

In the northeastern part of section 6, stood a log school house of the
usual primitive type, erectec^ sometime in the early twenties. In all proba-
bility \Villiam W. Thomas was the first teacher. In this building was taught
one of the first summer schools if not the first in the county by Myriam
Swisher. This school was held in the summer of 1823 and was attended
not only by the children of the immediate community but those from several
parts of the township and county.

The third school house in the township known as the Broaddus school
house, was built in 1823, or possibly a little later, in the southern part of
section 12, or the northern part of section 13. Three of the first teachers
were William N^elson, Lunsford Broaddus and a pioneer by the name of
Clark. Within a period of a few years this building was supplanted by a
more modern (^ne a mile north. In the latter part of the thirties the pio-
neers in the vicinity of Harrisburg awakened to the need of a school and
erected a log house for the purpose. Nelson Penwell and William Thomas
were among the early teachers.

Sometime previous to 1837 the settlers in the northwestern part of the
township built a school house on the site later occupied by the Second
Williams Creek Baptist church. Jasper Davis, Isaac Scarce and Harriet
Thomas were some of the first teachers. Shortly after 1838 another school
building was erected about a mile and a half north of the one mentioned

^^Jk

-!:???■•* '♦dH«

^^raiyirv

^^M%M.rm£^

""^f^sm^^^

GROIP AT THE VA.NKEETOWX SCHOOL. HARRISOX TOWXSHl

)L-XTV, IXDIAKA.

;>67

above, tlie first teachers Ijciiii,'- Harriet Thomas, Ann IClhs, Hiram Dale, C.
AI. Stone and Edwin Trowljridge.

The township now uses only tliree school huiidinss ; A conscilidated
Iniilding at Harrishurg', the (irantl Avenue Iniilding in the southeastern part
of the township near the city of Connersville, and one district school. The
Harrishurg school has three teachers, does non-commissioned high-school
work and has displaced three rural schools, hacks bringing the children from
the outlying districts to the school. The teachers are C. E. Brookbank.
principal, and Hope Kerr and Leila Trusler. The Grand Avenue school
has two teachers. Homer Taylor and Margaret Sturwold. Tlie district
teacher is Lillian Lake.

F.XYETTE COUNTY SCHOOLS IN I916-I7.

During the past few years I\'iyette county has been gradually abandoning
its rural schools in favor of a consolidated school sx'stem, a change which
has been of incalculaljle benefit. There can be no (|uestion but that in a town-
ship like Waterloo, for instance, the pupils are getting l)etter training in the
consolidated school than they formerly did when there were four meagerly
equipped one-room buildings in operation. Better teachers, better buildings,
better equipment and conse(|uenth' better results follow the consolidation of
the rural schools. This system has l)€en carried to a farther degree in Fayette
county than in any other county in the state, and all of this work has been
accomplished under the efficient direction of the present count\- superin-
tendent of schools, Claude Trusler.

At the present time there are oni\- eighteen rural schools in the entire
count)-, while every townshij) but Columbia has a high school of some kind.
Special music and drawing teachers are employed, so that every pupil in the
county has the opportunity to get instruction in these two subjects. With
the adoption of the present vocational system in 1913. Fayette county, under
tiie direction of Superintendent Trusler. at once put the system in operation
throughout the county. In fact, every act which the Legislature has jiassed
during the past decade for the benefit of the public schools has at once been
inc(jr])orated in the schools of the county.

During the year 1916-17 there were emi)loyed a total of ninetv-four
teachers in the county, not including the s])ecial teachers employed outside
of Connersville. Of this number there were fifty-one outside of the county
seat, the remaining forty-three lieing in Conners\ille. Nineteen teachers
outside of the county seat were men and thirtv-two were w(jnien ; in Conners-

368 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ville there were only nine men, including the superintendent, to thirty-four
women.

TEACHERS By TOWNSHIPS.

The following shows the teachers for the entire county outside of Con-
nersville for the year 1916-17:

Columbia Township — Anna Smith, Marie Utter, W. H. Tate and Mrs.
Anna Custer.

Connersville Township — Blanche Paris, Mary Harlan, John Peck, Mrs.
Elizabeth Mahle, Mrs. Jennis Carter and Serena Ostheimer.

Fairview Township — Ernest Jeffrey, principal of the high school at
Ealmouth; Florence Doane, Alfred Hall, Vina Lockhart, Nelle Retherford,
C. W. Saxon and Frank Hinchman.

Harrison Township — C. E. Brookbank, principal of the high school at
Harrisburg; Hope Kerr, Leila Trusler, Homer Taylor, Margaret Sturwold
and Lillian Lake.

Jackson Township — Sherman Waggoner, principal of the high school at
Everton; Ethel Moore, Edna Lake, Grace Newland, Hazel Banning and
Frank Scott.

Jennings Township — Earl Lines, principal of the high school at Akjuina ;
Ethel Haines, Ruth Kline, Mazie Moore and Catherine Gettinger.

Orange Township — Edgar Starr, principal of the high school at Orange;
Merle Colvin, Rolland Morris, Marguerite Sipe, William Cameron and Bryan
Davison.

Posey Township — L. S. Miller, principal of the high school at Benton-
ville : Mayme Thompson, Sarah O. Hussey, Emma Sutton and Mrs. Charles
Freeman.

Waterloo Township — Ray Burns, principal of the high school at the con-
solidated school ; Lawrence Scott, assistant principal ; Mary Greer and Effie
Scjuires.

East Connersville — M. R. Lake, Mrs. Charity Rudd, Gertrude Elliott
and Ruth Koch.

FAYETTE COUNTY SEMINARY.

The distinct feature of public-school education under the old Constitu-
tion (1816-1852) was the county seminary. This was the only public school
in operation in the state, and in some counties there was even a tuitional
charge for it. The establishment of the seminary in Fayette county was
made possible by the legislative act of January 27, 1827, and the building

KAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 369

of the t\vo-stor\- structure provided for by this act was the first building
in the county for school purposes erected by public money. Unfortunately,
the records of the seminary seem to have been lost, and the following sketch
of this school has been prepared largely from former accounts of the school,
supplemented by data furnished by Miss Katharine Heron.

The first trustees, appointed by the circuit court, were George Frybarger,
Dr. Philip Mason and James Groendyke. ' Martin M. Ray was appointed
clerk. This board was authorized to select the site for a seminary building,
superintend the erection of the same, have general management of the school
funds and select the teachers. The board of trustees selected two lots on the
.southeast corner of Fifth street and \\''estern avenue for the site of the build-
ing, the lots being owned at that time by Oliver H. Smith, and still the site
t>f a school house. The officials entered into a contract with Richard Miller
for the erection of the building, which was to be constructed of brick, to be
two stories high and to be completed by January i, 1829. for which he was
to receive seven hundred and seventy-three dollars. Samuel C. Sample was
appointed to superintend the construction of the building. The furnishing,
painting and plastering of the structure was let to different contractors.
Thomas Alexander agreed to lath and plaster the house for fifty dollars;
Thomas J. Sample and William Burnett furnished the seats, desks and other
necessary furnishings for forty-five dollars; Caleb B. Smith, afterwards in
Lincoln's cabinet, contracted to paint the house, furnish the paint and
brushes, for one dollar and twelve and one-half cents a day. The building,
when completed, consisted of a hall and one room on the first floor, and on
the second, a large room and a small room. In the large room were the
grown Ijoys and men and in the smaller room were the maps, charts, globes
and other paraphernalia of the school. On the lower floor was an elevated
platform running lengthwise with the room on which were seated the young
women and girls, the smaller girls being seated in front of the older ones.
On the opposite side of the room were the boys seated on wooden benches
which extended crosswise with the room.

The building was not cr:)mpleted at the time specified in the contract,
but was finished in time to begin school on July 13, 1829. According to an
official notice issued by the school clerk, Caleb B. Smith, "the establishment
of a seminary has been at the expense of the county, and the object of the
managers is to afford to the youth of the county an opportunity of acquiring
a good academic education." School opened on the above date with Samuel
\V. Parker, later member of Congress, as principal.
(24)

37G FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

:W0 COURSES OF STUDY.

The original plan provided for two courses of study and the school' j'ear
was divided into four terms. First, there was to be the elementary school,
followed by a so-called English scientific course, the latter being divided into
two classes, namely, the junior and senior. In the elementary school was
taught orthography, reading, penmanship and arithmetic (Pike's sys-
tem) through the "rule of practice." In the junior year arithmetic was
completed, and Greenleaf's English grammar, ancient and modern
geography (Worcester), bookkeeping through single entry, elements
of history with historical charts ( \\'orcester) and weekly recitations in
declamation and composition. The senior year comprised rhetoric ( Jame-
son), logic (Hodge), natural philosophy and chemistry (Keating), algebra
( Bonnycastle), geometry (Playfair), surveying (Gummerie) and mensura-
tion ( Bonnycastle). Tuition for these courses was two, three and fi\'e dollars,
respectively. Latin, Greek and French could be taken with higher mathe-
matics if applied for. Upon the completion of the course of study the stu-
dent was given a diploma, and those completing it in part were given certifi-
cates of progress. The greatest number of pupils in. attendance at one time
was about one hundred.

Subsequent early teachers in the seminar}- were Elder M. Bradley, a
graduate of Brown University, and Harvey Xutting, who was graduated
from Amherst College. Nutting also taught school in the basement of
the Methodist church, now the German Presbyterian church.

After the academy building had been occupied a few }-ears the need
of a school bell became manifest and on Christmas Day, 1833, a subscrip-
tion paper was circulated for the purpose of raising funds for the purchase
of a bell that was to cost thirty dollars and fifty cents.

The seminary continued in operation until the adoption of the present
.state Constitution in 1852. and thereafter it appears that a private school was
in operation for three years. In the summer of 1855 the school trustees of
the town decided to acquire the old seminary building and use it for pul)lic-
school purposes. It was decided to tear down the old building and erect
a new structure and during the following year the old seminary building
was torn down. Thus came to an end the seminarv historv of Favette countv.

FAYETTli COL'XTY, IXDIAXA. 37I.

coxxERsvii.i.K i'I'ht.ic schools.

There were no public selnuils in t 'tmnersville under the iXi() (.'onstiuuii mi.
Such schools as were in operatidU jirior to \8-,J were maintained hy i)ri\ate
funds and the schools were either what were known as "subscrii)tiiin" scIkimIs
or tuitional schools. Owing- to the fact that all these schools of early times
were private affairs, there are no t)fficial records extant concerning them. The
names of some of the teachers have Ijeen preserved, Init it is impossil)!e to
give a consecutive history of the schools. Of course, after the opening of
the countv seminarv in Connersville in 1829 that institutiiMi was liberally
patronized bv the citizens of the town, but this was not a town school, and
is not to be so considered. It was a county institution and the only school
in the county supported by public funds.

Tust who the first teacher was in Connersville. where he held forth,
what he taught, or what the length of the teriu may have been, are points
upon which the historian is left to conjecture. The best e\idence indicates
that one Charles Donovan (or Dawson) opened a school about 1823 in a
building which stood on the east side of what is now Central avenue. The
same pedagogue subsequently taught in a log building on the east side of
Central avenue, imniecliatelv south of Third street. Some time in the twen-
ties, and before the establishment of the seminary in 1829, school was con-
ducted in an abandoned dwelling on Central avenue. No records of these
earlv schools are in existence, but it is known that in addition to Donovan,
two men. Gilbert and dray, had taught in the village before 1828.

EARLY .\CADEMV FOR FEMALES.

One of the very early female academies in this section of the countr_\-
was opened in Conners\-ille in 1830 1)\- a woman named Maines. A woman
(jf the name of Stone also was a teacher. The school was conducted in the
basement of the Presbyterian church, the site of which in later vears was
occupied by the Caldwell pork house and still later by the .\ntlre theater.
-Mthough the school was sujjposed to be for girls only, the names of William
llankins. David Mount and Thaddeus Lewis were among the names of young-
boys enrolled. The pupils of the school used to sjjend their recess periodij
playing in the canal bed, at that time in the course of construction.

Private schools were also conducted in the early days. The Mrs. Stone
above referred to was a teacher in the female academy, taught school in her
own home, a one-story house that stood on the site of the Michael Shoeing

372 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

building. A Mrs. Earl also taught a private school in her one-room cabin.
A school designated as the "Female Academy" was conducted by Mrs. Haines,
wife of Doctor Haines, in a brick house on the site of the present Fifth
street school building during the early period.

Very early the basement of the old Methodist church, now the Ger-
man Presbyterian church, was used for school purposes. Up to about 1840
the church trustees furnished the room where many subscription schools
were held in the period from about 1834 to 1840.

In 1843 the territory comprising the village of Connersville and vicinity
was styled school district Xt). 7, of which Josiah MuUikin and Richard
Winchel were the trustees. They employed John B. Tate to teach the com-
mon branches in the village of Connersville for a term of six months, begin-
ning on May 17, 1843, ^^^^ which he was to receive a salary of twentv-
two dollars a month.

In the absence of all records, a complete list of teachers in Conners-
ville prior to 1853 cannot be given, but among the teachers in addition to
those previously mentioned, were J. G. Edgerton, Harriet Mcintosh, the
Reverend Nelson, the Reverend Jenkins and a woman whose name was
Ginn.

SCHOOL BOARD DEVISES A PLAN.

After the adoption of the free public school system in Indiana in 1852,
the school board, composed of Messrs. Hagerman, Crawford and Applegate,
in September, 1853, adopted the following resolution:

M^hcrcus, The gradeit free" public scLool ))i-esents advantages not to be founil in
the older systems, it is desirable to bave introduced into the corporation schools as
soon as possible, but in view of the expense involved in paying for tuition and other
contingencies which would follow on the adoption of said system iu all its provisions,
and in the further consideration that all the means to be used in buying grounds and
liuilding school houses are .vet to be provided, it is thought advisable to introduce a
plan. The corporation school trustees shall furnish .schoolrooms, including furniture,
together with fuel to warm the same, on condition, tirst, the trustee must have satis-
factory assurance that proper inducement will be presented to secure as many pupils as
may be thought advisable. Second, that proper efforts will be made to introduce and
carry out the plan in compliance with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed
by the person or i)ersons whose duty it may be to direct and control the same. All
teachers engaging under this management will tix their own price of tuition, and make
their own collections.

Be It Further Kcsalrcd. That to execute the above plan the corporation school trus-
tees shall appoint an educational committee to be composed of two branches, first an
executive branch to consist of three members, whose duty it shall be to prepare all the
rules and regulations necessary in carrying out said system, viz., to receive the a) rili-

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 373

tiiriiiii of te;ichers. :uul to ui;ike .ill iu-0|>tn- iii-r;infj;eiiients to ciiiililc llieiii (the U-acluMsi
til enter upon the di.scbiirge of their duties, to arrange the division of the grades, to
selet-t a series of text-books, and, in short, attend to all such duties as devolve liiioii
the general superintendent of the district school. They will apply to the conioration
sc-hool board for the schoolroom, when wanted, and for any repairs or material of iiny
kind which may be required. Second, an auxiliary branch to be composed of three
members from each of the three school districts, whose duty it shall be to as.sist the
teachers in making up their schools, and also to confer with the citizens generally on
the subject of the above management, giving all the information necessary to encour.ige
and iironiote the desired success.

The executive committee appointed according to the above conditions
were Rev. J. B. Brownlee, Rev. E. G. Wood and Rev. WilHam Pelan. The
auxihary committee consisted of Joseph Justice, James Miller and James
Mount, district No. i ; William Hawk, N. H. Burk and Alexander Morrison,
district No. 2 ; William Brown, A\' illiam Tindall and John Farner, district
No. 3.

A suitable building could not be procured at this particular time and the
idea of opening a school had to be abandoned temporarily. Subsequently
a new school board was elected consisting of N. H. Burk, J. Justice and E.
B. Thomas, and they remained in office until after the erection of a school
building.

In 1854 nine teachers were employed in the Connersville school. They
were Hannah Ginn. O. Aborn, L. J. Beach, Eleanor Jones, Catherine Farner,
Harriet Mcintosh, John W. McLain, H. R. Grosvenor and Euphemia Mulli-
kin. The male teachers received thirty-six dollars a month, and the females,
twenty dollars. The school enumeration for 1854 was six hundred and
twelvt; the number enrolled during the year was four hundred and twenty-
nine; average daily attendance, two hundred and forty-nine.

FIRST FREE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

In September, 1855, the county commissioners leased the seminary lot
for a period of ninety-nine years to the city school Ixjard and preparations
were made for the erection of a school building. The building as com-
pleted in 1858 was eighty-six feet long and sixty-nine and one-half feet
wide, three stories high, the first and second floors containing four rooms
each, thirty-five by thirty-feet. Twelve-foot halls extended the entire breadth
of the building. One-half of the third floor was finished for chai>el purposes,
Friday afternoon exercises and school exhibitions. This building stootl until
condemned in 1893.

The first free public school in Connersville opened in the new building in

374 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the fall of 1858 with John Brady as superintendent. He held the position until
i860 and from that date until 1865 Harvey Nutting was in charge of the
schools. Charles Roehl was elected superintendent in 1865 and served in
that capacity for two }-ears. During these two years, the free school
s\steni was cniploxed during the first six months and the remainder
of the school term was taught as a subscription school. J. L. Rippetoe was
selected, as superintendent in 1867 and served four 3-ears. During his admin-
istration the school term was lengthened to eight months in 1867, and to
nine months in 18(18. Several changes in the manner of instruction were
introduced under his management. In 1871 a man of the name of Hughes
was elected superintendent, remaining one year, and he was succeeded by
one Housekeeper, who was compelled to resign on account of poor health
before the close of the school year. In 1873 J. L. Rippetoe again assumed
the management of the schools and continued in that capacity until 1885.

GR.VDUATES OF CONNERSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.

It is impossible to trace in detail the history of the Connersville public
schools during the two decades, 1858-1878, at the end of which the first class
was graduated from the high school. The names of several of the teachers
during this period, and all of the superintendents have been previously given.
There are no official records which will show the character of the work done,
whether there was a regular high-school course in operation, or whether
the schools were graded. There were high-school subjects given during the
seventies, but it is evident that the course was not planned with a view to
graduation, since the first class did not graduate until 1878. In the fall of
1877, W. J. Bourn is designated as having been principal of the high school.
Who he was, or where he came from, the local records do not state.

Since that vear there has been a class of graduates to complete the
high school each year, and a tabulated summary of the graduates shows
that there have been six hundred and eighteen who have received the
diploma from the high school.

The first graduating class from the Conners\'ille high school held its
exercises on June 14, 1878, at which time nine graduates made their bow
to the public. Since that time there have been a total of 618 graduates,
218 boys and 400 girls. To this should be added a consideralile number who,
during the first twenty-five years, were denied a diploma because they did
not study Latin. A tabulated summary of the number and sex of the grad-
uates since 1878 is given below.

FAYETTE COUXTY, INDIANA. 375

Year. Boys. Girls. Total. year. Boys. Girls. Total.

1878 279 1899 3 II 14

1879 44 1900 3 8 11

1880 3 3 1901 4 II 15

1881 2 9 II I90_' 5 10 15

i88j 2 5 7 1903 4 5 9

1883 4 10 14 1904 5 6 II

1884 9 9 1903 4 8 12

1885 10 10 1906 5 10 15

1886 I 8 9 1907 8 II 19

1887 6 9 15 1908 16 18 34

1888 2 9 II 1909 16 13 29

1889 I II 12 1910 16 9 25

1890 437 191 1 14 17 31

1891 2 9 II 1912 15 22 37

1892 38 II 1913 7 18 25

1893 3 8 II 1914 14 23 27

1894 6 8 14 1915 17 27 44

1895 10 5 15 1916 9 30 39

1896 7 16 23

1897 5 II 16 Total 218 400 618

1898 8 3 II

CITY SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

There was only one building in the cit\- tor pulilic school purposes
between 1858 and 1888. In that year the present lughth street building
was erected. This building has eight rooms. In 1893 the old building
which stood on Fifth street was replaced by the present structure, also an
eight-room building. In 1S94, the northern section, known as Maplewood
was annexed to the city. The building was considerably enlarged about 1900.
In 1015 the Maiilewond building was remodeled, a large addition built, and
to all intents was made a new building, with every convenience which
modern school architecture ilemandetl. The present magnificent high school
building was built in 1904 at a co^t of si.xty thousand dollars. It contains
twenty rooms, and a number of other rooms used for offices and for various
other purposes. Thus at the present time the city owns four school buildings,
and all of them are ef|uippcd to meet all of the modern demands of school
work. \\'hen the high school building was completed in 1904, wnnien of

37^ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the city started an agitation to have nothing but the best of classical pic-
tures and statuary in the different school buildings. The different clubs
of the town co-operated in buying pictures and statuary for each room, and
within two years they placed seven hundred and fifty dollars worth of pic-
tures and works of art in the various rooms.

SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS.

The first course of study, or "School Manual," as it was called, was
issued in 1891, by W. F. L. Sanders, and since that time there have been
others published, in 1907 and 1912, each carrying a five-year period. These
reports are prepared by the superintendent and contain a wide variety of
information concerning the schools of the city. The report for 1916-17 is
now being prepared by Superintendent E. L. Rickert. and will be a work
of more than one hundred and fifty pages. In addition to these reports
of the superintendents at various times, Superintendent Guy M. Wilson
issued a course of study in mathematics in 191 1. These official publica-
tions have been supplemented at times by an "Annual" produced by the senior
class of the high school. These "Annuals" are very valuable compendiums of
historical material and throw an interesting light upon the progress of the
high school from year to year. A school paper called The Clarion is in the
fourth year of its publication.

NEW SUBJECTS TAUGHT.

The public schools of today teach a wide variety of subjects that were
not included in the curriculum a few years ago. The casual visitor to the
high school building of Connersville today will see girls baking biscuits,
trimming hats, making aprons and receiving instruction in a multitude of
other points concerned with domesticity. In another room boys may be
seen making various kinds of furniture and engaged in the several forms
of the industrial arts. Courses in agriculture are provided so that the boy
who is from the farm or wants to engage in farming after leaving school
has an opportunity to receive scientific in.struction in the modern methods
of agriculture.

In other worils, the public sciiool of today is trying as never before to fit
boys and girls for active life when they leave the school room. No one
will say that a knowledge of Latin or algebra is going to help a girl to
bake biscuits or a bov to select seed corn, and it is for this reason that

.MAPLEWOOD SCHOOL BUILDING, CONNERSVILLE.

HAWKINS FLAYGROrND, CONNERSVILLE.

FIFTH STREET SCHOOL BUILDING, CONXERSVILLE.

EIGHTH STREET SCHOOL BflLDING, CONXERSVILLE.

FAYETTE COTXTY, INDIANA. T,!!

the state of Indiana has provided a practical course of domestic science for
girls and of industrial arts and agriculture for Ixiys.

The course in domestic science in the Connersville schools was intro-
duced in 1913, and has been extended each )-ear since that time. Complete
courses in cooking, dressmaking and kindred subjects, such as are usually
included in domestic science courses, are given. The cooking department
is ]irovided witli tables, cabinets, range, and a full complement of all kitchen
utensils necessary to cooking. The sewing room is fitted up with a number
of sewing machines and all things necessary for such a course.

The manual training department is fitted with an electricall\-(lri\en saw
and planing and turning outrits. One room is dexoted to cabinet-making, eacli
.student having a separate work bench, with his own tools. Another room
is set aside for finishing the furniture made by the bo}'s. The manual training
department was installed in the summer of 1916 and it is the intention of the
school board to add to it until it is as complete a system of manual training as
may be found in any city in the state of this size.

.scHOOL.s IN 1916-17.

It seems pertinent in this connection to give a birdseye view of the
schools as they appear in 1916-17. There are four buildings, forty-three
teachers, and fifteen hundred pupils. All of the high school work is done
in the high school building, and also the eighth-grade work is conducted in the
same building. The elementary schools employ twenty-eight teachers. All
the pupils in and above the 5A grade come under the departmental system
of instruction. All the music and drawing instruction is given or sujiervised
by special teachers. Music has had a special teacher since 1892. A commer-
cial course including typewriting, shorthand and bookkeeping has l)een in
operation since the new high school was opened in 1904. This course pre-
pares its graduates for positions in business offices and more than twenty-five
graduates of the course are now filling responsible i>ositions. .Ml the domes-
tic science instruction is given in the high-school building, with the exception
of one class in sewing in the Eighth street building.

A noticeable feature of the public school buildings of the citv is the
completeness with which they are equipped. Every wall in each room is
painted in such a way as to give the best lighting results. The buildings have
modern ventilated toilets, sanitary soap and towels, semi-indirect electric light-
ing, phonographs, display theaters, outside drinking fountains, plavground
apparatus and material and a system of supervised. play.

378 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Each teacher is provided with a loose-leaf manual which contains the
bulletins issued by the superintendent from time to time, so that each teacher
is kept in constant touch with the superintendent. There is also a daily
messenger service maintained between the superintendent's office and each
school. There are supplementary lists in reading, geography and history
provided for the different grades, and all sorts of "helps" for the teachers
in the lower grades. Each room has a small lilirary of books adapted to the
needs of that grade. Each room is provided with a cabinet of sufficient size
to allow each to have a separate compartment for his work.

PRESENT HIGH-SCIiOOL ENROLLMENT.

The high school during the current year employs eleven full-time teachers,
and has an enrollment of two hundred and sevent\-five. The building is
modern throughout and is well e(|uipped to meet the modern demands for
school work. During 1916-17 there were thirty-five graduates of the local
high school in college. The school is commissioned by the state and is also
accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary
Schools. The teachers in the high school are expected to contribute, within
their respective abilities, to the literary, athletic and social life of the school
and these phases of school life are prominent.

The students in the high school maintain a paper known as The Clarion.
whicli is now in the fourth year of its jjublication. An athletic association
includes l)oth students and high school teacliers. High school athletic teams
engage in competitive contests with ntlier schools in the state. There are
literary and debating clubs for both buys and girls. A motion-picture
machine is in operation and a regular film service is provided. Illustrative
work is done in English, history, Latin and other high school subjects.
There is a complete course in history and a])preciation of music under the
super\ision of a competent instructor. In the music room there is a grand
piano and a pbonograpli. During the past few years, the school has acquired
a series of phonographic records which demonstrate the music, both vocal
and instrumental, of many of the leading artists of the world. Each room
also has its own particular paintings and works of art.

THE HAWKINS PLAYGROl'ND.

\A'hile the buildings themselves and their equipment will measure up to
the buildings and equijMuent of any other city in the state of a similar size,
Connersville has one feature of its public school s}-stem which demands

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

379

S])ecial iiiemidii. 'I'liis is a |)la\\L;riiuii(l >>i tlircc acrcv

. and

a h.-ill known as

tlie Hawkins plavi^round, the site ni whiili was pre^.'

nted t.

. the sch.H.l city

of Connersvillc In- .Mr. and .Mrs. l'.. \'. Hawkins, Mr.

llawl

vin. havin- heen

president of the Ixiard of school tru.stees since 190S.

With

the exception of

two years .Mr. Hawkins has l)een a member of the sc

hool h

oard .since 1894.

'Hic formal transfer of the proi)erty, consistino- of th

rec ani

(1 one-half acres,

or fonr city blocks, to the irusteo occnrred at a pnhlit

■ ceren

lony on July 31,

11)14. The play.i^round is located at the northern ei

lid of

h'astern avenue,

opiiosite lui^hteenth street.

The play.s:;roiin<l is provided with the nioder

n e(|n

ipnient such as

is usually found in the playgrounds of the lars^er cities and includes a hrick
tield house, twenty-ei.^ht hy forty-two feet, provided with a shelter room,
toilets, shower baths, store rooms, attic and veranda on all sides. In addi-
tion the playground has an elliptical running- track with a straighiawax-, two
tennis courts, basket-ball goals, a baseljall diamond, two sets of six swing.s
each for girls, a horizontal l:)ar, rings, giant strides, ocean wave, swings for
boys, a cement wading-pool twenty feet and two inches in diameter and
twehe inches in deptli, outside drinking- fountains, sand box, bab\- swings,
jumping standards, flagstaff and electric lights.

The initial costs of the improven-ients and equipment, not including the
land donatetl. are as follows: I'ield house, wading pool, fountain and gates.
$3,700; tennis courts, running track and ball field, $618; walks and grading
around building, $275; hedge grading and fences. $200: ajjparatus and play-
ground material. $457; flagstaff, lights and pedestals. $200 : total. $5,500.
This makes the cost for improvements and equiprnent a])proximatelv the
cost of one room in the erection of a new modern school building. The
initial costs of iniprovements have been met. to the extent of one thousand
dollars, in part by donations b\- friends of ;\lr. Hawkins and the remainder
is being paid for b\' pul)lic taxati<in as pro\-ided b\- law.

This gift of a very fine site so well suited to the ])urposes of a pulilic
playground made it possible for Connersville to be the first lifth-class citv in
the state to avail itself of this law. The ])layground was ])o]ail;ir from the
beginning and all classes of the i)eo])le take pride in and believe in it as a
most excellent factor in the present eflicient school svstem.

The history of the Conners\-ille schools would not be coiuplete without
n-iention of the Marguerite Thiebaud scholarship in Karlham College. .Miss

380 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Thieliaud was liorn in Connersville, was graduated from the local high school
in 1908, from Earlham College in [912, and died at Bryn Mawr, Pennsyl-
\'ania, in March, 1914. while in her second year of post-graduate studies in
Bryn Mawr College. In her honor her parents, B. F. and Alice Thiebaud,
established a scholarship in Earlham College, carrying an honorarium of
three hundred dollars annually. Hanging on the waW of the high school
auditorium is a framed announcement of this scholarship, and such of it as
pertains to the scholarship proper is here given.

I. Miirgiiei-ite Thiebaud was born iu Connersville iu 1S!J«). She was graduated from
the Connersville high sc-hool in 19<)S, and from Earlham College with the class of l!)ti'.
She died in Bryn Mawr in March, 1914, while in her seeocd year of po.st-graduate studies.

Marguerite Thiebaud possessed and cultivated the finer qualities, both of mind ^nd
character. She represented well the modest, earnest, high-minded type of young Chri.stian
womanhood. She cared for the better things. She set a good example.

II. In October. 1915, her parents, Ben,iamin F. and Alice Thiebaud, founded a
scholarship in Earlham College as a memorial "to their daughter. This scholarship is
open to graduates of the Connersville high school, young men and young women, who
have been residents of Fayette county for at least two years previous to graduation.

The candidate shall meet these requirements :

(a) He shall be able to enter the college without conditions.

(b) He shall be worthy morally.

(c) He shall rank well in scholarship and ordinarily shall be selected from the
group standing highest fourth in the class, i. e. In a class of forty he shall be one of
the highest ten in point of scholarship record.

(d) He shall by ability, industry, variety of interests, and qualities of leader.ship
and character, give promise of usefulness in life.

III. The scholarship is awarded as follows:

The superintendent of schools of the school city of Connersville, the princii)al of
the high school and the assistant principal constitute a committee to determine the
n)ethod of selection of the beneficiaries and to make or to approve the selection, which
when certlfled to the college by the superintendent of schools is final, sub.i'ect only to
the approval of the college.

The first award of this scholarship was made in the spring of 1916 and
Grace Edwards, a graduate of the class of 1916, was selected as the first one
to receive the benefits of the scholarship. She is now attending Earlham
College, where she is making an enviable record.

CITY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.

Since the present system of public schools was established in Conners-
ville in 1858 there have been thirteen .superintendents, their names and dates
of service being as follow: John Brady, 1858-60; Harvey Nutting, 1860-
05: Charles Roehl, 1865-67; J. L. R.ippetoe, 1867-71, 1873-85; Mr. Hughes,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

381

1871-73: Mr. Hou.sekeeper, 1873: D. \L Hunter, i88(.-88; W. V. L. Sanders
1889-98; W. S. Rowe, 1889-1904; Lotus D. Coffnian, 1905-06: E. A. Turner,
1907: Guy M. \\'ilst)n, 1908-11: Edwin L. Rickert, 1912.

Tlie superintendent lias had an office clerk since January r, 1904, this
position having heen held in turn hy Harriett Williams. Flora Doenges,
Myrtle Morgan and Sophia Nickel. The superintendent's office is equipped
with an adding machine, rotar\- mimeograph, safety vault and up-to-date
record and filing devices. .Ml the high .school liooks are handled thnnigh
the superintendent's office, which is a regularly appointed depository. The
regular school lihrary contains in excess of one thousand \olumes.

luhvard L. Rickert. superintendent of the C'onnersville city schools, was
horn in Columhiana county, Ohio. Xovemher 12, 1874. He was graduated
from the Columhiana high school and received the degree of Bachelor of
Arts from the College of Wooster in 1901. Subsequently he did ix>st-graduate
work in the L'ni\ersit}- of California and in Harvard L'ni\ersit\- and in
191 1 receixed his degree of Master of .Arts from Columbia Unixersit}'.
Superintendent Rickert's teaching experience began in i8()3, and for two
years he taught in the rural schools of his home count}", h'rom 1895 to
1897 he taught in the Xorth Lima, Ohio, schools. Following his gradua-
tion from Wooster in icjoi, he became principal of the Lowellville, Ohio,
schools, and remained there until 1005. The two following years he was
princi])al of the elementary school at Voungstown, Ohio. In the fall of
1907 he tnok charge of the schf)ols at Maquoketa, Iowa, as sujierintendent,
and continued there until 1912, when he became superintendent of the
schools of Connersville.

Mr. Rickert was married on July 31. 1912, to firace Weimer. of Beach
City, Ohio. They are the parents ai two sons, Fdward \\'. and (leorge .\.

IIIGH-SCHOOI. l'RINCIPAL.S.

-Apparently from the official records the office of high school principal
was first established in 1877. the year in which the high school adopted a
course leading to graduation. The first graduating class was in the spring
of 1878. It will be noted from the appended list of principals that only one
of the number later became superintendent. Three of the former princijials
are now living in Connersville, E. M. Michener, W. R. Houghton and John

3»2

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

F. Clifford. The complete list of principals follow: ^V. J. Bowen, 1877-
79: J. H. Hayes. 1879-81: George Vinnedge. 18S1-82: C. F. Coffin, 1882;
C. E. Bickmore, 1882-83: R. M. Zan Horn, 1883-85: E. M. Michener, 1885-
93: R. S. Ludlow, 1893-94: J. F. Clifford, 1894-95: W. R. Houghton, 1895-
1903: E. A. Turner, 1903-05, 1906-07: G. \V. Gannon, 1905-06: A. E.
White, 1907-09: Guy Cantwell, 1909-I1: M. S. Hallman, 191 1, incumbent.

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The first records of the Conners\-ille city school trustees which gives the
members of the board are those of 1873. The following table gives the
three members, year by year, since that date. It will be noticed that it has
been the rule to continue the members in office from year to year. The
complete list follows :

Year.

President.

Secretary.

Treasurer.

1873

C. Wright

Charles Roehl

L Zeller

1874

C. Wright

Charles Roehl

L Zeller

1875

Charles Roehl

\\'. H. Beck

L Zeller

1876

Charles Roehl

W. H. Beck

L Zeller

1877

Charles Roehl

W. H. Beck

L Zeller

1878

Charles Roehl

W. H. Beck

L Zeller

1879

Charles Roehl

W. H. Beck

L Zeller

1880

J. W. Ross

At. L.. Nichols

L Zeller

1881

J. W. Ross

U. L. Nichols

L Zeller

1882

P. B. Wood

J.. H. Hayes

J. W. Ross

1883

P. B. Wood

J. H. Haves

J. W. Ross

1884

G. \V. Pigman

I. H. Haves

P. B. W^ood

1885

M: C. Buckley

j. M. Higgs

P. B. Wood

1886

M. C. Buckley

J. M. Higgs

P. B. Wood

1887

J.W.Ross

T. M. Higgs

■P. B. ^^^ood

1888

T. W. Ross

T. I. Little

P. B. \\'ood

1889

J. W. Ross

T. L Little

Thomas Downs

1890

Thomas Downs

T. L Little

G. M. Sinks

1891

Thomas Downs

T. L Little

G. AI. Sinks

1892

Thomas Downs

T. L Little

G. M Sinks

1893

Thomas Downs

■y. I. Little

G. M. Sinks

1894

Thomas Downs

E. V. Hawkins

T. L Little

1895

Thomas Downs

E. V. Hawkins

j. L Little

1896

Thomas Downs

E. V. Hawkins

J. L Little

1897

E. V. Hawkins

Thomas Downs

L. D. Dillman

1898

E. V. Hawkins

B. F. Thiebaud

L. D. Dillman

1899

E. V. Hawkins

B. F. Thiebaud

L. D. Dillman

FAYETTE

COrXTY. IXDIANA.

Year.

rresiilent.

Secrclarv.

Treasurer.

1900

V. Hawkins

:. i<;. I. AlcFarian

B. !•. Tlneliaud

1901

F. Tliiebaud

]-:. \'." Hawkins

C. E. I. Mcl'arlan

1902

V. Hawkins

|]. V. Thiebaud

C E. j. .McFarlan

1903

F. Tliieliand

!-:. \'. Hawkins

C. E. r. McFarlan

1904

V. Hawkins

W. I.. Cortleycu

C. E. 1. McFarlan

1905 '

:\L

C. Buckley

W. L. Corlieyou

C. E. T- McFarlan

1906

C. Buckley

W. L. Cortleyou

C. E. j. McFarlan

1907

C. Bucklev

E. V. Hawkins

C. E. J. McFarlan

1908

V. Hawkins

R. V Tliiebaud

C. E. J. AlcFarian

1909

V. Hawkins

P.. V. Tliiebaud

C. E. I. McFarlan

1910

V. Hawkins

B. 1\ Tliiebaud

C. E. T. McFarlan

1911

V. Hawkins

B. F. Tliiebaud

C. E. I. McFarlan

1912

V. Hawkins

C. C. Hull

B. F. Tbiebaud

1913

V. Hawkins

C. C. Hull

B. F. Tbiebaud

1914

V. Hawkins

T. E. Pace

C. C. Hull^

1 91 5

V. Hawkins

T. E, Page

S. 0. ^IcKennan

1916

V. Hawkins

J. E. Page

S. 0. ATcKennan

coKxi-;Rs\-n.TJ-: st

:nooL nTRF.CTnR^', 1

9 if)- 17.

383

During tlie current year ( ioiCi-i7) tbere were torty-lbree teacbers in
tbe city scliools. twenty-six grade teacbers, eleven bigb-scbodl teacbers and
six special teacbers. .Ml nt tbe grade teacbers and special teacbers bave bad
college training, many of tbeni being college graduates. Tbe present
directory of the schools follows :

Board of School Trustees. — ]i. V. Hawkins, president; J. E. Page,
secretary: S. O. McKennan, treasurer: E. E. Rickert, superintendent.

Teachers in the Fifth street building. — Chester Boone, jirincipal, ()F>:
Harriet E. Williams, 3A ; Ethel Carter, 3n; Xellie White, 4.\ : niandie
lliggs, 4B-,v\; Laura CKldard, 3P.--'.\ ; llnrtense C"rag<i, _'P,-i.\: .May Mer-
ritt. iB.

Figbth street. — S. B. Piersnn, priiKMpal, -.\: Margaret Ci>nne]l, 7B:
Helen Scott. Ck\: Kema Risk, 4B : Kathleen Carl.is, ^P.-^.A: I'.l-ie SuAl. j.\-
3B: Mattie Gamble. _'B : Ida Bottles, i.\-iB.

Maplewo.Kl.— D. W. Jacnt. imncipal, 7!',-'. \ : Martha Schug, 7.\--:,\:
Pearl McCaslin, f.B ; Elir/abeth Tnrrcll, 5I'.: Ivln.-i Cilbert. 4\-4P.: Kuliy
Schneider, 4B-3.\ : Susan Hull. ^I'.-JA; .Mae Mnxley. -'A^^,!'-: I'.bsabelh
Friedgen, i-\; Sue Procter, i B.

High Scb.xT— M. S. Hallman i)rincipal ; .Minnie Torr, bisU.ry; W. F.
L. Sanders, niatheniatics ; H. H. IvadcliiTe. science: f. \\'arren Sniitli. indus-

384 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

trial arts; Mary Melrose, science and mathematics; Lucy Hawk, domestic
science: Mabel D. Brown, Latin; Grace J\L Hall, German; Louise Keller,
English; Mary Rieman, English; R. E. Mathews, commercial; Anna Kett-
mann, physical training; Cora Sutton, 8B-8A.

Supervisors. — A. A. Glockzin, music; lone Reynolds, art; Sophie Nickel,
clerk.

THE ELM HURST SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.

One of the most beautiful sites in Fayette county is the picturesque little
park at the southern edge of the city of Connersville in which stands a stately
building, now the home of the Elmhurst School for girls. This school was
established by Isabel Cressler and Caroline Sumner in 1909 for the purpose
of giving to the girls of the Middle West educational opportunities equal to
those to he had in the Eastern schools for girls. Miss Cressler and Miss
Sumner have had charge of the school since it was organized in 1909.
Miss Cressler is a graduate of Wilson College and Miss Sumner is a gradu-
ate of Smith College.

Elmhurst is a unique school in many respects. In the first place, the
enrollment is limited to twenty-four, the number which can be accommo-
dated in the building. While the school is strictly non-sectarian, it is per-
meated with a religious atmosphere. Each day's work begins with a short
chapel service, and Sunday morning attendance at one of the churches in Con-
nersville is required of all pupils. The curriculum is divided into two courses,
an academic and college preparatory course, and what is denomitrated an
advanced collegiate course. The first course includes the following subjects :
English, mathematics, Latin. French, German, Greek, history, science and
history of art. The second course adds civil government, social and political
science, logic and psychology. In addition to these subjects instruction is
given in painting, drawing, vocal and instrumental music, dancing and a
practical course in domestic science. The school property comprises one
hundred and twenty acres and by utilizing the tillable land the school has
developed a combination agricultural and domestic-science course which
is unique in the work of private schools for girls. There is also an excel-
lent course provided in physical training, the system in use being known
as the Mensendieck system. Elmhurst is the first and only .school in America
to use this system and the instructor in charge is a graduate pupil of Frau
Dr. Mensendieck.

The historic building in which the school is located was not all con-
structed at the same time. The nucleus of the present structure was erected

EW AT ELMHI-RST SCHOOL.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 385

by Oliver H. Smith, then a member of Congress, in 1831, but his contribu-
tion to the magnificent building of the present day was only four rooms.
These same four rooms are now in the middle of the forty rooms now
found in the building. When Smith removed to Indianapolis in 1839
he sold the building to Caleb B. Smith, also a congressman and later a
member of President Lincoln's cabinet. The building next became the
property of James Shaw, later of Nicholas Patterson, and from the latter
it passed into the hands of Samuel \V. Parker, another congressman from
Connersville. Parker eventually disposed of it to James N. Huston, and
after passing through ditYerent hands it finally became the property of Dr.
W'. J. Porter. While Senator Huston occupied the residence, it was a part of
an estate of man\- hundred acres, called "Old Elm Farm." from the ancient
elm grove. The Senator was the political manager for Benjamin Harrison,
who. with his first wife. Mrs. Caroline Scott Harrison, was a frequent visitor
at the place. When Harrison became President, Senator Huston became
United States treasurer.

Later, when "Old Kim Farm" was divided and sold, Mrs. W. J. Porter
applied the modified name of "Elnihurst" to the part held for a time for
sanatorium purposes by her husband. About 1905 it was purchased by the
late George B. Markle. of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, who used it as a summer
home. Four years after he became the owner the present school was estab-
lished.

The magnificent forest trees surrounding "Elmhurst" furnish one of its
most distinctive features. The famous "Elmhurst" elm stands ninety-five feet
high and measures sixteen feet in circumference at the base. Good authorities
have placed the age of the tree at three hundred years. Standing near the elm
tree is a catalpa spcciosa, eight feet in circumference and one of the best
specimens of this variety in the country. "Elmhurst" has one of the finest
beech trees in the state. The tree measures thirty-two feet in circumfer-
ence at the base and stands one hundred feet high. Another tree proclaimed
by Dean Coulter, of Purdue University, to be a perfect type of the American
elm is a century old and measures ten and one-half feet in circumference.

(25)

CHAPTER XV.
Litterateurs and Artists of Fayette County.

Indiana is known throughout tlie nation as a Hterary center. Its men
and women have contributed thousands of volumes of both prose and poetry,
of varying degrees of merit, to the hterature of the country. More than two
thousand Hoosiers have found their names on a printed volume and at least
a hundred of this number have attained a fame which extends beyond their
own state. No fewer than twelve Hoosiers have written volumes of such
merit as to be included in the list of "best sellers" of the country. They are
George Barr McCutcheon, Meredith Nicholson, Booth Tarkington, David
Graham Philips, Gene Stratton-Porter, Charles Major, Maurice Thompson,
Mary Hartwell Catherwood, Elizabeth Miller Hack, Marjorie Benton Cook,
James Whitcomb Riley and Albert ]. Beveridge.

While Fayette count)^ has never produced a writer who has been classed
as a "best seller," yet it has produced a number of writers who have made
a state-wide reputation. Two of the best volumes dealing with life in Indi-
ana prior to the Civil War have come from the hand of residents of this
coimty. Oliver H. Smith in his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches" (1858),
and Dr. Philip Mason in his ".Autobiography and Original Essays" (1868),
have given to the state two volumes which are very valuable for the light
thev throw on the early history of the state. The volume of Doctor Mason
deals more with the history of Fayette county than the volume of Smith,
the Doctor's autobiography being a recital of his career in the county from
1816 until his volume was issued in 1868, and covering a wide variety of
topics. He touches on the schools, churches, social and industrial affairs,
and the civil life of the county; lists the prevailing ailments of the community
and prescribes for their treatment ; tells about farming conditions in the early
days and ofifers suggestions to farmers as to methods for obtaining the best
results from their efforts: traces the growth of Masonry in Connersville : in
short, he offers in his volume the results of his life work in Fa3^ette county.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 387

VOI.rMF.S THAT DESERVE MENTION.

While the vohiines of Smith and Alason are best known throughout the
state, yet tliere are a number of others in the county who have written vohunes
that deser\e mention, j. L. Heinemann and Katharine Heron have written
extensively on local history. Mr. Heinemann has issued three brochures
covering the early history of the county, which are given in full in a separate
chapter of this volume. He has been an indefatigable worker in the field
of local history for a numl>er of years and has done more research work
in the early records than any other person in the county. Miss Heron has
also delved into the early history of the county and contributed numerous
articles to the local papers embodying the result of her research. During the
summer of 1916 she contributed a series of valuable historical articles to
the Coiincrsi'illc Ncius, which covered a wide variety of topics touching the
history of the county from its organization down to the present time. She
has also traveled widely over this country and Europe and contributed travel
sketches to newspapers and magazines.

Another local historian is Edward E. Moore, who although not a resi-
deiit of the county at the present time, yet was associated with it for a num-
ber of years. In 1910 he issued a volume, entitled "A Century of Indiana,"
which covered the history of ihe state down to that year.

Walter R. Houghton, who has been a resident of Connersville for a
numljer of years, has written a number of historical works of a general
nature, none of which, however, were concerned with Fayette county his-
tory. Among his writings are the following: "A Portrayal of L'nited States
History", "Literature and Geography", "A Conspectus of the History of
Political Parties and the Federal Govemment", "The Lives of Blaine and
Logan". "History of American Politics from 1607 to 1882", "A Map of
United States History" (a large wall map on which were printed the leading
events in the states in which they occurred) : "A Map of PoHtical History."

A number of writers have contributed local historical articles to the
newspapers from time to time. Among these may be mentioned D. T. Leach,
who published what he called "A History of Fayette County" in the Con-
iicrsc'illc Exani'mcr during 1872. The chapters ran through successive issues
of the paper for several months, but were never collected in book form.
Samuel J. Little was another contributor of historical articles to tlie news-
papers in the seventies and eighties.

388 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

THE POETS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

A number of \'olumes of poetry have been written by Fayette county
people, while many others have contributed verse to papers and magazines.
John Reid, a lawyer of Connersville, issued a volume of poems in 1845 under
the title of "Gulzar, or Rose Bower." Thomas E. Smiley has contributed
a volume of "Lays and Lyrics"; Thomas Trusler, a volume entitled "Poems"
( 1907) ; J. Morris Widdows, a volume of verse, "Rainy Day Poems" (1902).

A. Charlton Andrews, a son of Marie Louise Andrews, has issued at
least three volumes: "A Parfit Gentle Knight" (1901); "The Drama of
Today" ( 1913), and a play, "His Majesty, the Fool" (1913). His mother
was one of the leaders in the Western Association of Writers during the
life of that organization and contributed one valuable article to the year-
book of the orgaiiization, "Poetry of the Ante-Bellum Period of the West
and South" (1890). Another poet of the county was John C. Ochiltree, a
newspaper editor, who issued a volume of "Poems and Sketches" in 1890.
He also issued one novel, entitled "Handicapped by Fate."

The list of those who have contributed fugitive poems to the news-
papers includes a score or more. One of the best known of these versifiers
of former days was "Jimuel" Tate, whose real name was James H. Tate. Mr.
Tate contributed numerous verses for a numljer of years to the local papers
and attained more than a local reputation. The contributions of "Jimuel"
were sometimes ordinary, but not infrecjuently they evidenced fully the
rugged genius and native wit of the old man whom so many in Fayette county
loved. Mrs. W. E. Ochiltree, now a resident of Connersville, has written a
number of poems and short stories for papers and magazines. Her stories are
of a juvenile nature, two of the best known being "Bayless' Need" and "Why
Marianna Stayed."

Mrs. Hamlin T. Risk, who died in 1916, was a prolific writer of occa-
sional and commemorative poems, which were published locally and in church
and metropolitan papers.

Dr. Frank Clijtwood of Connersville has written a number of creditable
poems which have found their way into the papers. William Dungan, for
many years a resident of \\'aterloo township, and now living in Conners-
ville, has a volume of poems written in long hand containing more than one
hundred of his productions. Harlan E. Stephens, a native of Orange town-
ship and now living on a farm in Fairview township, has written a number
of poems which he has set to music. Many of these have been published
in sheet-music form and have commanded an extensive local sale. He con-

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 389

tributed a .Memorial Day poem for tlic Co)uicrsrillc 'fiiiics in 1887 wliich
\va.>^ widely copietl. I). W. McKce, a niem1)cr of the local bar, writes occa-
sional verse and ctnitrilnited the poem which was reatl at tlie Centennial
hancpiet.

Earl Williams, now as.sociated with the Coiiiicrsrillc News, has written
a number of poems and stories, but lias had \ery few of them published. He
has recently completed a no\el which his friends are anxiouslv waitin-i' to
read upon its publication. Mr. Williams is a versatile writer of both prose
and poetry and all of his work bears the imiirint of real genius.

MI.sCEr.I.ANE(jrS WRITERS.

Among those who ha\-e written on subjects of a miscellaneous character
may be mentioned W. F. L. Sanders. John P. Brown. Ryland ']", Brown,
Lewis Edwards, Hyatt L. Frost and William H. Tate, a son of "Jimuel".
Air. Sanders has been connected with the schools of Connersville and other
cities for a number of years and is the author of two text-books which were
formerly widely used: "The English Sentence,"' and a "Spelling Book."
John P. Brown was the editor of a magazine on arboriculture published in
Connersville. Several years later he published a volume entitled "Practical
Arboriculture" (1906), which is regarded as a standard authority on this
subject.

Ryland T. Brown was a newspaper man, physician, geologist and one
of the best known citizens of Fayette county before the Civil War. He spent
his later years as a professor in Northwestern Christian University at Indi-
anapolis as head of the department of natural science. He is the author of
one of the first text-books on physiologv which was produced in the United
States.

Mrs. Jennie Buckley Carter, a life-long resilient of the C(juntv, has
written many educational and political articles for metropolitan newspajiers.
Hyatt L. l-Vost, a leading lawyer oi Connersville. has written rather exten-
sively regarding automobile touring and other subjects.

I,ewis Edwards, a native of the county, now a resident of Xorman,
Oklahoma, deserves inclusion among the literary people of Fayette county.
He has always been an extensive traveler and has a happy faculty of describ-
ing his travels in such a style as to make them \ery readable. He has been
contributing travel letters to the Coinwrsc'illc A'czi's for many years — letters
from every part of the world which he has visited. It is safe to say that
more than five hundred of these letters ha\e appeared in the local papers.

390 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Frank M. Huston, a brother of M. Helen Huston, of Connersville, has
been financial editor of the Chicago Evening Post for a number of years and is
considered one of the best writers on general financial subjects in the country.
Nathaniel W. Wright, a former Fayette county resident and now living in
Toledo, is one of the big newspaper men of the country who may be included
in the list of Fayette covuity literary people. He was a resident of Conners-
ville from 1869 to 1904. He is the owner of the Toledo Free Press and
at least two other metropolitan papers of wide circulation.

The contributor of this chapter is pleased to add to the list of local
writers the name of the supervising editor of this volume. During 1910 to
1912 Mr. Barrows wrote for such magazines as Colliers JVeeklx, The Stnart
Set, The Blue Book and Hearst's Magazine. His financial articles in var-
ious national magazines were written under his own name. The bulk of his
writing consisted of short stories under the noni de plume, "Frederic Irving."
His efforts in this line were abruptly stopped in 19 12 by entering a line of
work which left no time for side-lines.

No record of literary efifort in Fayette county would be complete without
a mention of George Randolph Chester, of "Wallingford" fame. Mr. Chester
here spent the first few months after severing a salaried connection with a
newspaper staff, and some of his most interesting characters were inspired
during that period. For many years he was a regular visitor at Connersville
and an intimate acquaintance of those with kindred interests.

Finally, on word would be complete without mention of Edwin W.
Tatman, editor of the Connersznile News, if not the producer, at least the
encourager of multitudes of literary effusions. Always a sane critic, he
was more — a sympathetic visioner of better things to come.

A FEW SAMPLES OF LOCAL POETRY.

Following will be found a few of the poems that have appeared from
time to time as the work of local poets, interesting contributions to the
literature of the White Water valley.

PLAYMATES.

By Earl WiUoughby Williams.

A blue yarn ball that is old aud wise,

At the end of a raveled string.
And a wonderful bear with brown glass eyes

And a smile for everything —

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 39I

Slaves are the two, for they have no choice

But to do the strange commands
Of :i tDttminK. tow-head angel's voice

And two liltio tousling hands;

And woe to tbeni if they fail to heed.

Though the angel's voice be low.
For the angel's ire is swift indeed.

And the bear ;iud the ball, they IvUdw.

And yet. whenever the day is tied

The heart of the queen is shown.
Fur she puts them both in a cozy bed

In the arms of the royal throne;

Then tlie kingdom fades, as kingdoms do.

And the iionii) and the power they flee.
For the sjinie old Sand Man takes the two

And the tow-head angel, three.

ABOUT LITTLE HOMER.

By William Dungan.

Little Homer Broaddus came home one Sunday night
And called out loudly. "Mother, where's that light;"
His mother heard his words and sfiid:
"Hush np that noise and go to bed."

"I will as soon as I warm my feet;

But. Mother. I wish I had something to eat.

Are there any sweet potatoes; tell nie, if you can.

Where is that rice pudding you made in that pan"/"

Homer at last found a light,

Then everything went on all right ;

He went to the cupboard like a fox so sly

And ate his mamma's pumpkin pie.

He ate a bowl of milk and bread.
Then pulled off his boots and went to bed;
And all that night had happy dreams.
Waking from sleep with the daylight's beams.

So down .stairs he made his way,

r>opJjing cheerful, glad and gay ;

"Where were you last night my darling boy —

What makes you smile, so bright and gay?'

392 FAYETTE "COUNTY, INDIANA.

"I'll tell you, mother, by the way,

Xou know last night I went astray;

So what makes me feel so well' —

Last nigbt I liad the best chat with Miss Caldwell." '

[As a matter of history Homer Bromldiis later iiianied Alice Caldwell, but both of
them have been deceased for many years. This little ikhmii was written to be read before
the Beeson Literary Society, Broaddus being- a niemlier nt the society, and present the
night the poem was read by Mr. Dungau— more than thirty years ago.]

DEDICATED TO Bl'XKER HILL.

By William' H. Tate.

It reminds me of a picture I have seen

Of verdant hills with a vale between ;

A babbling brooklet running through

And an old frame house by the streamlet, too,

Where boyhood fancies were a little greater

Than the man pictures them a few years later.

The back ground of the Hill is the old, old earth.
And the picture itself the picture of my birth ;
Molded by nature's indelible hand
From the rocks, and the clay and the -sand; ;
Enraptured by song of the robin and wren, ,. ~

Let it be home as it was then.

At the breaking of day when the gi-eat red sun

Emblazoned the morn of the day just begun;

The charming, sweet chorus of the gleeful wood folk

Has oft from my pillow my sleepy head woke

And I sang and I danced in the morning so new

'Midst joys all around me and troubles so few.

I watched in the spring time the rills trickle by;

The soft, fleecy clouds float 'neath the blue sky;

The thrush and the oriole building their nest.

And the flowers awakening from a long winter's rest.

How jocund I was my tongue cannot tell.

To hear the rain-drops on the roof as they fell.

Jly father afield with his team and the plow:

My mother bent down, with a i)ail, b.y the cow;

The geese on the creek, with wings .spreading wide^

They ambled about as the growing wind sighed;

The calf in tlie lot with the pup was at play ;

My work quite forgotten. I had scampered away.

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The cliii-ks in tlu' lumltr.v y.-ird iicciumI from Ihoir coo
The boughs in the on-hnnl wciv liogiiiiiiiig In (Iniop;
The hjiy MUd the whe;it were stiiiuiing in shocks,
As thick on the ground :is the sheep in their flocks;
The apples were drying, the berries all canned,
And the weather .so hot thai 1 had lo be fanned.

The nights and the days nne(iually grew,

Yet the gra.ss in the fields was all wet with the dew;

The sun passed over and sank in the west.

To pacific repose in its cradle of rest —

"Midst the song of the cricket, the cro.ik of the frog.

The mew of the cat and the whine of the dog.

The corn in the field, with its great yellow eaf,

Presagetl certain that Autuuui was near;

The wheat in the bin, the fledglings awing.

And we pa.ssed to the dead like to life in the Spring;

But uierry was I. and I skipped as I went.

And winked a farewell to the season just s|ient.

The fallow made re.-iily, the glebe w.is all broke.

The sower abroad soon after he woke;

The wheat sprouted forth with its green for the whi

The fodder in .shocks was a beautiful sight :

O'er hills and throngli meadows, by dam and by pool.

I gamboled in n.-itnre as I jonrney'd to school.

The games that I playeil on the green of old swamp
Were played by the players in true, kingly pomp ;
My tasks were assigned me and my labors begun,
And I studied quite hard to excel everyone;
Think you not for a moment that the act was amiss,
For the closing of school was simply all bliss.

The wagon-bed filled with great golden ears:

The pens built of rails, with tiers upon tiers;

The orchard's deep fruitage in the cellar was stored;

The bung in the cider b.-irrel carefully bored.

And I sat there astride, with str.-iw after straw.

In my riile to contenlnient. with draw aftci- dr.-iw.

The .stables prepared for the colts .and the kino;
The sheds rearranged to .shelter the swine;
The flowers all dead, and the birds flown away,
The leaves sprinkled, — it was Autumn's last day;
And I hailed with a whoop the season so near —
Old Winter ! old Winter ! to boyhood so dear !

393

394 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

I always set my traps for 'possums and for skunks,
But all the catches I recall were weasels and chipmunks.
The coon I'd often trail to his lofty woodland bower,
Though to get his furry coat was beyond my youthful power;
In the bramble was the coney, which I also hunted then —
But if I killed one running, I can't remember when.

The snow with glistening whiteness fell thick on hill and dale,

And blocked up half the highways with drifts made by the gale;

The stream that babbled b.v, lost the accent of its song.

And it whispered softly to the rocks as it seemed to dance along;

I skated on its cover and. really, I was glad

That it had lost its accent by being now thus clad.

I coasted down the hill and snow-balled with the boys,

And waited patiently for Santa with his toys ;

There were strains of sweetest music from the fiddle and the horn,

And that my life was palmy is as sure as I was born;

Around the fireplace, with back-log burning low

Sat I there, in childlike faitli. secure from every foe.

RETROSPECTION.

And now I look down the long-trodden lane.
From the top of my years to boyhood's plain ;
And I turn from the scene with eyes full of tears,
And groan 'neath the burdens of on-coming years;
Yet I long and I love and I watch and I smile,
And I liibor and wait, and trust all the while.

CHRISMI'S TIME IS HEAH.

By Mrs. W. E. Ochiltree.

Don't you heah dem bells a ringiu".
Don't you heah dem angels singin'.
Don't you see dem doves a tlyin'.
Don't ,vou heah de chilluns cryin'?

Chrismus time is heah !

Don't you see dat puddin' smokin'.
Don't you see ole mammy pokiu'
At de fiah, to heat the oven.
Don't you see us all a movin' —
'Cause Chrismus time is heah?

Don't ,vou think ole Santa's neah,
Don't you- feel de happy cheeah'
In yo' heart come up a singin'.
When you hear dem bells a ringiu',
'Cause Chrismus time is heah?

FAYETTF. COUNTY. INDIANA. 395

nou't you know (lis iiiu do diiy
When all folks au' iiukpIs say,
"Peace on earth, to uieu good-will'.'"
Bethrem's Star am shinin' still,
On every Chrisuins day.

TO THE FLAG.

By I>. W. .McKee.

All hail to tlR" tl.if: of the l>rave and free:

Far famed in song and in story.

It waves o'er the hmd, it floats o'er the sea.

And no other lianner ever can be

So dear to us as "Old (ilory."

Then hail to the flag, the red, blue and white.
Its stars and stripes tell the stoiy
Of the fathers' tight for freedom and right
Through seven long years of war's lurid night
That gave to the world "Old (Jlory."

Though we have no turreted castles old
With moss and with lichens hoary.
We've a heritage richer far than gold—
'Tis a birth-right which h.is never been sold,
Our freedom under "Old Glory."

From the North .-uid the South, the East and the West,

From the fields of battle once gory.

All strife now at rest, as one nation blest

From the ocean's strand to the mountains crest,

We've only one flag, "Old Glory."

Then fresh garlands bring to our (Jod and King:
Tell millions unborn the story.
Let loud anthems ring as His praise we sing
And proudly to heaven our banners fling.
While over all floats "Old Glory."

Choi-

Then hark to the song as it rolls ak
Its theme is our country's story.
Cheer, cheer, the old flag, till from hi
The echoes ring hack, "Old Glory."

396 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

SOME ARTISTS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

In tlie course of a hundred years Fayette county has produced a few
artists wlio liave won. more tlian local fame. Probably the first of a number
was Adam Robe, a nati\e of Connersville, and a resident of the county up
to the time of the Civil War. In that struggle he was connected with
Harper's Weekly as pictorial correspondent and his drawings of battlefields
and other events of the war were known throughout the length and breadth
of the country. After the war closed he drifted West and Connersville lost
sight of him. The next time that local people heard of him was at the time
of the World's Fair at Chicago in 1893, when he appeared as the director
of art exhibits of one of the Western states at the exposition. His death
has occurred within recent years.

The only artist of recent years who has made painting the means of a
livelihood is Rozzie Morrison, a daughter of Alexander Morrison and a
sister of J. H. Morrison. She was born in Connersville and early in life
developed talent for painting. For several }-ears she has maintained a studio
in Washington, D. C, where she dex'otes her time to miniature work. She
is one of the direct descendants of Joshua Harlan, one of the first settlers
in Connersville, and the donor of the present court house square.

A'ccording to the opinion of Theodore Heinemann, who may very
properly be called the dean of Fayette county artists, and who has furnished
all of the data for this article on the artists of the county, the most gifted
natural artist of the county is Frederick Conwell, better known as "Fritz"
Conwell. He is the son of William Conwell, another gifted artist of the
city, but in a totally dififerent line than his son. The junior Conwell is
employed by a Chicago firm as a designer and interior decorator, and also
as an outside painter of artistic ad\-ertising signs. He is strictly a com-
mercial artist, but his work in his line stamps him as being a genius. His
mother is still living in Conners\ ille. Philip Braun, Jr., the son of Mayor
Philip Braun, has shown considerable artistic aljility as a commercial artist.
He is a protege of Conwell and has already done considerable work of a
creditaljle character.

Among the younger generation of artists the name of E. Pierre Wain-
wright is probably the best known, ^\''hile his work thus far has been largely
of a commercial nature, some of it in the shape of newspaper cartoons, yet
he has shown considerable native talent. He is now giving most of his time
and attention to interior decorative work for a Chicago firm.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 397

Tliere are a score or more of local painters of more or less ability, most
of whom are women. .\s in every city the size of Connersville there are
a number of women who do a little china painting or pastel work. Draw-
ing is taught in the city schools and the teacher in charge usually has had
art-school training. The ])resent teacher of drawing in the city schools is
lone Reynolds and she does very creditable work herself, while she has had
excellent success- in helping her pupils to a l^etter appreciation of art, e\en
though they may not be able to become artists themselves. There can be
no question that tiie teaching of drawing in the public schools w ill result in
more artists in the community within the next few years.

l'~inally, the historian desires to pay a tribute to the best landscape
artist the county has ever ]iro(luced. .\ny one who has had the ])rivilege of
examining the scores of landscapes of Theodore Heinemann, a native and
lifelong resident of Connersville, will recognize in his work the brush of a
lo\er of Fayette county scenery. He has preserved for future generations
views of many landmarks which have already disappeared and many others
which will soon be lost to the eye fore\-er. His pictures cover a wide variety
of subjects: Sketches i)\ the old canal from various viewpoints; bits of
scenery up and down the White Water \alley and around Connersville; old
houses, churches, mills, streets of the city and many other points of interest
have found in him a faithful delineator. In connection with the history of
the Catholic church set out in this \dlume is reproduced a sketch of the first
Catholic church, which he made when a small boy, the only sketch of any
kind extant of the church. The artist has never taken a lesson in painting,
but nevertheless is able by virtue of his inherent talent to produce work
which compares very favorably with that of many others who ha\-e had
technical training.

CHAPTER XVI.

Churches of Fayette County.

The religious life of Fayette county spans a period of more than a cen-
tury, and during these years scores of churches have come into existence
representing fourteen different denominations. The religious history of this
county is not unlike that of all other counties in the southern part of the
state ; many of the churches which (ince boasted of flourishing congregations
have long since disappeared, and some others have practically been discon-
tinued.

When it is taken into consideration that there were more people living
in the rural districts of Fayette county in 1840 than there are today, an
explanation may be seen for the disappearance of these rural churches. With
the abandonment of most of the churches there also disappeared their records
and for this reason it is difficult to trace their history wuth any degree of
accuracy. This county, like all other counties in the southern part of the
state, formerly had what were known as union churches, that is, a building
erected bj' the people of the community for the use of any denomination
which might care to occupy it.

The first denominations to establish congregations in the county were
the Methodists and the Baptists and both denominations had secured a foot-
hold in the county before it was organized in 1S19. The Methodists have
had no less than twenty-two different churches in the county, while the
Baptists have had at least twelve distinct church organizations. These two
denominations had the field to themselves until about the middle of the
twenties, when the Presbyterian church made its first appearance in the
county. The Christian church came in before the close of this decade. These
four denominations — Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians and Christian.s —
represented practically the only Protestant denominations up to 1850.

In the early part of the fifties the Lutheran church made its appearance,
following immediately after the first influx of Germans to the county. Later
came the Universalists, United Firethren, Episcopalians, Seventh-Day
Ad\'entists and the Pentecostal church of the Xazarene. Mention should
be made of the Society of Friends, which had a church organization for a

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 399

sliort time in the cmiiity. It was located in tlie extreme eastern part of
Jackson townsliip (section 23). hut tlie most difficuU research lias failed to
disclose just when it was estahlished or wlien it was ahandoned. Tt is
known, however, that it disapjieared many years hefore the Civil War.

There is only one Catholic church in the comity and it is found in the
county seat. It dates from 1844 and has had a continuous and prosperous
existence since its organization. There is a Catholic church at Laurel in
P'ranklin county, a few miles below the Fayette county line, and another
Catholic church at Cambridge City in Wayne county, just north of Fayette
county. Both of tliese churches have members in b'ayette county.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHfRCHES.

The early liistor\- of AletlKKlism in I*"a}-ette county is \er_\- obscure owing
to the fact that there were no regularly organized congregations, but only
"classes", as they were then called. It was not until the early twenties that
the population was sufficient to warrant the establishment of a church with
a definite organization. Rev. David Sharpe. who traveled the White Water
circuit in 181 3, has left the liest account of the early history of the church
as it existed in the count} at that time. The old account, which also carries
with it the history of his whole circuit, is here gi\-en in full:

Mr. Sliiirpe began his work at Brookville, and preached there his first Sunda.v. from
there on Monday to Williams' on Deer Creek: Tuesda.v. to Dryson's tilock-house, about
four miles below Laurel: Wednesday, to Robert's block-house: Tuesday, to Jlontgom-
ery'.s, in Wayne county; Friday, at Moflitt's, on the east fork of White Water; Satur-
day, in Hugh Cull's neighborhood: Sunday, at .John Meek's, on the east side of the
East Kork of White Water; Jlonday, in the court house in Xew Salisbury; Tuesday,
at Hardy Cain's; Wednesday, at Abijah Cain's; Thursday, name of place forgotten;
Friday, at Eaton, Treble county, Ohio; Saturday, si.x miles north of liiton-; Sunday,
at Widow Sharpe's, on Twin Creek; Monday, at Stepheus', fonr miles south of Eaton;
Tuesdaj-, at Hanna's. on Hanna's Creek. Indiana ; Wednesday, at Xott's, west of the
East Fork on White Water; Thur.sday, at .Tones' school hou.se; Friday, at Bright's. eight
miles above Brookville ; Sunday, at .Johnson's, on the West Fork, four miles above
Brookville: Sunday, in the school house in Brookville.

At each of the alx)ve appointments, he preached once in six weeks. cx<<'|it at
Brookville. where he preached every three weeks.

There was no jjreaching at that time at "t'onnersville Sr.it ion." Iiul lie pivmcIumI
occasionally at Mr. Tharpe's. near the river, about one .ind one-lialf miles above Con-
nersville.

That the early citizens of the village of Connersville were not very
religi')usly inclined may be judged from the following extract taken from a
letter of a pioneer preacher. "The proprietors and first settlers of Conncrs-

400

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

\'ille were skeptics on religion, and it was a hard place for any Evangelical
religious influence. The towns of Center\'ille and Brook\ille were much in
advance of Connersville in Methodist societies."

THE CONNERSVILLE DISTRICT.

Fayette county is in the second, or Connersville district, of the Southern
Indiana Methodist Conference. At the present time there are thirteen
churches in the county, t\vo of which are independent charges, the others
being attached to circuits of two or more churches. The following table
compiled from the last report of the conference, shows all the Methodist
Episcopal churches of Fayette county, except the two colored branches of
the church at Connersville.

Name of Church.

Pastor.

IMembership.

Connersville

First M. E.

John W. McFall

I, GO I

Grand Avenue

L. H. Kendall

441

Main Street

F. M. Westhafer

196

Columbia

Bunker Hill

W'iley Chapel

Everton Circuit

E. A. Hartsaw

322

Everton

Alquina

132

Mt. Zion

Falmouth Circuit

F. O. Overbaugh

Falmouth

Glenwood Circuit

Daniel Ryan

188

Glenwood

138

Orange

Brownsville Circuit

James A. Gardner

Robinson Chapel

The Alain Street Circuit (Connersville) also includes the Mt. Pleasant
church of Union county: the Everton circuit includes Ouakertown, in Union
county; the Falmouth circuit includes Raleigh, in Rush county; while the
Brownsville circuit includes Brownsville, Woods Chapel, Boston and Locust
Grove, all in Union county. The thirteen Methodist churches of Fayette
county have a total membership of 2.376.

^^^^^^^^■1.- . ;^i

FAY'aTTE county, INDIANA. 4OI

The minutes of the last Indiana conference also give the following data
on the ministers now presiding over churches in Fayette county :

John W. McFall : Borden, 1904-06; Paoli, 1906-10; Mooresville, 1910-
T3; lutst Tenth street, Indianapolis. 1913-16; Connersville, 1916.

L. H. Kendall: Fredericksburg, 1904-06; Moberly, 1906-09; Port
Fulton, IQ09-13: Fdinhurg. it)i3-i6; Connersville, 1916.

F. ?*1. \\'esthafer: Osgood, 1886-88; Lawrenceburg circuit, 1888-89;
W'estport, 1889-93; Greenwood, 1893-98; Fairland, 1898-00; Morristown,
1900-O-I ; ]\[ilroy. 1904-08; Ilartsville, 1908-12; Milton, 191J-13; Conners-
ville, 191 5.

F. A. Hartsaw : Monrovia. 1913-14; Everton, 1914.

Daniel Ryan: Brownsville, 1 882-85; Mount Carmel, 1885-88; Clifford,
1888-89; Irvington, 1888-91; Milroy, 1891-92; Hartsville, 1892-95; Utica,
1895-98; Flat Rock, 1899-01; Rock-port circuit, 1901-03; New Lebanon,
1903-05; Carlisle, 1905-0S; Hynicra, 1908-10; Fairfield. 1910-12; superin-
tendent of Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home, Knightstown, 1912-13;
Arlington, 1913-14 ; (ilenwood, igi4.

James A. Gardner: Junior jiastor, Hartford City, 1907-08; Rising
Sun, 1908-OQ; Sugar Branch, 1909-TO; Osgood, 1910-11; Dupont. 1911-13;
Milford, 1913-10; Brownsville, 1916.

FIRST JMETHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OV CONNERSVILLE.

The I'irst ^Icthodist Episcopal church at Connersville traces its
l)eginning tii the time when the first Methodist class met in the \illage at
the home of Robert Swift. .\s Swift settled here in 1818 it is likely that the
meeting was held in the same year. Rev. John Havens, a local preacher,
formed a circuit in 1S21 in which was included the village of Connersville
and was styled the Conners\ille circuit, which became a member of the con-
ference the following year. Rev. James Murray was appointed to the cir-
cuit in r822 and in the following year was succeeded by Rev. .\aron Wood.
When Re\erend Wood Ijegan his labors on tlie circuit the Cnnnersville
societ}' was composed of eight women and two men.

In 1825 preparations were made for the erection of a church building.
.A site was procured from John McCormick, Sr., on the south side of Fourth
street between Water street and Eastern avenue. The deed bears the date
of November 8, 1825, and was made to the trustees of the church, the same
being Joshua Mclqtosh, Thomas Hinkson, David Melton. Isaac \\^iod and
"(26)

402 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Charles Donovan. During the following summer a brick building twenty-
two by thirty-two feet was erected and it thus became the first edifice dedi-
cated to God as a place of public worship in the village. Continuous ser-
vice was held in this building until 1,840, wlien it was supi)lanted by a much
more modern structure on the same site. The congregation worshiped in
this church thirty-two years at the end of which time it was sold to the Ger-
man Presbyterian congregation. Serx'ices were then held in the court house
until in January, 1873, when the congregation took possession of the Grand
Opera House which they had purchased in December, 1872, at a cost of
sixteen thousand dollars.

In 1848 the church was divided and two societies were formed, one
remaining in the old church and the other located on ^\'estem avenue. A
church building was built by the later societ}- and the two congregations
became the heads of two circuits known as the East and West Connersville
circuits. The societies were made into .stations in 1850 and 1851 and con-
tinued as such for three years.

In 1853, Rev. S. T. Gillett became the presiding elder of the district.
He and the ministers were of the common opinion that the two churches
should be consolidated and under their management the union was effected
and ratified by the bishop at the next session of the annual conference. The
pastors who served the church on Western avenue were Rev. F. W. White,
185 1 : Rev. Jacob Whiteman, 1852, and Rev. E. D. Long, 1853. The pas-
tors of the eastern charge during the same time were Rev. J. B. Lathrop,
1851; Rev. Tewis Dale, 1852, and Rev. Joseph Colton, 1853.

Following is a partial list of all of the pastors since the union of the two
churches: S. P. Crawford, 1855: E. G. Tucker, 1856-1857: J. G. Chafee.
1858-1859; C. Tinsley, 1860-1861 ; J. Cotton, 1862-1863: J. E. Lathrop,
1864; R. M. Barnes, 1865-1866; J. S. Tevis, 1867-1869; G. L. Curtis. 1870-
1872; J. K. Pye, 1873-1873: J. G. Chafee, 1876-1878; E. L. Dolph, 1879;
F. C. Holliday, 1880-1881 ; John S. Tevis, 1882-1884; John H. Doddridge,
1885-1887; Robert Roberts, 1888-1892; Virgil W. Tevis, 1893-1897: L. F.
Dimmitt, 1898-1900; W. B. Slutz, 1900-01; W. G. Barron. 1901-03; T. H.
Willis, 1903-07; W. F. Smith, 1907-12; Frank Lenig, 1912-14; J. F.
O'Haver, 19 14- 16; J. W. McFall, since 1916.

In 1889 and 1890 the beautiful church edifice, located on Central a\-enue
and Eighth street, was erected at an approximate cost of forty thousand
dollars. The pastor at that time was Rev. R. Roberts and the building com-
mittee consisted of the following: William Newkirk, J. H. Riley, L. T.
Bower, N. W. Wright, L. J. Edwards, J. A. Sargent, Charles Roehl, A. E.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 403

Ean-ows, J. -M. .Mcintosh, E. V. Hawkins, Edwin Mcintosh. Tlie arcln-
tects for the building were Grapsey & Brown.

The site of the present parsonage of the First Methodist church was
formerly occupied as the family burying ground of General McCarty.
After making preparations to lea\e Connersville for the West, (jeneral
McCarty deeded the site to the trustees of the Methodist church, with the
proviso that they should build a church over the bodies of his children.
The offer was accepted and a church Iniilding was erected. The building-
was a low, one-story structure, with the floor laid on the ground. The
building was entered through two front doors, one for the men and the other
for the women. As the congregation grew and prospered the limits of the
church were outgrown and a new site was very much desired. Howe\'er,
according to the provisions of the deed, the property was to revert to the
McCarty heirs in case the site was abandoned as a church. But this matter
was satisfactorily arranged during the pastorship of Rex-erend Ro1)erts, tlie
heirs giving a quit claim to the property.

The church projDerty includes the stone church, the sexton's residence
and the parsonage, and is probably worth $60,000 to $70,000. The Sunday-
school has an average attendance of over 600. E. V. Hawkins, the superin-
tendent, has done long )'ears of efficient work in building up and maintaining
this branch of the church. He has been ably assisted by John E. Page, assist-
ant superintendent, and Charles C. Hull, teacher of the Men's Bible class,
which has an average attendance of over 150 men.

MAIN .STREET ilETilOPIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EAST CONNERSVIELE.

In tlie year 1S88 three young women. Misses Rose Lilie, Hattie Piper,
and Anna Elmendorf, became interested in the many children on the East side
and organized a Sunday scliool. Tlie)' desired the use of tiie school house
in which to hold their sessions, but for some reason their request was denied,
although the law would iiave lieen on their side. They did not ])ress their
claims, as William T. McEerren gave them tlie use of a Ijuilding whicii stood
on the rixer bank south of the bridge. Here the school grew to number
about one hundred and thirty members. The building was on a temporary
foundation and so open that hogs would congregate under it and their squeal-
ing seriously interfered with the work of the school. Others liecame inter-
ested and Herman Fuchs, a Lutheran, gave the ground for a church build-
ing. Several of the different denominations of the city assisted in building a
house to be used as a community ciiurch. The project looked well on the sur-

404 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

face, as all such church enterprises look, but it ended as all such organizations
usually do. A Reverend Mr. Herch, the pastor of the First Presbyterian
church, endeavored to bring the factions together. He was a man of gentle
spirit and had some success. The deed was made by Herman Fuchs and Eliza
h^ichs. his wife, to the trustees of "East Connersville Chapel," August 12,
18S9, "for church purposes only," and with the proviso: "In case there are
no church services, Sabbath school or prayer meeting held in the building to
be erected for a period of five years, the said real estate should revert to the
said grantors." The trustees of East Connersville chapel were men of
different denominations; no more than two from any one denomination could
be allowed on the board. The trustees arranged with a Mrs. Ayers,
wife of the Methodist pastor at Arlington, to hold a revival meeting and sev-
eral professed conversion. Her husband came to do the baptizing. Among
the candidates were some who desired to be immersed. This the preacher
did, caught pneumonia and died. As the enterprise was not fulfilling th.e
dream of the organizers they held a meeting on March 3, 1892, and instructed
the trustees "to di.spose of the property to some religious organization recog-
nizing the best interests of the people," the vote standing forty-eight in
favor and five against. Se\en days later the property was deeded to the
Methodist Episcopal church, and the trustees of the newly organized East
Connersville Methodist Episcopal church, Charles E. Grubb, William G.
Thomas, William T. McFerren, Ed. A. Enos, and A. J. Faurote, assumed
the indebtedness of the old organization. In diie time this was paid. In
1896, under the pastorate of Rev. John T. Jones, the building was remodeled
along modern lines at a cost of three thousand one hundred dollars. The
church with its country members supports a resident pastor, Sabbath school,
senior and junior Epworth Leagues, a Woman's Foreign Missionary Society,
and has a flourishing Ladies Aid Society. The present pastor is F. M.
Westhafer, A. M.

COLUMBI.V METHODIST EPISCOPAL CflURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Columbia was organized in 1822
and became a part of the Connersville circuit the same year. The church
was the outgrowth of a class composed of Rev. Charles Hardy, Sr., and his
family, with others whose nanies are not now obtainable. Their first place
of \\(irship was a school house, which stood about half way down the hill
on the north side of the road in the village of Columbia. Later, in 1838-
1839, a church was built west of the present residence of Noah Hood. The
present church building was erected in 185 1 by Rev. Hugh Compton, Noah

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 4O5

Heizer and Daniel Hall. The bniklino- was repaired in 1894 and remodeled
in 1908. At one time Columbia was the head of the circuit and the frame
church that stands on the lot west of the church was the parsonage.

The church was lirst a charoe on the Conners\-ille circuit, later being
changed to the Columbia circuit, .\niong the pioneer preachers were Rev.
.Mien \\'iley, James Ha\ens, and James Coiiwell. Reverend Griffith became
the pastor in 1844, and was succeeded in the following year by Rev. D. A.
Robinson and Rew Thomas Crawford, Columbia then being on the "doulilc
circuit." .After Columbia became the head of the circuit the following early
pastors served it: Rev. Jacob Miller, 1851-1852; Rev. VV. Dole, 185-'-
1853: Rev. James Barnes, 1854-1855: Rev. Jesse Tasoner, 1856-1857; Rev.
George P. Jenkins. 1858-1859: Rev. B. F. Gatch, i860; Rev. Patrick Carlin,
1861; Rev. Isaac N. Tomlinson, 1862: Rev. T. B. Carey, 1863-1864. These
were followed by Rev. Thomas Williams, Rev. D. C. Benjamin, Rev. Landy
Havens, Rev. James McCaw and Re\'. John W. JNIellender. The following
presiding elders have administered to this church: Rev. Allen Wiley, Rev.
Enoch G. Wood, Rev. John \\'. Locke, Re\'. F. S. Holliday, Rev. Samuel T.
Gillett, Rev. John W. Mellender, Rev. John Tevis, Rev. James A. Sargent,
Rev. Charles Tinsley. Rev. E. L. Dolph. Rev. F. .\. Hester, Rev. C. C.
Edwards, Rev. F. S. Tincher, Rev. E. B. Rawles, Rev. V. W. Tevis and
Rev. C. E. Bacon.

In connection with the church is a lively Sunday school and a Ladies
Aid Society. The church is now associated with the Main Street church.
Connersville, and Rev. F. M. Westhafer is the pastor.

WESLEY CHAPEL (SECOND M. E. CHURCH).

The colored Methodists ha\e met with more or less regularity since 1844.
Their pastors have been connected with the Lexington conference and have
many of them been capable men; particularly can this be said of Rev. E. A.
White, twice elected to the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal
church. The membership is about 125 and Rev. Singleton is in charge. The
church has recently spent several thousand dollars improving the property
owned since 1872. A comfortable parsonage is also owned.

ROBINSON "S CHAPEL.

The first Methodist society in Waterloo township and one of the first
in the county, was that out of which later grew Robinson's chapel. Just
when the society was organized cannot be ascertained, but it was several

406 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

years before the formation of tlie Connersville circuit in 1822. As far back
as history can be traced the original class was an appointment along with
Waterloo, a class at John Ouinns, Brownsville, Bethel, Alquina, Veatches
(Mt. Garrison) and others farther south. The old White Water circuit
was formed in 1806 or 1807 and in all probability the society was a part
of this circuit. A house of worship was built sometime between 1820 and
1830 and was replaced by the present church building in 1845.

The follo\\ing list contains the names of the earlier preachers who
traveled the old White Water circuit and the circuits growing out of it, on
which Robinson's chapel was an appointment: Bigelow and Gatch, 1823;
Everhart and White. 1824; Stephens and Griffith, 1825; Havens and Jones,
1826; Havens, 1827; Hitt and Scott, 1828; Thompson and Robinson, 1829;
Havens and Smith, 1830; Taylor and Kimball, 1831 ; McReynolds and
Dailey, 1832; Tarkington and Griss, 1833; Bonner and Robins, 1834;
McReynolds and Harris, 1835; Burwick and Stallard. 1836; Phelps and
Kiger, 1837; Beswick and Hartie, 1838: Beeks and Kelso, 1839; Kig'er and
Landy Havens, 1840.

No available records of the church prior to 1905 are at hand and it is
only from this date that the names of the pastors can be given. They are
as follow: Rev. J. T. Perry, 1905: Rev. J. W. Cardery, 1906-1907; Rev.
C. W. Dobson, 1908; Rev. W. G. Abbott, 1909; Rev. T. R. Ragsdale, 1910;
Rev. H. Humble. 191 1: Rev. Oscar Polhemus, 1912; Rev. W. B. Collier,
1913-1914: Rev. A. C. Porter, March, 1915, to September, 1915, and Rev.
J. A. Gardner, 1916-1917.

Among the organizations of the church are a good Sunday school,
Epworth League, a Woman's Home Missionary Society and a Queen
Esther circle. The present membership of the congregation is seventy-five.

ALQUINA AIETIIODTST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Alquina is one of the pioneer reH-
gious organizations of the county. The exact date of organization is not
known, but the society was probably the outgrowth of a class that was formed
prior to 1820. In all probability the society was officially organized about
1825. In 1828 the congregation was a part of the \^'hite \Vater circuit and
remained as such for many years. Among the early members were the
Darter, Jones and Mills families.

The original church building was built in the early thirties and was a
log structure, twenty-four by thirty-four feet. As the society grew and

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 4O7

prospered the log church was outgrown. A new frame Ixiilding- was liegun
in tlie spring of 1858 and was decHcated on August 8 of that same year.

Tlie cluirch lias alwa^'s maintained an active organization and lias an
acti\-e Suiulay school. The ])resent niemliersliip is one hundred and thirty-
two. The pastor is tiie Ke\-. K. A, Hartsaw.

METHOniSTS AT ORANGE.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Orange iiad its origin in a class
that was organized in 1822 hy Rev. J<ihn Ha\'ens, a local preacher, at the
home of Judge Gregg, one luile west of the village of Fayetteville (now
Orange). The class was comj^osed of the following: Judge Gregg and
wife, Samuel Rounds and wife, Noah Dawson and wife, Mrs. Sarah George,
Hugh Wilson, Thomas Dawson', John Merrick, Sr., and John 'Merrick. Jr.
Prior to tlie erection of a building in Fayetteville in 1838, meetings
were conducted in a wagon shop Owned by John Merrick. The first church
was used until 1872, in which year a new edifice was erected at a cost of
three thousand dollars.

■ In the beginning the church was an appointment on the Conners\-ille
circuit and remained as such until the formation of the Columbia circuit in
1 85 1. Later it became a charge on the Glenwood circuit and still remains as
such. Rev. Daniel Ryan is the pastor and the membership is about fifty.

MT. ZION METHODIST CHURCH. •

' A sufticient number of ^Methodists settled in Jackson township during
the earl}- days to establish the Mt. Zion Methodist church. Among the
early settlers who were instrumental in forming a Methodist church were
John Plummer and wife. Noble Ladd and wife, ^Michael Bash and wife, John
Williams and wife, David ^^'illiams and wife. Miles H. Larimore and wife,
the Silveys and.Eskews. The site of the graveyard and church was donated
by John Plummer. In the course of time additional burial ground was
needed and a two-acre tract was deeded to the church by Basil Roberts.

The first church house was a hewed log structure that was built about
1820, and was used as a place of worship until destroyed by fire about 1836.
Soon afterward a new edifice Avas erected by Alfred Shaw. Until 1835 Mt.
Zion was an appointment on the old White Water circuit, which at that time
included nearly twenty preaching places.

Many changes ha\e been made in the church since the early days. The

408 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

congregation is now an appointment on the Everton circuit and the pastor is
Rev. E. A. Hartsaw. Tlie present membership of tlie cinn'ch is seventy-
seven.

BUNKER HILL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Rehgious services were first held at Bunker Hill by the Baptists.
On September 22, 1832, a deed to fifty-three one-hundredths of an acre of
ground, where the church now stands, was made to Avery Gates, Isaac
Travis and Charles Henderson, trustees, by Calvin Smith and Deborah
Smith, his wife; consideration twenty-five dollars. After a time the Bap-
':ists ceased their work there leaving the church to an\- denomination that
would continue the work for the good of the community. The Disciples of
Christ took up the work for a time and abandoned it. After this Rev.
Thomas H. Hench, pastor of the First Presbyterian church in Connersville,
frequently preached for the people there, but did not organize a society. The
work seems to have been, during these years, that of a community church,
for most part, and resulted as such religious work usually does — bore poor
fruit, from lack of system and Organization. Later the Methodists got per-
mission to carry on the work, repaired the building and had a reopening.
The Presbyterian preacher, who had made many friends among the people,
was invited to speak on this occasion. He said he had set Presb3'terian
eggs, but they had hatched out Methodists. For awhile this church was on
Columbia circuit, later with Falmouth circuit. The early ]\Iethodists were
Washington M. Michener and Eliza, his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bund-
rant and "Grandmother" Derrickson, who always "testified," to the pleasure
and profit of all who heard her. Following these the \york was continued
by Josephine Michener, Mary B. (Michener) Burris, now of Indianapolis,
Edwin Michener, Abraham Michener, Ella (Michener) Davis, Oscar Mich-
ener, Effie (Michener) Ouyle and her husband, L. E. Quyle, C. L. Tate and
others, who started early in the work and are continuing patiently. Bunker
Hill Methodist Episcopal church is now connected with Main Street, Con-
• nersville circuit. Rev. F. AI. Westhafer is the pastor.

WILEY CHAPEL METHODIST CHURCH.

Wiley Chapel Methodist church was the outgrowth of a class organized
during the early settlement of the county. The charter membership of the
society included the families of the following: John Hawkins, Joshua
Wallace, Robert Fielding, Andrew Moffett, John Moffett, Sr., Thomas

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 4O9

Moffett, John Rees. Steplien Kees, James Moldeii and Tiatl Molden. For
many years the society owned no Ijiiikhng- but held services at the home of
Thomas Moffett. Later, Sunday scliool and church serxices were held in a
building formerly used as a store room, which was owned ])y Moffett.
Finally a chapel was built b>' John Moffett in 1S44, which lias been remodeled
twice since that time.

Among' the early ministers connected with the church were the l\e\-erend
Stone. Re\'. John Winchester, Rew \\'illianison Terrell, Rew John Locke,
Re\-. George Smith, Rew G. P. Jenkins. Re\-. Samuel T. Gillett, Rew Isaac
N. Tonilinson, Rev. B. V. Gatch, Rev. S. S. McMahan and Rev. J. R.
Soured. For many years the congregation was a charge on the Falmouth
circuit but at a recent conference it was placed in the care of the Main
Street (Connersville) circuit. The present membership of the congregation
is twenty-three. Although Rev. F". M. ^^'esthafer is the pastor in charge,
he is assisted in his work by Rev. Phares Di Ball.

MKTHODIS'IS .\T EN'ERTON.

Li the earl_\- fifties a .Methodist society at F^verton erected a small frame
editice, which was used until both congregation and building became so
weakened as to be abandoned. Prior to this meetings were held in the village
without res]ject to denomination, hut finally resulted in the organization of
a regular church society which in the course of time became a Methodist
congregation.

In 1889 ]Mrs. Rebecca Lake donated two acres ior church and cemetery
purposes and in the same year the present building was erected. V.. R.
Lake donated an additional acre for cemetery purposes a short time after-
ward. The last report of the church shows a membership of one hundred
and thirteen. The present pastor is Rev. E. .-\. Hartsaw.

ABANDONED METHODLST CHURCHES.

A Methodist class was formed three miles southwest of Alquina prior to
1820, but no organization was formed until about 1825. F'or many years
services were conducted at the homes of the meml^ers and very often at the
home of James Worster, whose father was the first Methodist minister west
of the Allegheny mountains.

The first church building was the usual log structure and was rather
small, being about twenty by twenty-seven feet. The lot for the building

4IO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

was given by John and Samuel Huff. This building- satisfied the needs of
the congregation for many years, but in the course of time a frame addition
Avas made to the log structure, making the building thirty-six by forty-five
feet in size. The families who were instrumental in the organization and main-
tenance of the church were the Veatches, the Worsters, Eyestones and
Millners.

TL'LI.IS CHAPEL METHODIST CHURCH.

The Tullis Ghapel Methodist church was another one of the Methodist
churches organized at the time of the institution of the Coimersville circuit
in 1822. At that time a class was meeting at the home of a man by the
name of Hinkson, located in the southern part of Connersville township.
Among the early members were John Hinkson and wife, Susan Hinkson,
Anna Reagan, William Harrall, Mrs. Roberts, George Hinkson and wife,
and John Grace, the latter of whom was leader of the class. About 1836
the society erected their first church building, which was constructed of brick
and was used until about 1861 or 1862.

The site of the old church and graveyard was donated by Henry Tullis.
The site of the later church was deeded to the congregation by John Messer-
smith. The congregation ceased to exist many years ago.

One of the early religious societies in Orange township was that of the
Methodists. Services were held in school houses and in the homes of the
members until about 1837, when a small building was erected in the southern
part of the township. The society existed until about 1875, when, on account
of natural and usual circumstances, the organization was abandoned and
the building was sold to Alexander Matney.

EARLY METHODISTS IN POSEY TOWNSHIP.

Quite a large number of the early settlers in Posey township were Meth-
odists and it was they who formed the first religious body within the township.
Meetings were conducted in the homes of the members, who, in the begin-
ning, included Dower, Hardin, Miller, Wilson and a few other families.
Among the later members were Thomas Stiles and' wife, George Patterson
and wife and John Eyestone and wife. The society was included in the Con-
nersville circuit, which only recently had been formed, and was a very large
one. The appointment remained on the Connersville circuit foi" many years
hut later became a part of the charges along the western part of the county.

The first house of worship was a log structure which stood about a mile

FAYT^'ITE COUNTY, INDIANA. 4II

and a half southwest of Bentonville. Later tlie congregation IniiU a frame
house at Bentonville, but this was tinally disposed of to the township and
was converted into a public hall. The society is no longer in existence.

For twenty-five years or more prior to the Civil War, there existed a
Methodist congregation which worshipped at a log church that stood on
the ground later occupied by the English Lutheran denomination in the
northern part of Jackson township. The society exerted a great deal of
influence during the early period, but gradually passed out of existence
because of deaths and removals. The ground upon which the old log house
stood was donated by the few remaining Methodists, about 1863, to the
English Lutheran denomination, which completed a frame church there in
1865. The first congregation was styled the Union Methodist Episcopal
church and among those identified within early organization were Basil
Roberts and wife, Isaac Updyke and wife, P. Silvey and wife, George Talbot
and wife, Nathan Aldridge and wife, and ,\mos Noah and Nicholas Pum-
])hre}' and their wives.

During the early forties the Methodists built a small lueeting-house on
the land of James Mount in the northwest quarter of section 33, Connersville
township. Services were held there for many years by the Methodists, and
later by other denominations, but all traces of the building have long been
erased.

The first Methodist congregation in the township that was included
in the Connersville circuit was at the home of the grandfather of Thomas
Hinkson. The size of the society was very small, in 1823 consisting of
Grandfather Hinkson and wife, Thomas Hinkson and wife, Mrs. Basil
Roberts and daughter and Merrill Williams.

BAPTIST CHURCHES.

The Baptists were the first to establish churches in Fayette county
and as early as 18 14 there were three definite congregations in existence
in the county: Franklin church, located just below NuUtown ; New Bethel,
which now stands at the edge of the village of Lyonsville in the northern
part of Jennings township, and Lick Creek, the first branch of which was
established a short distance south of the village of Harrisburg. Of these
three churches the one located at Lyonsville is still in existence, and has
had an unbroken history of nearly one hundred and three years^ — the oldest
church organization in the county, and one of the oldest in the state.

During the century which has elapsed since the first church was organ-

412 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ized there have heen eleven different Baptist churches organized in the
county, and of these seven are still in existence. In the forties there was a
schism in the Baptist communion, a schism which extended to nearly all
the Baptist churches of the United States, and this resulted in the forma-
tion of new churches by those who seceded from the parent church. So
many years have passed since those troublesome times of the forties that
the causes of the dissension which disrupted so many of the churches have
been nearly forgotten. Tiie main facts in the matter seem to be substantially
as follows:

In the confusion arising from the use of a multiplicity of local names
it is extremely difficult to define the distinction between the several branches
of the church. There were Softshells and Hardshells, Means and Anti-
Means, I'rimitive and Missionary (Free-Will), Close Communion and Open
Communion, New School and Old Schdol, and other names, some of them
applied in derision — all of which were in current use in the forties and
many years later.

These different names were often applied indiscriminately, but in reality
there were but two marked divisions of the church — the Primitive, or Anti-
Means, and the ^Missionary, or Means. Questions of church discipline and
management, of music in the church, of Sabbath schools, of the character
of ministerial call, were responsible for the dissension. Those who beheved
in a divinely called ministry for the edification of the saved, were denom-
inated Hardshells. or Anti-Means, while those who softened the predestina-
tion dogma considerabl\- were the ^Missionary Baptists. The question of
secret societies was also a frec^uent cause of trouble.

Both branches are still represented in Fayette county in 191 7. As far as
is now known there have been only two branches which have called them-
selves Missionary Baptists. One was located about a mile west of Benton-
ville, but disappeared before the Civil War ; the other is still in existence. It
is the Twelfth Street church at Connersville, locally known as the First Bap-
tist church. There are still three branches of the Primitive Baptists in exis-
tence, the Village Creek church, located about a mile and a half southeast
of Connersville; the second, known as the Williams Creek church, is in the
northwestern comer of Harrison township, and the Lyonsville church. The
Regular Baptists are represented by two congregations, the North Lick
Creek and East Connersville churches. Another branch of the Baptist church,
the German Baptists, usually called Dunkarcls, or Dunkers, is represented
by a church in Waterloo township.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 4I3

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT CONNERSVILLE.

The First Baptist church at Coiinersville was formally organized (ju
March 12, 1899, with the following- charter members: H. T. Thomas
and wife, Cora Thomas, S. D. Lynch and wife, L. D. Worden and wife,
L. J. Stiff and wife. Claire Stiff, Buelah Stiff, Mrs. Minnie Watson. G. L.
Huxtable and wife, W. C. Seward and wife, Mrs. Alice Jordan, Ola Jordan,
Mrs. Lida Swain and R. B. Fowler and wife. Most of these charter mem-
bers were former members of the North Lick Creek church. Rev. O. J.
Redmon was the first regular pastor and he was succeeded by the following :
Rev. C. L. Berry, Rev. H. E. Wilson, Rev. William Spencer, Rev. L. C.
Bauer, Rev. S. A. Sherman. Rev. C. F. Dame and Rev. J. Leo Noland,
the present pastor.

The congregation owns a frame building at the corner of Twelfth
street and Grand avenue that was dedicated in March, 1900, at a cost of
five thousand dollars; also a neat parsonage built in 1906 at a cost of two
thousand five hundred dollars. The congregation has grown steadily since
its inception and now has a membership of ninety.

FRANKLIN BAPTIST CHURCH.

The original records of the Franklin Baptist church at Alpine show
that it was formally organized on March 17, 1814, and thus it was one of
the first churches to be organized within the limits of the county, if not,
indeed, the first church. The church started out with twenty-three charter
members, namely: Charles Scott, Archibald Guthrie. Rachel Guthrie, Wil-
liam Helm, Elizabeth Helm, Allen Cresler, Frances Cresler, John Conner,
Polly Conner, Joshua Cregler, Sarah Cregler, David Gillam, Elizabeth Gil-
lam, Polly Gillam, William Morgan, Sarah Morgan, Edward Webb, Polly
Webb, John Webb, James Xewbouse, Eliza Newhouse and Hugh Brownlee.
James Newhouse and David Conner were among the first ministers. The
church was organized by Riders Lewis Deweese and William Tyner. of
Cedar Grove, in Franklin county: Elder James Smith, of West Fork churcii.
and Elder John Blades. .\s first constituted it was what was then known as
an "Old School" Baptist churcli.

Meetings were held at the homes of the members until a building was
provided. The first liuilding was erected of iiewed logs, and was a one-story
structure with a gallery, .\lthough it appears from the records that it was

414 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

not completed until 1817, yet it is known that services were held in the
house a year or more before it was finished. For many years the pulpit
was filled by ministers from neighboring churches, the congregation not
being able to employ a regular minister. John Conner was made an elder
in 1817 and, with James Newhouse, served the church until his death. Among
the other early elders were David Conner, Madison Conner and William
Sparks. Madison Conner was a regularly licensed minister, while William
Sparks, althougli only an elder, preached regularly for the congregation for
several years. The log church was abandoned in 1850 and a frame struc-
ture was erected within the village of Alpine. This remained the property
of the congregation until November 29, 1898, when the only remaining
trustees. B. F. Conner and George M. Newhouse, deeded it to John H. Gray,
William Seal and Euphrates I. Chance, trustees of the Christian church of
Alpine, which was organized in that year.

The history of the Franklin Baptist church at Alpine is the history
of practically all the Baptist churches of southern Indiana in one respect.
In 1845 the Baptists of the state became divided as the result of differences
in regard to church polity — and there arose the "Old School" and "New
School" Baptists. The definite schism in the Franklin congregation may be
set down as occurring on June 30, 1840, although the separation had been
pending for four or five years previously.

It was e\'idently the seceders who erected the new l:)uilding in Alpine,
the new congregation being known as the Fayette Baptist church. This sec-
ond congregation was organized on the above stated date with the following
charter members : Elder Daniel Conner, H. D. Conner and wife, Mary
Conner, Nancy Reed, Henry Morris, Corwin Millspaugh and wife, and
Benjamin F. Carter. Daniel Conner was the regular minister of the church
until his death. Other leaders were Elders Harvey Wright, Corwin Mills-
paugh. H. W. Conner and Benjamin F. Carter. Elder D. H. Conner is
recorded as still preaching in 1885.

The history of the Baptists at Alpine from the time of the schism in
1849 on down to 1898 seems to be largely the history of the Fayette church.
Year by year the congregation grew smaller and it became increasingly
difficult to ha\'e regular services. The membership had practically dis-
appeared by the nineties and with the purchase of the old frame building
by the Christian church in i8q8. ihe Baptist church of Alpine concluded its
history.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 415

REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH AT LICK CREEK (1814-1846).

In the years 1813 and 1814 a number of the members of the Baptist
church removed from the lower part of the White Water valley, chiefly from
the Ijounds of Little Cedar Gro\e church in Franklin county, and ItKated
on the west fork of White AN'ater river. They carried with them letters
of dismissal, and on May 14, 1814, the following named persons met at
the home of James Tyner and there formed an organization known as the
Baptist Church of Jesus Christ : John Tyner, Forest Webb, James Tyner,
Thomas Carter, Richard Kolb, William \Vebb, John Gilliam, Jehu Perkins,
William Henderson, Jesse Webb, Robert Atkinson, Fannie Tyner, Katie
Webb, Nancy Carter, Nancy Webb, Flizal>eth Perkins, Lear Webb, Martha
Henderson and Rebecca Anderson.

In the following June a committee was appointed to secure a site for
a church building, and subsequently a tract of land belonging to Forest Webb
was chosen. It was decided by the congregation to construct a meeting
house on the purchase in the s]>ring of 1816. This edifice was constructed of
logs and was about thirt\- feet scjuare and contained a small gallery. This
building served as a place of worship until 1833, when a brick structure
thirty-five by fifty-five feet was erected. This building stood until 1882,
when it was replaced by a neat and commodious frame structure.

Forest AA'^ebb and John Tyner were chosen deacons of the church early
in 1814. For a time in the l)eginning the congregation was served by visit-
ing elders, among these being James Smith and Stephen Oldham, as moder-
ators. Later moderators of the early period were Forest Webl), John Tyner,
John Caldwell, Isaac ]\Iartin, Lewis Johnson, ^^'illiam Miller and Elder
Thomas.

Elder William Miller seems to have been ordained on June 3, 1820, as
one of the first ministers. Later, along in the early part of the thirties, were
John Sparks, Joseph ^Martin and Wilson Thomps(^n, all of whom served
as pastors, the latter serving the congregation for a number of years, begin-
ning early in 1835.

CONTROVERSIES ON DOCTRINAL POINTS.

The church on Lick Creek flourished and became one of the strong
churches of the White Water Association, but dissensions and controversies

4l6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

on points of doctrine finall}- arose, which terminated in a division of the
church, occurring on April ii, 1846, at which time the membership was one
hundred and twenty.

Out of this division grew two churches, which have been numbered
among the strong rehgious societies of tlie count)'. Tlie division was not
merely local, but extended beyond county and even association limits, and
affected many of the "Old School" Baptist churches of this entire region
of the country. Both branches of the Lick Creek church retained the name
of the original church and each claims to be the old organization. The same
can be said of the associations to which each belongs. For a time the two
churches were styled the "Means" and the "Anti-Means," although these
names were not countenanced by the congregations. For convenience one
is herein termed the "South" church and the other the "North" church.

REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH OF LICK CREEK .SOUTH (1846-I917).

This branch, after the division, retained the church property and con-
tinued to worship in the old building until 1882, when a new edifice was
erected. The regular minister of the old church at the time of the division
was Elder Wilson Thompson (1846-63), who remained with those continuing
worship in the same church. The membership of the old church, herein
spoken of as the South church, after the division was about eighty-seven.
Elder Thompson's successor was Elder George Harlan, who served the con-
gregation three years. Harvey Wright followed in 1866, for a period of
thirty-three years, or up to 1899. There was no regular pastor between
1899 and 1903. In the latter year M. L. Ford became pastor and served
until 1910. Din"ing Ford's pastorate manv of the meetings were held in the
homes of the few members. There has been no pastor since 1910, the mem-
bership having fallen away until it is not possiljle to employ a regular pastor.

REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH OF LICK CREEK NORTH, (1846-I917).

About forty of the old Lick Creek membership, prominent among whom
were James Tyner, William Webb, Ale.xander Dale, William Thomas and
Enoch Applegate, withdrew from the old church, and declared themselves the
Regular Baptist church of Lick Creek. Elder John Sparks was chosen
their pastor. In 1847, o"^ and one-half acres of land, located one-half mile
north of Harrisburg, was secured from John Caldwell and B. S. Trowbridge,

FAYETTE CUTNTY, INDIANA. 4I7

Upon which was erected a church edifice. Alexander Dale, William \V.
Thomas and James Tyner were chosen the first trustees. In March, 1848,
Elder D. H. Drummond began giving the church a portion of his time, and
in 1854 Elder George Harlan was employed, followed by E. D. Thomas.
Elder W. T. Pence began to serve about 1865. Following Pence came in
succession the following: E. D. Thomas, William Sparks, Samuel Williams,
Tlromas Lines, and William Rupert, of Kentucky. Elder Rupert preached
for tjje congregation for about twenty years, being followed in the nineties
by Elder Sliirle}'. Rufus Reed followed Elder Shirley in 1902. for a two-
year period. Elder Gregg, of Boone county, Indiana, came in 1904 and
serxed until 1006, followed by Preston Smith, a minister-banker, of \Vhites-
town, Indiana. R. A. Fuson, the present pastor, also of Boone county, has
had charge of the church since 1908. Regular services are held on the fourth
Sunday of each month. There are about thirty regular members.

.\bout 1892 a few members, about twenty-five or thirty, of the Xorth
Lick Creek church, seceded from the old society and established themselves
at the old brick school house, a half mile west of Harrisburg. William
Rupert was the pastor of the seceders until his death, about ten years later;
although during the latter part of his life. Rev. Edward W^ Harlan was the
regular pastor. The congregation styled itself the Lick Creek Baptist church,
while those not belonging to this group called them "Murphyites," because of
John Murphy, one of their leaders.

The most important event in the history of the Lick Creek church
occurred in 1892. In this year, November 22-24, the general meeting of
the Regular Baptists of America was held in the little church in Fayette
county. Delegates were present from Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia,
Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Kan.'^as, and Canada.

MISSIONARY BAPTISTS.

There have been two congregations of Missionary Baptists in Fayette
county, but one of them disappeared more than thirty years ago and its his-
tory has been difficult to trace. The date of its organization evidently was
shortly after the Civil War, although it may have been even before the war.
It was composed of a number of families living in Posey township, about a
mile west of Bentonville, among the members being the Longwells, Carvers,
Thomases and Knapps. They first held their meetings in a neighboring
(27)

4Io FAYEiTE COIjNTY, INDIANA.

school house, and after the school house was abandoned for school purposes
the congregation bought it, built an addition to it and used it for a church
purposes until the society was disbanded. The church as a definite organi-
zation disappeared about 1880.

• GERMAN BAPTISTS.

From 1804 to 1808, something like fourteen families, most of whom
were from Pennsylvania and Virginia, formed a settlement along what is
known as Four Mile creek in eastern Indiana and western Ohio. These
pioneers were all adherents of the German Baptist church and upon effecting
a permanent settlement began to look forward to the organization of a church
of their denomination. Elder Jacob Miller is thought to have been the first
German Baptist minister who preached west of the Great Miami river and
it was he who first preached to this little group. He with the assistance of
John Hart and a man by the name of Bolton effected the first organization.
In later years the congregation grew rapidly, two districts were formed and
a second church house was erected in the southern part of Union county,
Indiana. Subsequently an organization was formed in Waterloo township,
among whom were John Moyer, Samuel and Elizabeth McLinster, Salome
Fiant, Sarah Moyer, Mrs. Daniel Fiant (the first member of this denomi-
nation in the community), Daniel Jamsey, Susannah Strong, Catherine
Priser, Martin Fiant, Mrs. Fiant, John Moss, Elizabeth Disc, Jonas and
Mary Fiant, Samuel and Catherine Crick, Ada Simpson, John Fiant and
wife, Polly McPherin, Lewis Paten and wife and Elizalieth and Susannaii
Ward.

Prior to the erection of a church edifice services were held in the homes
of the members and also in a Ijarn. Finally tlie need of a building became
urgent and a building committee composed of John Fiant and Isaac Pritch-
ard was appointed for the purpose of securing a church site and securing
funds for the erection of a building. The edifice was completed in 1868.
Among the ministers who have served the congregation have been Rev.
John Moyer, Rev. William Moss, Rev. Abraham Moss, Rev. Daniel Miller,
Rev. Daniel Brown and Rev. Jacob Rife.

NEW BETHEL REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH, LYONSVILLE.

The New Bethel Regular Baptist church, long since discontinued, had
its inception on the fourth Saturday in February, 18 14, and is probably the

FAY) NTY, INDIANA. 4I9

first church to attempt an organization within the present limits of the county.
Meetings were held at the homes of the members at first, but in July, of the
same year, Charles McLaughlin and one Litteral, a committee selected by the
congregation, made prqjarations to Iniild a house of worship. They bought
one acre of ground from Thomas Simpson, Sr., for two dollars, and on this
lot erected a log structure, twenty-six b)- twenty feet. This stood about half
a mile east of their second church.

The petition for the establishment of the church was drawn up on Janu-
ary 15, 1 814, and was signed by the following prospective members of the
proposed congregation : Elder Stephen Oldham, Rebecca Oldham, John
Keny, Polly Keny, Thomas Simpson (deacon), Sarah Simpson, Rebecca
Conner, Katherine Williams, Charles and Jane McLaughlin, James and
Sarah Conway, John Keny, Sr., Jonathan Keny, William and Ann Oldham
and Susan WTiite. This petition was sent to one of the established churches,
undoubtedh- in Franklin county, was favorably acted upon, and on the Sunday
following the fourth Saturday in February, 1814. the new congregation was
constituted as the "New Bethel Regular Baptist Church" by Lazarus White-
head and James Smith.

The log structure was soon found too small to accommodate the grow-
ing congregation and in 1821 steps were taken to provide a new and larger
building. In 1822 Elder Oldham donated an acre of ground about half a
mile west of the first church, a short distance south of the present site of
Lyonsville, and here was erected a second log church, under the direction oT
Matthias Dawson, Aaron and Jonathan Haughman. This continued in use
until i860 when a frame building was erected at a cost of one thousand five
hundred dollars.

Elder Stephen Oldham served as minister until his death in 1834. Other
early pastors were William Sparks, George Harlan, Daniel- Conner and
Thomas Lyons. In 1885 Elders Reed and Parker were ministering to the
church. The congregation has been served by many ministers of more than
local importance, and it is only within the last decade that no regular services
have been held. The membership has grown smaller and smaller with time,
and now the number is comparatively few.

SECOND REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH ON WILLIAMS CREEK.

This church was made up mainly of members formerly belonging to
the Lick Creek church, and was instituted on July 21, 1832, representatives
being present from the churches of Lick Creek, Franklin and East Fork.

420 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The original membership was composed of the following: Eleazer Carver.
Gregg M. Thompson, Abigail Trowbridge, Mar_v Johnston. Anna Drapier,
Harriett Thomas, Phoebe Thomas, Schuj-ler Jagger. D. F. Thomas, Eliza-
beth Stephens. Benjamin Stephens, Aiartha Aloqahew, W. M. Buck, Ellen
F. Buck, Elizabeth Carver, Phoebe Jagger and Elizabeth Rich.

The first letter of the church and messengers were sent to the meeting
of the White Water association on July 21, 1833. the latter being prepared
by Gregg M. Thompson and Nathan Morphew. In the following August the
church was received into the association as one of its members.

The first clerk of the church was Nathan Morphew, who was followed
by G. M. Thompson. For several years prior to the erection of a church
building, services were held at the school house then standing on the site of
the edifice that was erected in 1846.

Among the pastors who served the congregation were the following :
Elders James Newhouse, G. M. Thompson, Wilson Thompson, John Sparks,
David Drummond, William Sparks, E. D. Thomas and Charles Reed.

This church, like many of the other country churches of Fayette county,
has had a long period of prosperity and usefulness. Within recent years
it has gradually declined vintil its membership is too small to employ a full-
time pastor. Services are still held at intervals.

PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH ON VILLAGE CREEK.

The Village Creek Baptist church (the Primitive branch) began its
existence as an organized body on July 24, 1824, with the following members:
Robert Gilky, Thomas Wolverton, William Denman, William Sparks, Phineas
McCra\-, Stephen Harlan, James \Vood, Sarah Gilky, Mary Denman, Mary
Sparks, Mary Harlan, Sarah McCray and Hannah McCray. The society
was organi;;ed at the home of Robert Gilky. For the next two years services
were conducted at the homes of the various members. The first church, a
small hewed-log building, was erected in 1826 and served as the place of wor-
ship until 1848, when it was replaced by a brick structure located about a
mile and a half southeast of Connersville, which was later replaced by the
present frame building. Among the regular resident pastors of the church
have been Elders Minor Thomas, George Harlan, William Sparks, Samuel
Harlan, Walter Benson and Charles Reed.

Although no regular services are now conducted, the congregation
still maintains its organization and the influence of the church is vital.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 421

One of the very early Baptist churches in the county was located in sec-
tion 20, Connersville township. No definite information can be gained as
to when it was organized or when it was abandoned. However, it is known
that the members belonged to the Primitive branch of Baptists. Among
the members were Samuel Martin, Ann Martin, Benjamin Booe and Philip
Hoyl.

CHRISTIAN CHURCHES.

The historv of the Christian church in Fa\-ette county dates from the
latter part of the twenties. The church in this county is what is scMiietimes
known as the "Campbellite" church, a designation formerly used to dififeren-
tiate it from another denomination claiming the right to the name "Chris-
tian," the latter being commonly called the "Newlight'" church. The New-
light branch never secured a foothold in Fayette county to such an extent
that its members were strong enough to organize a congregation of their
own.

The organization of the first Christian church in Fayette county may be
traced directly to John P. Thompson, a Baptist preacher, who came fr(^m
Bracken county, Kentucky, to Indiana, in 1822. He became the pastor of
the Baptist church at Little Flat Rock in Rush county and preached the
orthodox doctrines of his church until about 1828. The story of his conver-
sion to the doctrines of Alexander Campbell is an interesting chapter in the
religious history of Indiana.

In 1828 the teachings of Campbell, as set forth by eloquent Kentucky
preachers, particularly by the Rev. John Smith, reached the ears of young
Thompson in Rush county. The more he heard alxiut the new doctrine the
more interested he became, and finally he decided tri return to his old home
in Kentucky and investigate the new movement at first hand. He m;ifle the
trip in the summer of 1828 and the new doctrine appealed to him so strongly
that he became fully converted to it, and renounced the doctrines of the
Baptist church which he had been serving so faithfully.

Shortly after Thompson returned to his charge in Rush county he issued
a notice that there would be a meeting at the house of Elias Stone, a farmer
living near Fayetteville (then called Danville), on Sunday, October 5, 1828.
On that memorable day Thompson preached the first sermon in eastern Indi-
ana advocating the doctrines as set forth b\- Alexander Campbell. This meet-
ing was followed by a revival at his church at Flat Rock (in Rush county)
and in the course of a few weeks he had bajitized about one hundred persons.

422 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

It seems that most of the members of the various Baptist churches which
Thompson had previously organized were willing to follow him into the
new church. This was not accomplished, however, without considerable
dissension and, as a result, religious controversies were found everywhere
throughout this section of the state. Many churches became divided, and
schisms brought about which exist to this day.

Thompson naturally became the moving spirit in the organization of
all the Christian churches in this section of the state and, being a man of
unusual energy and ability, his efforts were attended with marked success.
The first formal organization in Fayette county was made at Fayetteville,
the church being established on July 4, 1829. About the same time he '
effected an organization at the home of Judge Webb, then living near Null-'
town, the members later erecting a house of worship at the village of Colum-
bia. Connersville followed with an organization in 1833: Bentonville, in
1836; Fairview (just across the line in Rush county), in 1843; Harrisburg,
in 1864, and Alpine, in 1898. An organization also was early effected at
Springersville. At the present time there are seven distinct societies of this
denomination in the county, located at Connersville, Harrisburg, Orange,
Springersville, Alpine, Bentonville and the church known as Sain's Creek,
located in the southeastern part of Orange township.

CONNERSVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

[The following history of the Christian church at Connersville was writ-
ten by Marguerite Thiebaud, assisted by Louisa Nelson, Balzora Schofield
and other members of the congregation. Miss Thiebaud spared no pains to
obtain the fullest possible data regarding the early history of the church, and
the history as she compiled it is here given. It was read before the congre-
gation on June 15, 1908. on the occasion of the diamond jubilee of the church.
The editor has brought the history of the church down to date. — The Editor.]

In the early part of the nineteenth century the little village of Connersville
was one of the most important trading posts in the White Water valley and
was made a stopping place by all travelers in the middle west. Thus the
inhabitants of this little settlement were, in a way, kept in touch with the
world at large. So it is not surprising that when the teachings of Alexander
Campbell were causing so much excitement in Kentucky and the neighboring
states that their influence should be felt even in Fayette county.

In the summer of 1832 Dr. Ryland T. Brown, a man of great intel-
lectual ability, a scientist of note, and later state geologist and still later a

' FAYETTE COL'NTY, INDIANA. 423

professor in Xorthwestem Christian College, at Indianapolis, settled in Con-
nersville, where he engaged in the practice of medicine. In August of the
same year Gabriel Ginn and his wife, Hannah, removed to the village from
the Webb neighborhood. As both of these families soon gained prominence
in the community, and as they had previously become interested in the Chris-
tian church, it was largely through their efforts that the first organization was
effected here. For some time these two families, together with a few others,
held meetings of prayer and devotion in the Ginn home, which is supposed
to have stood where the Big Four depot is now located.

In October. 1832. Elder John O'Kane stopped in Connersville on his
ivav to Milton and held services for several successive days in the court house.
These meetings resulted in several accessions to the little band. Again on
Christmas Day, O'Kane made the village a visit. By this time the country
was being aroused by the teachings of such men as O'Kane, John P. Thomp-
son and Gabriel C. McDuffee, and Christian churches had been established
at Fayettesville and Nulltown. This fact made the little company of Disciples
at Connersville all the more anxious to organize themselves into a church,
and at length this was brought about, in January, 1833.

LIST OF CH \RTEK MEMBER.S.

-About this time the little band of worshippers were joined by Elder
Jesse Holton and family, who had recently moved from Kentucky to a farm
a few miles north of town, thus bringing the charter niembers up to about
seventeen. Among these were Gabriel Ginn and wife. James McCann. Sr.,
and wife, Jesse Holton, wife and son, Alexander C. Holton and daughters.
Elizabeth and Mrs. Mary Helm, Daniel Morrison, Mrs. Jacob Vandergrift,
Rhoda McKinney, Mr. and Mrs. Paqua, Dr. R. T. Brown and wife and
Elijah West, a colored servant of the Holtons.

Shortly after the founding of the church Elder O'Kane renio\ed to
■ Connersville and had the distinction of being the first regular pastor.
Because of his wonderful strength and ability, as well as his vehement and
awe-ins])iring sermons, he was often known as the "Cyclone of the Reforma-
tion." During Elder O'Kane's residence here a religious paper under the
title of the Cliristiaii Caslccf was published in connection with the church.
It was a monthly paper of si.xteen pages, but was discontinued at the close
of the first volume (1834).

In those early days it was frequently necessary for the \illages which
were fortunate to secure the serxices of a minister, to permit him to hold

424 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

services in other portions of the country as weh, and so during Elder
O'Kane's pilgrimages of this sort, Elder Jesse Holton and Dr. R. T. Brown
served the church in a pastoral relation. Holton died in 1839 and ill health
compelled Dr. Brown to abandon the practice of medicine about the same
time.

For two years the society continued to meet in the court house and dur-
ing this period many noted men held services there. Prominent among
these was Dove H. Jamison, who is remembered by all who knew him as a
great and good man. It was during one of these meetings that Louisa Nel-
son united with the church and was baptized. At the same service in which
Miss Nelson came into the church. Martha Ginn, a girlhood friend of Miss
Nelson, was also baptized. Later she moved to the west and had not been
heard of until a few days ago when Miss Nelson recei^■ed word that her
friend, now Mrs. Dale, is still living and resides at Cedar Vale, Kansas.
The wife of Reverend Jamison is also living [1908] and is taking a promin-
ent part in the jubilee services which are being held in the Central Christian
church at Indianapolis today, [June 15, 1908].

CARRIED THE MESSAGE EAST.

Another noted preacher of this early period was John Longley, a small,
earnest man, who throughout his career, baptized more than three thousand
people. One Sunday morning while Reverend Longley was holding service
in Connersville, George Campbell, a young man from Connecticut, was
among the congregation, and to this youth from the East the principles of
primitive faith as taught by this religious body, were both new and impres-
sive. At the close of the sermon he stepped forth and confessed this new
faith, and on the following day he straightway set forth to prepare himself
for the ministry. Indeed, he was such a successful minister that even toda\'
the name of George Campbell is held in the utmost regard.

In the latter part of the year 1834 or the first part of 1835, Rev. S. K.
Hoshour, one of the greatest preachers the Christian church has ever known,
came to Connersville. He was one of the most highly educated men of
his time, and his elocjuent sermons, together with his impressive personality,
are remembered by many of the present congregation. Reverend Hoshour
livefl at Centerville, where he was engaged in teaching, and for fifteen years
he preached in Connersville once each month. Louisa Nelson remembered
distinctly his first sermon and recalled that his text was found in the eighth

FAYF.TTE COl'XTY. INDIANA. 425

chapter of Jeremiah. Re\erenil Hoshmir later tauglit in tlie Xorthwestern
Christian Univer.sity at In(Hanapolis.

VISITKI) liV FOUNDER OF CHURCH.

But perhap.s tlie interest and entliusiasm were ne\-er so great in Con-
nersville as when Alexander Campbell visited the local congregation in iS3_i.
Little is known of the events connected with his coming, beyond that he was
entertained, with forty other visitors, at the home of Sherman Schofield, a
man prominent i nthe early church organization.

At length the meeting place of the little ciMnpan\' nf men and women
who bore the name Christian was changed, and for some time serx'ices were
held in an upper room of the county seminary, which was situated where
the Fifth street school building now stands. The organization had gradually
gained both members and strength and at this time (the latter part of the
thirties) they determined to build a house of worship for themselves. Sher-
man Schofield donated a lot on the bluff of East Fifth street hill and pre-
])arations were immediately made for the erection of the building. The
contract was gi\en to Schutield and work was liegim as soon as possil)le.
Clark I'orter, the father of William and Robert I'orter, laid the brick for the
walls of the new edifice. Before the buikling was completed, h(.iwe\er,
Andrew Ringer, an e\-angelist of some note, came to Connersville to hold a
meeting. Ser\ices were begun in the seminary, but the crowds soon became
so great that it was necessary to find rooms elsewhere. As a result, benches
and boards were carried from the school to the unfinished church building,
and there, before the walls were completed or the windows even in place, the
meeting was successfully continued. At length the building was completed
and in January, 1S41, the little company of Christians entered their first
real teni]jle of worship.

l'^)r years the)' gathered here on each Lord's Da\- and in their peaceful
and unassuming manner worshipped their God. Many successful re\i\als
were held during the period that followed, the congregation being \isited by
the leading preachers of the middle west, among whom were George Camp-
bell, John Sweeny and the Pinkerton brothers from Kentucky. Joseph and
Benjamin Franklin were also frequent visitors to the church. Often when
things seemed depressing- and the people desired a change, the pastor would
summon someone whom everyone loved, to hold a few days' meeting, and
in .such times Rev. D. R. Van Buskirk was usuallv called.

426 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

In 1849 Henry R. Pritcharcl lield a successful meeting here, and from
that time often conducted services in this community. Because of his knowl-
edge of Bible subjects and his cheerful willingness to impart information,
he was called a "walking encyclopedia." Until his death he never ceased
in liis untiring efforts in behalf of the church.

NOTABLE SUNDAY SCIiOOI. REVIV.-\L.

Time passed swiftly and in the course of time few of those who endured
the early hardships were left, but their children were carrying forth the
work which these sterling pioneers had begun. About 1868 it became pos-
sible to take up the work in larger measures and a Sunday school re\-ival
took place. A large class of men who saw the need of Bible training was
organized with the pastor, Rev. S. R. Wilson, in charge, and soon the inter-
est became so intense that about two hundred members were enrolled. This
growth in the Sunday school caused the entire church to aspire to greater
things, with the result that in 1869 Rev. Knowles Shaw, a preacher and
singing evangelist, was secured to conduct a revival in .\ugust and Septem-
l)er. The meeting was one of the greatest ever held in Connersville.

.\gain in 1871 Louis Pinkerton and John Shackleford carried on a
re\-ival meeting which lasted ele\'en weeks, a meeting of almost phenomenal
character. In 1872 Rev. Black ^Viles, of Covington, conducted a revival of
great importance. By this time many new members had been added and a
.spirit of enthusiasm filled the congregation. The little building on the river
bank, which had ser\ed them for over thirt\- years as a place of worship,
was no longer sufficient for the needs of the enlarged congregation. At
this juncture the Old School and New School Presbyterians of Connersville
eiit'ected a consolidation and the Christian church purchased the building
occupied by the older branch of Presbyterians, the purchase being con-
cluded in July, 1872. The deed was signed b}' William Huston, Valen-
tine Leonard, Thomas M. Little, John Gilchrist, F. M. Roots, Edward F. Clay-
pool, \Villiam Pepper and ^\'. J. Hankins.

The Christians paid thirt\'-fi\-e hundred dollars for the building and at
once began extensive re])airs un it, finally expending about three thousand
dollars in overhauling the building and refurnishing it. In the meantime
they had sold their old building to the Second Methodist Episcopal church
of Connersvilk. The new house of worship was dedicated on June i, 1873,
by Rev. Isaac P'rrett, editor of the Christian Standard, of Cincinnati.

- FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 42/

From the organization of tlie church in 1833 until 1873. a period of
forty years, nine different pastors had served the cliurch. John O'Kane,
Thomas Coughley. Jacob Vail and Charles Evans were the early ministers.
but no records were kept of their services and it is impossible to give the
years of their respective tenures. Following Evans came Matthew R.
Henry, 1859-60: R. L. Howe, 1861-63: William Irwin, 1863-66; S. R. Wil-
son. 1866-71: William Irwin. 1871-73.

CONGREGATION STEADILV GAINS IN .STRENGTH.

For a number of years after the congregation had moved to the I'^ourth
Street building the church continued to develop gradually along larger lines
and to gain strength in so doing. During this period the Christian Womens
Board of Missions was organized, and with the Ladies Aid Society, proved
to be of lasting importance. The first evangelistic meeting held in the new
church was conducted liy J. C. Hobbs. while later other successful revivals
were held by J. H. O. Smith. J. V. Coombs, and Revs, b'owler, Doris and
Spicer. In the fall of 1888 Rev. Ira J. Chase, later governor of Indiana,
held a remarkable meeting here, which resulted in about fifty accessions,
which, at that time, was an unusualh- large number for a revival meeting.

In 1888 the church became imbued \\ith the spirit of progress and
decided to improve their house of worship* The building was again remod-
eled, decorated and rededicated by Rev. Sweeny, of Columbus, Indiana. The
years came and went, the church took an acti\-e part in all mo\ements of
the community which stood for better citizenshi]). and in e\ery way attempted
to fulfill the highest mission of the church. Little arose to disturb the even
tranquility of the congregation : various ministers who came to guide this band
of four hundred souls, soon learned to love them, and then were called to
other fields. Thus runs the history of all churches and the history of the
Christian church of Connersville is no exception to the rule.

The pastors of the church since 1873 have ser\ed in the folKnving order:
A. A. Knight, 1874-76: C. B. Watkins, 1876: T. M. Wiles, 1877-80; Rev-
erend Meade, 1880: C. A. Robinson. 1881-82: John A. Thomas, 1883-84;
W. W. Whitmer, 1885-86: J. H. Vinson. 1886-88: \\-. W. Stairs, 1888-90:
George E. Piatt, 1890-91: G. B. Vanarsdal, 1891-94: T. A. Hall, 1894-96:
Reverend Rice, 1897: George Darsie, 1897-1901 : J. C. Burkliardt. 1902-07:
Reverend Newcomer, 1907-12: L. E. Brown. December. i9[2-i7.

428 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

A NEW HOUSE OF WORSHIP.

One of the most important events in tlie history of the cliurch during
this ]3eriod was tlie founding of the Society of Christian Endeavor during
tiie nu'nistry of Re\erend Stairs (1S88-90). ^^'ithin twenty years after the
congregation went into their new home on Fourth street, it was very evident
that larger quarters were necessary. The question of a new building was
agitated during the pastorate of Reverend Darsie (1897-1901), but nothing
more was done at this time than to purchase a lot at the corner of Central
a\'enue and Eighth street, the lot costing the sum of fifty-three hundred dol-
lars. It was not, howe\-er. until 1903 that definite plans were completed
for the Iniilding of a house of worship on the new site. It was planned to
build a church which would satisfy all the demands of the congregation for
man\- years to come, and to this end it was proposed to construct a building
of greater proportions than the congregation at that time really needed.
The accepted plans of the architect and the subsequent successful bidder of
the contract contemplated a structure to cost about thirty-four thousand dol-
lars. This seemed like an almost pr(ihibiti\e amount, but those in charge
of the construction never faltered and went \'aliantly to work to raise the
money. Their first canvass resulted in donations of seventeen thousand dol-
lars, while on the day the church was dedicated (October 15, 1905) an
additional sixteen thousand dollars was ])ledged.

The dedicatory sermon was preached on Sunday, October 15, 1905, by
Dr. F. \[. Rains, of Cincinnati, before an audience that taxed the capacity
of the church. The building is a Gothic structure of brick and stone with
a tile roof and copper gutters. One of the most striking features of the
interior of the building is the series of Biblical scenes painted on the walls,
the work of an artist, B. F. Harris, of Union City, Indiana. The main part
of the Iniilding is finished in golden oak. the basement being finished in hard
pine. It has a fine pipe organ, Sunday school rooms, a beautiful baptistry,
dining room and all the appointments of a modern house of worship.

BENTONVILLE CHklSTIAN CHURCH.

The Christian church at Bentonville was organized about 1836, the first
organization being brought about by the efforts of Elder John O'Kane.
Among the charter members were George Van Buskirk and wife, Philip

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 429

Slirader and wife, 'i'rueman Munger and wife. Moses Ellis and wife, and
Richard Kolb and wife. Services were first held at the homes df nienil)ers,
but in 1840 a building- was erected, a frame structure, which stoDtl snuth of
Bentonville a short distance. Tiiis building was in use until 1SS4, when the
present building was erected at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars.
The ground, an acre and a half, was donated to the church b\- b)hn Gille-
land. and a cemetery was established adjoining the church. Among the early
ministers of the congregation were the following: John ()'!\ane, Elijah
Martindale, John Longley. b>hu llnnvn, Jacol) Daubenspeck, K. T. Urown,
Thomas Conley. \^^ G. Irvin, hdijah Goodwin and Lewis Wilsim.

The church maintains an active organization and regular ser\ices are
conducted by Rev. G. F. Power, of Falmouth, Indiana. The present mem-
bership is ninet}'. -\n acti\-e Sunday school of one hundred and ten mem-
bers is in charge of Frank Hackleman, as superintendent.

ALPINE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

The Christian church at .\l])ine came into existence in i8gS and has
maintained an organization since that year. There were a number of mem-
1)ers of the denomination in the community antl they secured the old frame
church erected by the Baptists in the fifties, the deed for the same being
made on November 29, 1898. The only surviving trustees of the old Fay-
ette Baptist church w'ere B. F. Conner and George M. Newhouse, and they
sold the building and lot to John K. Gray, William Seal and Euphrates L
Chance, trustees of the Christian church, on the date mentioned. The new-
congregation remodeled the building and has held regular services since it
was established. The present pastor is Reverend Burns, of Gw\nne\ille,
Indiana. The present membership is thirty. A Sunday school of twenty-
fi\e is in charge of John McGraw, as superintendent.

HARRISBURG CHRI.STIAN CHURCH.

The Christian church just east of the village of Harri.sburg originated
out of a series of religious meetings conducted at private homes and in the
school house at Harrisburg a few years before the Ci\il War, although there
was no formal organization until 1864. The organization is said to have
been efifected by Elder W. G. Irwin, there being thirty-two members in the
beginning. Among those who were identified with the church were \\'arner

430 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Broadclus and wife, Edwin Wilson and wife, Edward Higliam and wife,
Thomas Robinson and wife and \\'arren Drennen and wife. A neat and
commodious chnrch building', erected in the summer of 1871, was dedicated
in tlie fall of that year bv Elder Daniel Van Buskirk.

The church has always maintained an organization, although at times
small in number. Elder T. A. Hall, of Indianapolis, is the present pastor
and services are conducted twice each month. An active Sunday school is
luaintained in conjunction with the Baptists of this community. The present
membership of the congregation is twenty-four.

ORANGE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

The Christian church at Orange was formally organized by Elder John
F. Thompson on July 4, 1829. Soon afterward a small church building
was erected by "Elias B. Stone, mostly at his own expense. In 1851 another
building was erected, principally through the efforts of E. S. Frazee, who
preached for the congregation for a number of years. In 1875 the building
was remodeled into a substantial and commodious structure. Among the
early pastors of the church were William McPherson, John O'Kane, R. T.
Brown, George Campbell and Henry Pritchard.

In 191 3 the Christian church of Indiana divided the state into six dis-
tricts, and placed an evangelist in charge of each district. It was his duty
to visit all of the churches and endeavor to build up all of the weaker con-
gregations, the church at Orange being among these. The congregation
had grown smaller year by year for the past quarter of a century, and to
all intents had practically ceased holding regular meetings. Rev. C. E. Old-
ham, a nati\e of the county, the son of C. F. Oldham, of Springersville, was
secured to serve the church at Orange, beginning in January, 1914. He
was a graduate of Butler College, an accomplished musician and singer, as
well as an effecti\e pulpit orator. Under his leadership the church grew
from an inactive membership of nineteen to a flourishing congregation of
one hundred and thirty-two. During the course of a revival held in the
fall of 1 9 14 he added fifty-seven members to the church. There is also a
Sunday school of one hundred and fifty members which is doing active work
in behalf of the church. Roland Morris is the present superintendent. Rev-
erend Oldham resigned in January, 1917, to continue his education, and was
succeeded at that time by Reverend Francis.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

[NS CREEK CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

431

Tlie Sains Creek Cliristian clnircli is anotlier of tlie Christian churches
of the county which began a new lease of life in 1914. The building now
occupied In- the congregation stands in the soutlieastern corner of Orange
township, and was erected in the carl)- history of the county as a union
church. Several different denominations ha\e had charge of the building
at different times, the L nited Brethren having held regular services for a
number of years. It is not certain when the Christian denomination obtained
control of the building, but they ha\e had regular services in it since the
fall of 1 9 14.

The credit for putting the church on its feet is due Rev. G. I. Hoover,
who conducted a re\-ival in the old building in the summer of 1914. h'ol-
lowing the revival Rev. Moody Edwards, of Glenwood. took charge of the
church, and has been holding services regularly twice each month. The
congregation is contemplating the erection of a new building in the summer
of 1917.

SPRINGERSVILI.E CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

The Christian cb.urch at Sjjringersville is the outgrowth of a Union church
which made its appearance in the little village in the early history of the
county. The little building which stood in the graveyard was erected for
both church and school purposes, and continued to serve for both purposes
until 1856, when a separate building was erected for school purposes. The
first site was owned by William Dawson and later by Thomas Simpson, Jr.,
and it was the latter who donated the ground in the corner of the old cemetery
where the "little brown church," as it was called, was built.

It is not now known when the Christian denomination first secured con-
trol of the building, but it was 1>efore the Civil \Var. The early records of
the church are missing and it was not until 1880 that the church began to
keep the permanent records from which this history has been compiled. Appar-
ently the congregation had Ijecome very weak by 1880; at least the present
record states that the church was reorganized on the second Sunday in March,
1880. They still worshiped in the old building until 1883, when a lot was
purchased by David Fiant from Thomas Simpson and presented to the church
for a new building. The same year the present structure was erected, and
dedicated in the fall of the same vear.

432 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Upon the reorganization of the church in March, 1880, four members
were chosen as deacons: Henry C. Simpson, W. H. Dales, Francis Riggs, J.
M. Shepler. The man instrumental in the reorganization of the church was
T. M. Wiles. With the reorganization the first trustees were Francis Riggs,
S. H. Riggs, Frank Montgomery, Henry C. Simpson and W. H. Dales. Some
of the oldest and most prominent members at the time of reorganization were
as follow: Lewis Monger, Mary Ann Monger, Susan Riggs, Jennie Riggs,
Elizabeth Riggs, Pamelia Schreiver, Mary J. Riggs, Narcus Monger, Amanda
Dales, Sophronia Laflan, Huldah J. Montgomery, Henry C. Simpson, Jonathan
Brown, Angle Eshelman, Elizabeth Barnes, W. H. Dales, J. M. Shepler, Myra
Monger, Rosella Riggs, Addie Price, Iva Riggs, Nancy Riggs and F. M. Riggs.

In the spring of 1883 T. M. Wiles was chosen as pastor at a salary of two
hundred and ten dollars a year, and services were held once a month. It was
at this time that preparations were made to erect a new building and a lot
was purchased by means of a general subscription. Those who were instru-
mental in the erection of the building were the following: Susan Riggs,
Jennie Riggs, Mary Riggs, Francis Riggs, F. P. Montgomery, W. H. Dales, S.
H. Riggs. The church was dedicated in the fall of 1883. 'Among the minis-
ters who served the congregation shortly after the reorganization were Elders
T. M. Wiles, Eugene Scofield, Robert E. Hdwe.

Soon after the dedication of the new church a revival was begun which
resulted in the addition of more than fifty members to the congregation. The
church was occupied until 1898, when it became inadequate to the needs of
the times and was remodeled. A new Sunday school room was added and also
a baptistry. The chvirch now maintains an active Sunday school, a Ladies'
Aid Society and a Woman's Board of Missions. During the winter of 1914
a splendid revival was held by Elder G. Dungan, and about sixty additions
were made to the church. The present membership is one hundred and forty-
one and the pastor is Elder C. C. Dobson.

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP.

A society of the Christian church was organized by Rev. John D. Thomp-
son at the home of Judge Webb, along the river near NuUtown in 1829 or
1830. This organization in later years resulted in the formation of a society
at Columbia, which erected a building there. Among the families that were
identified with the church during the early period were the Johnsons, Michners,
Heizers, Thomases, Utters and Blakes. The church has long since been dis-
continued and the only church now in the \-illage is in charge of the Methodists.

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434 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.

The first Presbyterian church in Fayette county was organized in 1824
in Connersville and it remained the only church of this denomination for
many years. The denomination has never been numerous in the county, only
five congregations having been organized, and two of these were really off-
shoots of congregations already in existence. The Presbyterians, like so
many other Protestant denominations l^efore the Civil War, suffered from
internal dissensions which resulted in the division of congregations. Thus
there arose what were known as "Old School" and "New School'' Presby-
terians, a division that continued until 1869.

The early history of Presbyterianism in the White Water valley was
written by Rev. Ludlow D. Potter more than forty years ago and is here
given in full as far as it concerns Franklin and Fayette counties, the same
ministers preaching in both counties.

The first I're.sb.vteriun minister of wliose hiboi'S in tlais region (Wliite W'iiter valley)
we liave iiny record was Itev. Samuel Baldridge, who organized a society of seventeen
members at the house of John Allen, near Harrison (Dearborn county), where he
preached steadily until 1S14. From ISIO to IS14 he worked as an itinerant missionary
in the White Water valley, having various preaching places from Lawrencehurg to Dun-
lapsville (Union county). He ])reached at Brookville. at Robert Templeton's and at Robert
Hanua's (all three places in Franklin county). At that time there were several families
in Franklin county (which, at this time, included more than half of Fayette county)
who were adherents to the Presbyterian faith. Among these were Jlr. and Mrs. Bar-
bour from Ireland, .Tudge Arthur Dixon and wife and brother, Mr. Young. .John ^'incent
and wife, Robert Templeton and wife, the Knights and Mr. .lud Mr.s. William .McCleary.
All of these resided in town (Brookville) except Mr. Templeton. the parents of Jlrs.
Ryburn and one of the Dixons. The latter lived on the lUishville road at the foot of
Boundary Hill. He (Dixon) afterwards moved to a farm near Connersville and a few
years afterward united with the Methodist church.

Arthur Dixon was a blacksmith. He removed to Connersville in 1S2.3 and his wife
was one of the early members of the church organized there. After the removal of
Reverend Baldridge from Harrison, there was occasional preaching at Harrison, Brook-
ville. Somerset (now Laurel, in Franklin county), and ad.iacent places, by Iteverend
Robertson, of Kentucky. Rev. .lames Dickey, of Ohio, and others, for fonr or five years.
during which period .several other families had settled in the valley. From ISilO ro
^H25 efforts were made to gather these people into churches. This resulted in the organ-
ization of churches at Brookville (ISIS), Mount Carmel (1S20), Somerset (IS2.'!). Con-
nersville (1S24) and Bath (1825).

.\11 of these churches except the one established at Connersville were
within Franklin county.

There have been three Presbyterian churches organized in Conners-
ville and two in Orange township. The first one in the county seat dates

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 435

from 1824, the second one came into existence in 185 1, the two being amal-
gamated in 1869. The German Presbyterians in Connersville effected an
organization in 1871. The only other churches of this denomination were
organized in Orange township before the Civil War, one being the offshoot
of the other, and both have long since been discontinued.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHIRCH AT CONNERSVILLE.

In the year 1824 the Cincinnati Presbytery of the "old school" of the
Presbyterian church sent Rev. Daniel Hayden to Connersville to preach,
and, if practicable, to form a society. Reverend Hayden came to the village
on Saturday, October 22, and preached in the court house the following
day and then on Monday organized the society. A. \'an Vleet, Adam Smelt-
ser, and John Boyd were elected the ruling elders. h~or a numljer of vears
after the organization the society was without the services of a i)astor. but
were supplied from time to time by preachers sent out by the presbytery.
In 1833, the congregation built a church building on the lot later occupied
by the Caldwell block. The building was twenty-five by thirty-five feet in
size and was erected by Sherman Scofield. The church lot was deeded to
Adam Smelzer, David Ferree and Julius Whitmore, the trustees, by John
Williams. This edifice served as a place of worship until about 1845, when
the trustees sold the propert\- to George I-'ryliarger and ]nirchased the site
owned by Abraham B. Conwell. This deed was made on April 14, 1845.

The first regular pastor of the church of which there is anv record was
Rev. J. M. Stone, who served the congregation for a number of years, at
the end of which time his connection with them was dissolved and be was
succeeded by Rev. Charles Sturdevant, who remained as pastor of the church
until 1845. when he was succeeded by Rev. William Pelan, who was the
pastor for twenty years, preaching his farewell sermon on June i, 1868.
The Rev. William Pelan was more extensively known throughout the valley
than any other minister of that denomination, and was a popular man with
the mas.ses, in and out of the- church.

In the autumn of 1868 Rev. H. M. Shockley was appointed to take up
the work in this place and he served the congregation for a period of one
year. In 1870 the pulpit was supplied by Rev. John H. Link, of the Kvangeli-
cal Lutheran church of Connersville.

In 1 85 1, the Hamilton Presbytery authorized Rev. Daniel Tennv,
of Oxford, to organize a "new school" church at Connersville. Accordinglv.
on August 16. 1851, the organization was affected in Temperance Hall,

436 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

James McCann and F. M. Roots being then chosen as elders. For a time
this church was supphed with ministers by order of their presbytery.

The following ministers have served this branch, known as the Second
Presbyterian church, in the order named: Rev. J. Steward, two years;
Rev. James Brownlee, two years; Rev. Eli B. Smith, two years. It was
during the latter's pastorate, September 3, 1855, that the new church build-
ing was dedicated. Reverend Smith was succeeded by Rev. B. F. Morris
who served the congregation two years. He was followed by Rev. Daniel
Bassett, and the latter by Rev. A. D. Jemison. Next came Rev. Alexander
Parker, who served the pastorate from June 3, 1866, until October 24, 1870.

On Noveml>er 14, 1869, the two schools of the Presbyterian church in
the United States were united and on the 24th of the following October
the First Presbyterian church and the Second Presbyterian church of Con-
nersville became one church with one hundred and ninety-one members. On
April 6, 1871, the building of the Second church was chosen by vote as the
future place of worship. The building was repaired in 1876 and was
reopened on Sunday, August 27, 1876, with a sermon by Doctor Cooper,
of Covington, Kentucky.

The pastors who have served the congregation since the union of the
two congregations include the following: Rev. G. O. Little, January, 1871,
to August, 1873; Rev. H. H. Budge. October, 1873, to August, 1874; Rev.
H. W. Woods, March, 1875, to January, 1877; Rev. A. C. Junkin, October,
1877, to October, 1883: Rev. T. H. Hench, February, 1884, to October,
1894; Rev. Charles H. Little, January, 1895, to March, 1898; Rev. H.
Mount, June, 1898, to August, 1903; Rev. George C. Lamb, November, 1903,
to December, 1909; Rev. W. H. Clark, February, 1910, to 1914, and the
Rev. W. D. Lewis, June, 19 14, to the present time. The present member-
ship is three hundred and fifteen.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES OF ORANGE TOWNSHIP.

The first Presbyterian church in Orange township was organized 'm
the twenties, but owing to the loss of the church records the history of the
church is very obscure. Some of the first settlers of the township were of
this faith and they appear to have held services at more or less regular
intervals for some years before they had a building. A lot for church and
cemetery purjwses was donated by Samuel Hornaday (in section 3, adjoin-
ing the Rush county line), and a building was erected thereon. The build-
ing was several years in the process of construction, its completion evidently

FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 437

being delayed on account of the schism in the Presbyterian coninninion in
1833. Among the first members of the church were the Russells, Dills,
Craigs and others of the immediate neighborhood.

The first congregation, as has been stated, started the erection of a
building, but it was not fully finished until 1848 or 1849. When the divi-
sion in the church occurred in 1833, those adhering to the faith of the "old
school" withdrew, and built another house of worship about a half mile
south of the parent church. This second building seems to have been com-
pleted about a year after the building started several years previously had
])een finally completed. The seceders included the families of John Alexander,
Mr. Reed, Mr. Gowdy, Robert and Martin Gamble, the Hustons and others.

The membership of the chqrches was not sufficiently large to employ a
regular pastor and both branches had what were known as "supply" pastors.
For several years prior to the Civil War Rev. Josiah Dodds had charge of
the "old school" branch, and afterwards, the Reverend Robb, the Reverend
Johnson and the Reverend McClerkin served the congregation. The "new
school" branch was served by Rev. Andrew Heron during the decade prior
to the Civil War, and from about i860 until the building was burned in
1 88 1, it had only "supplies." Even before the time of the destruction of
their building by fire, however, the congregation had l>een holding most of
their services at Glenwood, and after the fire the congregation continued to
meet" there, not rebuilding on the old site. The congregation has been dis-
banded for several years.

GERMAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Nearly a half century ago the German population of Connersville
increased to such an extent that some of the spiritual minded workers advo-
cated the idea of organizing a German Presbyterian church. Roth the
Reformed and Lutheran advocates favored such a move and began to invite
neighboring German ministers to hold divine services, which were held in the
Presbyterian church building. This movement developed into a church
organization, which was effected through the instrumentalitv of the Rev.
I'Vancis 1". Freidgen, who was called from the German church at Shelbvville,
Indiana, and on ■March 7, 1871, organized the First German Presbyterian
church of Connersville. Twenty-four memliers were included in the charter
membership and these, through their trustees, filed articles of incorporation
on June 22, 1871. .According to the laws and usages of th^ Presb\terian

438 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

church three elders were elected on May 7, 1871, in the persons of John A.
Gartlein, Herman Schroeder and Conrad Weitzel.

The pastorate of the Rev. Francis F. Freidgen continued for fourteen
years and was blessed spiritually and in number, receiving one hundred and
forty-six members during his ministry. Upon his resignation, the Rev.
Daniel Voltz was called, July 28, 1885, and the latter was instrumental in
making many needed improvements about the church building. Rev. A. M.
Lewis supplied the pulpit from the time Reverend Voltz resigned, in 1889,
to 1 89 1, at which time Rev. Jacob Hummel, the evangelist, was called and
served until 1893 and then was succeeded by Rev. Edward A. Elf eld, of
Portsmouth, Ohio. During the latter's ministry of seven years many acces-
sions were made to the church and a local branch of the Christian Endeavor
Society was organized. On May 18, 1901, Rev. Julius F. Schwartz was
called, after graduating from the German Presbyterian Theological School
of Dubuque, Iowa. He served the congregation about fifteen years and
was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. A. F. Staiger.

The congregation, after having leased cjuarters for one year decided
to procure a church home of their own. The Methodist church had increased
in membership to such an extent that it became necessary for them to secure
a more spacious house of worship and they offered their property for the
consideration of two thousand six hundred and fifty dollars. On April 29,
1872, the trustees accepted the offer and paid one thousand dollars cash
and the remainder in two years. This edifice is situated on Fourth street.
About 1886 a number of changes and improvements were made in and about
the building. Two entrance ways were closed and one main approach lead-
ing into the main assembly room was built. The total cost of the alterations
and additions was seven hundred and ten dollars. The building was again
remodeled in 191 1 at a cost of one thousand six hundred dollars.

The congregation owns a beautiful and spacious nine-room parsonage,
which was erected on a lot adjoining the church and completed in August,
1896. The manse was erected at a cost of one thousand six hundred dollars
and was paid for soon after completion. The present valuation of the entire
property exceeds five thousand dollars.

The church maintains an active Sunday school, a Loyal League and a
Ladies' Aid Society. The present membership of the congregation is one
hundred and thirtv-six.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 439

UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH, WATERLOO.

The United Brethren church at the old village of Waterloo has been
out of existence for just about half a century, so long ago that few people
are now able to recall that such a church ever actually existed. The best
account of this once flourishing congregation has been furnished In- \\'illiani
Dungan, of Connersville, a member of the church during its early career.
There was a small cemetery at the north edge of the town and in this some
of the citizens of the village and surrounding community started to erect
a house of worship about 1852. After the frame had been raised it was
decided to remove the building to a site within the village, so the frame was
taken down and reconstructed on the new site. The building was completed
l)ef(ire the end of the year 1852 and opened for services.

The records of the church have disappeared along with the church and
its members. As far as is now known the only charter member still living
is James Henry. Other early, if not charter members, were Jacob Heider,
Marshall Hurst, Doctor Gillum, Doctor Rose and Mrs. William Forrey.
Thomas Price was one of the first preachers of the church. In 1855 occurred
a famous revival under the direction of' Rev. William Nichols, during which
about one hundred members were added to the congregation. Among this
number was William Dungan, then a boy of thirteen years of age, and the
authority for this account of the church. The church prospered for at least
ten years, but the Civil AVar came on and most of the members were lost by
the end of that struggle. In fact, by the close of that struggle there were
not enough members left to keep the church in existence, and the building
itself seems to have been torn down in 1866 or 1867. Mr. Dungan says
that it was torn down board by board, timber by timber, its various parts
being used for kindling-wood by the villagers. Thus passed away the first
and only church the village ever had and now nothing but the memory of
the once flourishing band of worshippers is left to posterity. When the
church was in its prime it had the largest Sunday school in the count\\

PALESTINE UNITED BRETHREN.

Along the south fork of Bear Creek in Jackson township there once
lived a numl)er of families who were adherents of the United Brethren
church. For many years services were held in a neighboring school house.
In 1872 or 1873 a small building was erected and used as long as -the con-

440 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

reg-ation was in existence. The families who were prominent were the
Lakes, Reeds, Wrights and Sherwoods. That old church building is now
owned by the Lakes and is used as a tobacco warehouse.

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP UNITED BRETHREN.

During the early fifties a United Brethren Society was organized in
the southwestern part of Columbia township and about 1855 a church build-
ing was erected near the creek in section 30. Reverend Shumway organized
the society and was the minister for several years. Rev. John Morgan and
Rev. Alexander Carroll were also ministers of the congregation. Among
the early members were the Stephens, Wilson and Cushner families.

THE CHURCH IN ORANGE TOWNSHIP.

Located on the land of Alexander Matney in Orange township and only
a short distance from the Methodist church erected about 1837 was another
church building erected by general subscription and used as a place of wor-
ship for all denominations. It is probable that the church was built between
1820 and 1830. Beginning with 1874 the United Brethren congregation,
organized by Rev. Alexander Carroll, were the principal users of the edifice.
The building is now used by the Christian church and services are held twice
each month.

LUTHERAN CHURCHES.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church at Lyonsville dates from about
1 85 1, at which time the following members organized a separate congregation :
Jacob John, Solomon H. John, Jacob John, Jr., Daniel John, Benjamin John,
Abraham John, Sr., John Scholl, William Scholl, Jacob Riebsomer, Charles
Riebsomer, Isaac Brown, William Roth, Christian Isenhoser, Margaret
Scholl, Nancy Scholl, Elizabeth Scholl, Sarah E. Scholl, Jane Scholl, Mary
A. Titterington, Hester Scholl. Mrs. William Rady, Rcl)ecca Riebsomer, Mrs.
Brown, Anna M. Roth, Satrona Isenhoser, Elizabeth Heinbach, John Small-
wood, Samuel Smallwood, Daniel Gise, Thomas Huston, Robert Scarlet,
Michael Brown, David Scholl, Sarah Heinbach, Margaret Smallwood, Mary
Huston, Amanda Smallwood, Mary Brown. Eva Brown, Matilda Gise and
Hester Huston.

The congregation worshipped in the homes of its members until a build-

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 44I

ing was erected and ready for occupancy. A frame Iniikling was erected in
1853 about one-quarter mile south of Lyonsville and was dedicated on
October i6, of that year, by the Reverend Riser, of Dayton, Ohio. The
congregation has maintained regular services from the time of its organi-
zation down to the present time.

The church building was rebuilt during the pastorate of Rev. J. L.
Guard. Following is a hst of pastors since 1853: J. B. Oliver, S. Weills,
F. W. Keller, M. L. Kunklemon, J. H. Link, Jacob Keller, J. M. Hughes,
Daniel Scholl, C. S. Spencer, S. B. Hymen, J. A. West, J. L. Guard, D. P.
Heltzer, R. A. Halverstadt, E. P. Young, G. E. Harsh, D. P. Heltzel, W. J.
Dentler and H. E. Turney, the present pastor. Reverend Turney has just
finished in the church college at Springfield, Ohio, and after acting as the
supplv of the church during his preparation has now become the regular
pastor. Services are held twice each month. The present membership is
sixty-three.

The church maintains an active Sunday school with an average
attendance of sixty. Emery A. Scholl is the superintendent. Other auxiliaries
are a Luther League with a membership of thirty, a Mission Board of ten
members; and a Woman's Home and Foreign ]\Iissionary Society of .fifteen
members.

CNUON E\-.\NGEI.ICAL CHIRCH.

The I'nion E\-angelical church in Jackson townsliip (section 12) was
organized in October, 1864. with seven members. As early as 1S33 Rev. J.
P>. 01i\er, then pastor of St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church at Lyons-
ville, began preaching to a few scattered Lutherans in the township and
services were continued under his successors, the names of whom may be
seen under the history of the St. Paul church. It was during the ministry of
F. W. Keller that the church Iniikling was erected in 1864 and the name
given to the congregation in accordance with the terms of suliscription. The
building was erected liy Charles ^^'. Elliott, the father of R. X. 'Elliott, an
attorney of Connersville Tiie most prosperous time of the church's exist-
ence seems to have been immediately after the organization, for the records
show a gradual decline by deaths and removals from that time on. In 191 7
James G. Smallwood was reported as the only member of the church left.
There have been no regular serxices in the churcli for at least a quarter of
a century.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

{ELAND UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.

The Ireland Uni\-ersalist church, located in the northwestern quarter of
section 35, Jackson township, was organized in the Ireland school house in
November, 1868, b_v Rev. M. G. Mitchell, of Abington, Indiana. The
charter members were the following: Milton Trusler, M. Annie Trusler,
Laura J. Trusler, James and Emma Sims, John Rigor, Ada Smith, Thomas
and Eli-zabeth Curry, Elnora Taylor, Ebenezer Glenn, James and May Smith.
The- first trustees were Milton Trusler, James Smith and Thomas Curry .-
Church services were held in the school house and in homes until 1871, when
a frame edifice was built, the same being' dedicated on August 13, 1871.
Among- the pastors who have served the congregation may be mentioned the
following: M. G. Mitchell, J. B. Grandy, rTank Evans, W. S. Bacon, W.
C. Brooks. R. N. John, William Tucker, May T. Clark, H. A. Merrell and
the Re\-erends Case, Crossly, Cantwell, Biddlecome and McLean. Re\-erend
Becker, of Kokomo, now has charge of the church.

Among the leaders of the church for many years was the late Milton
1'rusler, the farmer who has the credit for originating the idea of rural free
delixery. It was the custom of Mr. Trusler to invite the entire congrega-
tion to take dinner with him on the Sundays when regular church services
were held, and it was not uncommon for a large number of the members
to accept his hospitality.

.\ very unique feature of the administration of this church was — and is
— the fact the minister is paid each Sunday for his services before he leaves
the building. This is the only congregation in the county that pays "spot"
cash for services rendered, and this fact may account for the fact the church
has been able to maintain itself, while so many of the other rural churches
in the county are finding themselves unable to continue their services.

UNIVERSALIST CHURCH AT EVERTON.

In about the year 1844 a brick church was erected at Everton by popu-
lar subscription, among the contributors being Elisha Cockefair, J. N. Bon-
ham, James Smith, Azariah Beckett, R. N. Taylor, Alexander Cockefair,
John Rigor, Mordacai Miller, David Taylor, Ezra Bonham, and William
Rigsby. The church was built by all denominations and was used as such
during its existence. The doctrine of Universalism was very strong at one

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 443

time in this section and the adiierents of tliat faith used the ehiuvh more
than any utiier. Reverend Tlrooks and l\e\erend Kayinr were amont; the
earner ministers of tiie I'niversahst doctrine wlm officiated in this huilchns;-.
Tiie church ceased to exist as an organization during- the early nineties.
The cliurch fniilding- remained stanchnj;- until 1903.

I.ONGWOOD L'NIVERSALIST.S.

One of tlie early religious societies in the county was that of the I'ni-
versalists in the vicinity of Long-wood. John Philpott, Jr.. entered land on
what later became the John Ludlow farm and built a church house in 1S4J.
Although the people were of the I'niversalist faith, the church was dedi-
cated bv a Methodi.st mini'^ter by the name of Stone. Among the pioneer
ministers were James Smith. Peter Wiles, Arthur Miller, George Campbell
and Jacob Daubenspeck. The church organization has long been dormant
and must he classed among the man_\- discontinued churches of the county.

SEVENTII-n.\Y .\UVKNTIST.S, CONNERSVILLE.

The Seventh-Day Adventist church at Connersville, the first and only
one of that denomination in the county, began its formal existence on Sep-
tember I, 1900, with the following charter members: W. W. Hunt, Allie
R. Hunt, Isabelle C. Hunt, Amanda Foster, L. A. McDaniel, Anna M. Kess-
ler, Dollie Deaton. Anna M. Hunt. Lola M. Gray, Nellie Sparks, Anna D.
Sparks, Blanch Gray and Leota Burke. The year following the organiza-
tion a modern church building was erected on the corner of Thirteenth
street and Indiana a\enue. The elders of the church from the beginning
include the following: R. H. Sparks, George R. L'nderwood, W. W. Hunt,
J. H. Neihaus, W. ^^'. ^^'orster, Benjamin F. Harrison and 1'. Z. Kinne.
The pastors of the church are itinerant. The congregation has nearly
doubled since its organization, the membership at the present time being
twenty-four.

SEVENTH-n.X'S' AD\'EXTISTS .\T GEENWOOP.

There appears to have been a Seventh-Day Adventist church in Glen-
wootl at one time, but the organization was abandoned several years ago and
it has been impossible to get any definite records concerning its career.

444 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

POPLAR RIDGE FRIENDS CHURCH.

One of the many churclies of tlie county which disappeared before the
Civil War was organized by the .Society of Friends in the eastern part of
Jackson township about j8i8 or 1819. Tiieir first and only building was
a log' structure which stood about two miles east of Everton in section 2t,.
Owing to the complete absence of all records of the church as well as the
death of all the members it has been impossible to secure definite information
concerning the church. The building itself seems to have been moved from
its first site some time before the Civil War to a new location not far from
the Cockefair woolen mill and repaired for use as a dwelling, but it had
not been used as a house of worship for some years prior to that time. Mr.
Cockefair inten.ded to preserve it for future generations as a relic, as he
expressed to his friends, but he died (October 25, 1912,) before he put his
plan into execution. Since that time the building has gradually fallen into
decay and now only a few logs are left of the once humble house of worship.

The old site will be forever marked because of a large granite boulder
which stands a few hundred yards north of the church. This interesting
reminder of the glacial age bears on one site the following inscription:

Wright

Jacob Wright

Isaac Wright

Jesse D. Ward

Jesse Cook

Stoci discant ut Amici hie Convinciebant

1838

W'ho these five men were, what they did to cause someone to raise such
a stone to their memory, whether they are all buried beneath it: these are
questions that the historian has not been able to unravel. It is even possible
that they were not members of the church, but it is generally supposed that
the\- were. The stone itself is as silent and uncommunicative as the ancient
sphinx ami the historian leaA-es it to the writer of romance as a fitting sub-
ject for his imagination.

The church was organized at first as both an "established" and a "pre-
parati\e" meeting-. Among the early ministers were Susannah Hollings-
wortli, \\'illiam Haughton and Rebecca and Sylvanus Talbert. The names
of the members of this church have disappeared along with the log church

FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 445

in which they held their silent worship. This is the only church of this
denomination ever established in l-'ayette county.

TRINITY EPI.SCOPAL Clil'RCH.

Services were commenced in Trinity Episcopal parisii at Connersville
under the charge of Rev. William Miller. November 3. 1850, the town hall
being used for the purpose. The organization of the parish was accom-
plished on May 24, 1852. A chapel building, forty by twenty-two feet, was
erected in 1855 and the first services in it were conducted by Bishop Upfold
on April 15, 1855.

On November 17. 1856, the cornerstone of the new edifice, situated on
the southeast comer of Eastern avenue and Sixth street, was laid by Bishop
Upfold with appropriate religious exercises, the stone being laid in the name
of the Holy Trinity. L'pon the site of the building the bishop and clergy
read the one hundred and twenty-second Psalm and a number of articles
enclosed in a leaden box were placed in the cornerstone by the rector. The
'edifice was completed and consecrated on November i, 1859, by Rt. Rev.
George Uphold. This church was built mainly through the untiring efforts
of Mrs. Mary S. Helm. Reverend Miller continued his ser\ices with the
congregation for about a year and was succeeded by Rev. J. W. Stewart who
served for a period of about six years, closing his work in 1861. The
advent of the Ci\il War meant a great loss to the parish and from i860
to 1867, the church was closed most of the time and no records are at hand
to show the condition of affairs during that period. However, it is known
that missionaries came from Indianapolis and Richmond during the period
mentioned and held ser\-ices with more or less regularity. In 1867 regular
services were resumed and up to 1890 fourteen clergymen ser\-ed the ])arish,
their respective terms of serxice varying from three months tt) one year.
Among the pastors who were connected with the parish during that period
were J. W. Hibben. J. S. Harri.son, Jesse R. Bicknell. J. Clausen and T.
Test. In 1890. Re\-. Willis D. Engle was a])]3ointed deacon in charge and
served the parish until in June, 1894, he being succeeded liy Re\-. V. J. Col-
lins, through whose influence a beautiful font, a lectern and a ])ulpit of
nuartered-oak were received from a church in Chicago. Reverend Collins
remained only a few months and was succeeded by the following in the
order mentioned: Rev. J. Sanders, Rev. James Stafford. Dr. .\. Kinney
Hall. Rev. William Crossman Otte. Rev. E. C. Bradlev. Rev. B. R. Butler,

446 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Rev. Rush Sloaiie, Kev. \V. R. Plunimer, Doctor Guilligin and Rev. W. D.
Engle, tlie present pastor, a resident of Indianapolis, who preaches to the
congregation on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. The mem-
bership of the parish includes thirty communicants.

From an architectural point of \'ie\v Trinity church is second to none
in the diocese. In the church are many memorials of more than usual
iiTterest, donated by members and friends, many of whom are now dead,
among these memorials being an antique altar in memory of Alice Evans,
a brass altar cross in memory of Daniel and Sarah Hawkins, a polished
candelabra in memory of Alice H. Seradino and C. Huber, and a beautiful
processional cross presented in memory of the Batamans, whose marriage
was the first Episcopal wedding in Connersville. The first marriage in the
church was that of Dr. Thomas Hall McCorkee and Susanna Rowan Enyart
on October 6, 1874.

CHURCH OF CHRIST (SCIENTIST).

The first meeting held by adherents of the Christian Science faith was
at the home of Charles Bucher on Eastern avenue, January 26, 1902. The
first public service was held in the rooms now occupied in the Odd Fellows,
July 6, 1902, and was attended by the following: A. T. Todd, Mrs. A. T.
Todd, Omole Todd, Olin Todd, Charles P. Bucher, Mrs. Charles P. Bucher,
Gertrude R. Bucher, Charles Brown, Mrs. Anna Brown, Norman Brown and
Susan Conwell. Services were held there until March 4, 1903, when, on
account of reduced numbers due to natural causes, the little band retired to
the home of Charles P. Bucher. At that time the membership was com-
posed of Charles P. Bucher and wife, Gertrude Bucher, Susan Conwell and
Mrs. Anna Brown. Due to the persistent efforts of Mrs. Charles P. Bucher
the spirit of the society was kept alive and in due season she was to be
rewarded by seeing the society grow into a permanent organization. Ser-
vices were held in the front room of the Bucher home until the quarters
became so crowded that a 'public ]5lace had to be acffuired. This circum-
stance led to a ])ermanent church organization effected in the rooms of the
Odd Fellow building. May 5, 1914.

During the time the society was first meeting in the Odd Fellow build-
ing A. T. Todd was first reader, Mrs. Charles P. Bucher, second reader, and
Charles P. Bucher, secretary-treasurer. After retiring to the Bucher home
William E. Lowe became first reader and Mrs. Charles P. Bucher, second
reader. At the present time Charles P. Bucher is president; William E.
Lowe, first reader; Mrs. Milton Shade, second reader. The first instance

FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 44/

of healing through the exercise of the doctrines of this cuU in Cunnersv ille
was in the case of the niotlier of Mrs. .\nna lirown.

Services are held regularly c\cry Sunda\- and Wednesday evening in
tiie roouis that have always been occupied in the CXld h'cllow liuilding. .\s
the Sunday school is limited (inl\' to the children, it is neccssariU- small.
The membership of the congregation numliers ahcnit twenty-eight and the
prospects for the future are bright.

PENTECOST.VL CHl-RCII 01-' THE N.VZARENE.

The Pentecostal church of the Xazarene at Connersxille began its exist-
ence on April 15, igon. with a membership of twenty-hve. Rev. Ora A.
Overhol.ser was the first pastor and served one year. He was succeeded by
■Rev. B. B. Sapp. who ser\-ed the congregation for a period of four years.
He in turn was followed by Rev. R. R. Still and the latter by the Re\-. O. E.
Enos, each of whom was in charge of the congregation for one year. Re\'.
K. C. AlcCollum is the present pastor and has under his care a congregation
composed of fifty members. The congregation occupies the church built by
the congregation of the Christian church in 1S72, but which was purchased
by the Nazarene church in 1909. This church hears the distinction of being
the only one of its kind in the county.

COLORED BAPTISTS.

The -Mt. Ziou Bajnist church (colored), located on West Fifteenth
street, was organized on March Jd. [(SS8, with the following charter mem-
bers: Eliza Johnson, Julia Harris, Jacol) Collins, Joel Cassman, Alice West,
Mame Marshall and \\'illiam Huey. The society was organized at a meet-
ing held in the city hall and continued to meet there periodically during the
next three )ears. In 1891 the congregation erected an edifice at a cost of
two thousand fixe hundred flollars. Ten pastors ha\-e served the congrega-
tion. i\e\ . 1\. 1). Leonard is the i)resent ])astor. The membership is quite
active and growing and at the lieginning of Kjij numbered one hundred
and thirty.

AFRICAN METHODIST KI'ISCOI' AI. CHURCH.

About 1844 oi' i<^4.T the c(jlored people of tiie Methodist faith began
to meet quite often in whatever quarters could be obtained for religious
worship. In subsequent years an organization was perfected and a small

448 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

frame church was erected which was occupied until 1872, when the brick
house of worsliip was purchased from the Cliristian congregation for two
thousand five hundred dollars. This was the property of the regular Meth-
odists.

In comparatively recent years a number of the congregation of the
regular colored Methodist Episcopal church organized the African Methodist
Episcopal church and maintain a church house on Water street, near the
parent organization. .Among the first members of the church were Mrs.
Margaret Turner, George Mitchell, Mrs. Dolly Wilson, James Freeman and
wife, James Franklin and wife and Mrs. Powell. Some of the first ministers
who preached to the congregation were Reverend Davis, Reverend Woodfork,
Rev. Daniel Winslow, Rev. John Myers, Rev. John Payne and Rev. Charles
Jones. Regular services are conducted and several au.xiliaries serve the
church.

CATHOLICITY IN F.WETTE COUNTY.
Sketih of St. Galii-iels Parish, b.v J. L. Heiiieniiiini.

Under the patronage of Saint Gabriel the archangel, arose' the first
church for Catholics within the confines of Fayette county.

That event will be noted in detail later on, but there is a prelude that
is not without interest, to which first a few lines should be devoted. It has
to do with primitive times. Of the first pioneers, a limited number were
evidently of Catholic antecedents. This fact is shown by traces of character
and their family connections. Their names, U^calities whence thev came,
certain little preferences of which they were known to be possessed are all
lesser parts of the general grouping of tradition, which, in the aggregate, has
an assembly of derelict faith worth noting'.

French traders traversed this neighborhood for several years, and no
doubt lost something of their civilization and perhaps most of their religion
during their tra\'els. Their immediate successor, and previously their com-
panion and brother in the craft of woodsmanship — John Conner — received
his schooling, without doubt, at the hands of Catholic priests, at Detroit.
His parents lie in graves marked with a cross, the .symbol of the resurrection.
And as a brother lived in the faith, and bestowed it upon his family, the
connection with the olden faith, e\-en in the case of John Conner, is not
remote. Thomas Hinkston entered land here in 181 1 and again in 1814,
upon which he lived till his death in 1850. He was born in County Cavan,
Ireland, in 1773. \\'hatever turn his religious practices took at times, it is
well known that, with his accustomed brogue, he fondly sang the praises
of his nati\e land, from which he derived a superior education and which

OLD ST. GABRIEL'S CATHOLIC CHIRCH.

From a Peucil Sketch made by Theodore P. Heinemann in 1870.

Built in 1851 to 1853 on the south part of the double lots below Eleventh Street, facing

Eastern Avenue. Discontinued for use as a Church in 1884.

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PRESENT ST. GABRIELS,
Ninth Street, near Western Avenue. Built, 1881-84.

TAYETTE COT'NTY, INDIANA. 440

brought him distinction amid his rustic surroundings. He was one of the
first land sur\-eyors of I-'ayette county. As to the Irisli .sclioohnaster, he
was very much in evidence. Cliarles Donavan was among the first of Con-
nersville's teachers. Thomas O' Brian had a similar standing in the Ever-
ton neighborliood : and the famous school teacher of the Waterloo neigh-
borhood is enshrined in tradition as "an Irishman by the name of Gray."
At Bentonville it is "Kelly", and Harrisburg does nearly as well by having
William McKemmy. There are eleven names which are unmistakably Irish
in the land entries prior to 1815 and perhaps an equal number which are
identified in other ways with Fayette county's history during the few years
next following. Although facts are meager which establish for them any
connection with the Catholic faith, yet, considered as subjects for mission-
ary efifort, the kind to which reference was made when the Shepherd is
spoken of as leaving the ninety-nine sheep to go look for the one which is
lost, it is hard to belie\e tliat a priest's visit among them would have failed
to find a working basis and latent faith.

EARLY CATHOLIC INFLUENCES.

In 1819 Owen .McCarty. from Hagerstow'n. Maryland, settled with liis
wife in land a few miles south of Connersville. A son, Otho McCarty, with
a widowed mother, lived long enough to participate in the passing of sev-
eral phases of St. Gabriel's history, and consequently they are well known
as early Catholic settlers. John B. Tate came to Connersville about 1830
and was early identified with the village activities. He was connected in a
variety of ways with its business life, and was employed for clerical work
at the court house. In 1843 he was one of the teachers at the seminary, the
present Fifth street school, and in 1856 held the postmastership of Con-
nersville. In the period of 1830 to 1840, John B. Tate would be quickly
pointed out as a Catholic to anyone inquiring for such. The reason is that
his profession of faith was open and frank. In consequence of this fact
many villagers of those days noted their acquaintance with him as that of
the first Catholic 'within the circle of their associates.

By the time the forties of the last century came into being, two events
transpired which had an important bearing upon the progress of Catholicity.
The first was the creating of Vincennes, Indiana, into a Catholic bishopric,
in 1836, which resulted in missionary priests finding their way to the neigh-
borhood ; and the second event was the influx of laborers who came with the
building of the canal. Although the scenes were shifting, thev still are to be
(29)

450 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

recognized as making an epoch wherein a something can be found which
previously did not exist. New Hfe was in the making in those days of
improvements and many .potent factors were added to the sum of Fayette
county's , forces of material and spiritual progress; and naturally in the .sum-
ming-up, Catholics appear. in their wonted proportion. How glad the first
visit of a priest made them, can be fancied, but for want of definite, data
cannot be described in these pages.

The follo\\ing is a complete list .of Catholic priests, who, from their
nearby locations, may have touched Connersville and vicinity during their
travels and. ministrations : •

Rev. Joseph Ferneding, New Alsace, 1833-43.

Rev. M. E. Shawe, Madison, 1837-45.

Rev. C. Schneiderjans, Oldenburg, 1838-42.

Rev. V. Bacquelin, Shelby county, 1838-46.

Rev. M. O'Rourke,, Dearborn county, 1841-46.

Rev. F. J. Rudolf, Oldenburg, 1842-6S.

Rev. William Englin, St. Peter's, 1844-54.

Rev. John Ryan, Richmond, 1846-48.

Rev. William Doyle, Richmond, 1850-53.

BEGINNING OF ST. GABRIEL's PARISH.

The full- story of known facts and local traditions of these priests
would expand these pages unduly, and a start for the beginning of St.
Gabriel's parish can be fittingly made with the acquisition in the month of
August, 1850, of a lot upon which to build a church. Father Doyle counted
Richmond his. home, but his visits promised now to be made with some
degree of regularity and a decisive step had been made in acquiring the
church site. The location of the site seemed far removed from Conners-
ville's busmess section. It was the generous aid of A. B. Conwell that made
its possession possible and the wisdom of the selection later became e\'ident,
although for years going to St. Galjriel's seemed like a long distance to go
to church. The old site .is north of the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western
tracks, on ■ Eastern avenue, and though the survey of the new railroad was
possibly known, still, it was quite a few years subsequent to 1850 before
Connersville as a town built itself that far north. .

The strength of Connersville's Cathohcs was augmented somewhat- by
this time, for several years had elapsed since they beganto meet for services
at private homes. John Burke was a contractor of some im]:)ortance for
those days. He lived during the years preceding 1850 in the building on

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 45I

Eastern aAenue, which was the Claypool inn of an earher period. Here he
kept in readiness a room for C'allioHc services and hospital)ly received
Father Ryan, of Richmond, upon the occasion of the latter's several visits
between 1846 and 1848.

When I'^ather Doyle, of Richmond, began his visits in 1850 he found
quarters with Anthony Apert, where again a room was set aside for
Catholic services, and priest and layman knew a welcome awaited them.
The arrangements at the Apert home, the large frame house on the east-
ern side of Eastern avenue, between Fourth and Third streets, which still
stands on a line with the sidewalk, were somewhat elaborate for the times
and their use destined to cover a period of seven or eight years before
supersedefl liy a permanent church home.

Late in the fall of 1850 a lay Catholic came to Conners\ille who
promptlv became identified with the church work in hand. It was his
nature to act resolutely, and his two years of American experience in New
York, Connecticut and Ohio was preceded by a European business career.
Consequently he had traits of character and qualifications that became use-
ful in the working out of results. A counting of heads re\ealed fourteen
separate family groups upon whom reliance could be placed, and although
George Heinemann was the last to arrive, he was in the front ranks of
those who pressed the project of building a church to completion. There
is a set of account books in existence, in his handwriting, showing the
progress of the work. It is an epitome of the strain under which Catholics
of that day labored to raise the funds needed to build a house for God's
worship. The first entry in these books is under the date of July 16, 1851,
and represents an expenditure of fifty cents paid to William Ervin for
surveying and staking off the lot. A series of settlements made in October,
185 1, seem to indicate the period of the cornerstone-laying festivities.
These events over, the books show that bricks were the next subject of con-
cern. Under date of January 26, 1852, one hundred and twenty-three thou-
sand bricks were settled for at six dollars a thousand. During the spring
and summer of 1852 various small pa}-ments to the contractors who erected
the building are recorded, which seem to indicate rather slow progress of
the work, a final settlement being shown only in the month of March, 1853.
In this settlement one-half of the sum due on the work was paid in cash
and for the remaining half the trustees signed "orders on ourselves," due
on December 25, 1853. The trustees were Anthony Apert, Valentine
Michael. Daniel Cobine and George Heinemann.

452 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

When the church was first ptit to use, in the spring of 1853, there was
no interior finish. The bare, unplastered walls and roof girders met the
gaze of worshippers. A rough altar, made from boards left on the prem-
ises by the contractors, was used, and the primitive method of kneeling
and standing during divine services was observed because of the absence
of seats. But the church was under roof and enclosed. This was much
indeed, though, truth to tell, the faithful's available store of resources also
seemed to have reached a state of depletion by this time. For some reason
Father Doyle's visits were irregular and in a few months his pastorate in
this neighborhood was to end. In August, 1853, he was called to Terre
Haute. His withdrawal closes the mission period of St. Gabriel's.

FIRST RESIDENT PASTOR.

With the arrival of Rev. Henry Peters in the late summer of 1853, a
new experience was in store for the Catholics within a radius of traveling
distance from Connersville. Father Peters made this place his home, and
undertook to visit regularly Liberty, Rushville, Cambridge and Laurel and
look after the whole intermediate territory. Consequently Connersville
Catholics then had a resident pastor, that is, they had one at such times when
he was not traveling the uncertain roads of his outlying districts. The
extent and diversity of his labors in this field can be judged by his building
record, which is as follows:

1854 — Frame church at Liberty.

1857 — Frame church at Rushville.

1858 — Parish house (brick) at Connersville.

1859 — Brick church at Liberty.

1865 — Addition to church at Ru.shville.

1868 — Frame church at Laurel.

1873 — Brick school at Connersville.

To this list should be added the purchase of a cemetery plot at Liberty
in 1857.

It would be a mistake to infer that Father Peters allowed himself to
become a stranger to his home flock at Connersville. This was his home in
a genuine sense during the whole of his eventful career, and all people here
learned to know and to love him. A sympathetic touch with human nature
impelled in him a due regard for the purity of other people's motives, and
in practice he sought to influence human conduct by leading people to do

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 453

riglit. A profound faith that God ordains all things well, is seen as the
beacon light of his greatest trials ; and a placid mind is ever in control of his
commonest everyday acts. It is not surprising-, consequently, that he made
friends of all who came his way. It explains also the demonstration of
popularity on the occasion of a voting contest, in the spring of 1871, at a
church fair of the leading Protestant denomination, which had lately come
into possession of the Claypool Opera House for their future place of wor-
ship, and at which place a gentleman's lounging coat was voted to the most
popular minister of the town. Although their own minister's chances were
impaired, no doubt, by the demands of courtesy, still, it would have been
easy under the general conditions of the times for the prizes to go to some
one other than a Catholic priest, except for the universal respect in which
Father Peters was held in the community. His was indeed a well-known
figure, one with no harsh reputations to mar his kindly ways, and conse-
quently the award- met with universal approval.

Father Peters was a friend and counsellor to many persons in his day.
He was a builder of temples and a creator, seemingly, of the means to do
so; and yet, with all this to his credit, it will be found in the end that his
most lasting monument is something even greater, namely : his life demon-
strated anew that the Christian ideal is a practically possible ideal. It is
not given to the church to annihilate e\il, but it is her mission to furnish
a counterpoise to it. And the living subject of these remarks stands in the
recollection of not a few people as a human agency employed by God for
that purpose. His career was an active leaven for good. He was a priest,
humbly striving for God's kingdom on earth, a spiritual father to the extent
of every atom of his being, but always with an overshadowing sense that
to be a priest and a Christian, in greatest perfection, was in harmony with
the simpler duties of life, to be ever kind and considerate and to be neigh-
borly and helpful to all men.

During his pastorship Father Peters had the pleasure for a short period
to have his younger brother at his side as assistant. Rev. William Peters
was ordained at Vincennes on April 11, 1861. He read his first mass at
St. Gabriel's and decided to give here a senice commensurate with his
strength ; but impaired health made it plain that this service would be brief.
In the spring of the next year it became evident that life's thread was weak-
ening, and August 9, 1862. witnessed his demise. His remains were
taken to Aladison, Indiana, for burial in the Catholic cemetery.

454 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

[MPORTANT YEARS FOR THE PARISH.

There were plenty of duties to engage the efforts of St. Gabriel's pas-
tor during the next ten years — important years — for they were eventful
ones for our country. And Connersville of course felt the thrill of the na-
tional life. In fact the history of this particular period is keyed throughout
to the shrill note of martial times rather than to the S3'mphonies of peace
and religion; and doubtless the inattention paid to many of Father Peter's
appeals for the interests of the church at this time can be explained by the
fact that the Civil War was on with all of its engrossing terrors. At least
thirty or forty names of the enlistment from this neighborhood clearly
belonged to Catholic manhood. Some returned, some fell, but all created
excitement when going, and a gap while absent. In at least one instance
was the church the parting scene, an incident which resulted eventually in a
small legacy. Frantz Eierund was a German youth of late arrival, making
his home with George Heinemann, and he attached himself to the regiment
of General Weilich which took part in the battle of Pittsburg Landing,
where Eierund fell. The morning of the day of departure, he received the
sacraments from Father Peters and left the residue of his European funds,
about fifty dollars, with tlie friends where he was domiciled to be applied to
the church if he failed to return. The sum was used subsequently in the
purchase of a St. Joseph statue which long adorned the old church. Father
Peters labored steadily through the trying times of the sixties, and brought
into unison every available element to build up a parish. He was ever mind-
ful also of the younger memliers of his tlock. A school for children was fre-
cjuently the task which engaged his best efforts. With varying- success was
this work put to a practical trial by conducting school in the basement of the
church. After several such efforts, the practical eye of Father Peters saw
in the situation an opportunity of doing a lasting good b}- establishing per-
manency. To do this suitable quarters were needed, and the placing of the
burden of teaching into the hands of a teaching sisterhood. The conviction
once reached, action soon followed, As early as 1868 the first steps were
taken for a new school. These plans were ripened during the next few years
and the fall of 1873 saw the present school building opened to the children
of St. Gabriel's.

It was Father Peters' last achievement. His health declined rapidly and
the Christmas Day services were his last public appearance. His death oc-
curred on January 31, 1874, he then being in the forty-seventh year of his

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 455

age and in the twentx'-tirst year of liis residence in Connersvillc. To the
hurial at Madison, Indiana, 1)y \\a}' of Cincinnati, a few persons followed
from here, but a vastly greater number who could not go mourned the loss
of a benefactor — St. Gabriel's first resident pastor.

In the year of 1874 several priests from nearby stations loaned their
services to Connersville Catholics, .\mong them were Re\-. J. L. Brassart,
of Indianapolis, and Rev. H. Alerding. then of Cambridge, but later
bishop of the Ft. ^\'ayne diocese, and Re\-. Peter Bischof who remained in
charge of the parish till the summer of 1876.

Rev. J. B. H. Seepe came here in .Vugust, 1S76, and remained pastor
at Connersville till the month of May, 1881. He brought into his work
from the start the ideas of a strict disciplinarian and the efiforts of an uncom-
promising foe of deviations, however slight, from Christianity's loftiest
ideals. These ideas found expression also in the management of the temporal
afifairs of the parish. The debts still standing against the school building-
were considerably reduced, under the working of his plans ; and when he
left Connersville complete order had been restored to the afifairs of the
parish. He became pastor of St. Mary's, Madison, Indiana, where he
died on July 16, 191 3.

GOOD WORK OF FATHER RUDOLF.

An important chapter opens at this point in St. Gabriel's history. Rev.
Francis Joseph Rudolf came to Connersville on May 4, 1881. An eventful
pastorate ended with his death on July 10, 1906. Twenty-five years of
unstinted service, when broken, brought sorrow to the whole community.
Father Rudolf's circle of acc[uaintances was the very widest. Everybody
felt at home in his presence. There was a well-trodden path to his door ,and
the travelers thereof truly were of all classes. Open of countenance, frank
in demeanor, generous and helpful were the qualities of mind and heart which
people soon learned to consider a part of the nature of St. Gabriel's new
pastor.

Father Rudolf came here from Shelby county, where he had built a
new church at St. Vincent's, and previous to that he had been a short time
at Lancaster, Ohio. He was ordained on May 4, 1867, at Mount St. Mary's,
Cincinnati, and, consequently had been fifteen years in the priesthood when
he entered on his new charge at Connersville. As his experience had been
varied by this time, he possessed a practical knowledge of afifairs which
became a useful asset to the Connersville parish. The tradition of ihs uncle.

456 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the Father Rudolf of Oldenburg of an earlier period, added to his prestige,
of course, with all who knew of the relationship; but the individuaHty of
Connersville's new shepherd itself was sterling in its every trait and it quickly
impressed itself upon the surroundings into which it was cast.

It had come to be accepted as a fact at this time, that a new church
was needed. The old one was too small, and its location was unsuited on
account of the closeness of the railroad. Nearly ten years before, a new site
was opened when the present school building was put up; and the history
of several years had been woven about the thought that a new church should
be built. The panic years of the seventies, when the school was built, had
left a debt of about seven hundred dollars still unpaid. What the members
had grown into the habit of asking themselves continued to remain a C[uestion
only : What is to be done ?

Here is the starting point for the new pastor who came upon the ground
in 1881 and where he showed his mastery. With little commotion, plans were
obtained and a start made. To the general public it soon was a "cathedral"
that was building. This title is often met with in the press of that day.
Catholics smiled, yet, truth to tell, themselves knew not how or when they
would pay for it. But there the picture was, for whomsoever would see.
How grand, how large! was the common comment.

CONNERSVILLE IN I 88 1.

To understand the relative importance of the new project to build the
present St. Gabriel's, a brief retrospect of Connersville's public buildings
will be illuminating. None of the present large buildings were in existence
in 1881. The court house, built in 1849, held the distinction of pre-eminence.
Another building from the same period of time, and which contains traces
of art in its makeup, existed then as it does even yet — although now used
for many years as a residence. It was built originally as the main office
of the White Water Canal Company, and afterwards was used for bank-
ing purposes. This bit of architectural art of classic expression, on Fourth
street east from Central avenue, is indeed left behind as a reminder of the
few isolated specimens of good art in house building in the early days. There
was one narrow bank building with sandstone front on Central avenue.
Trinity church is in good style, though of moderate size, which puts it into
a dififerent class. Two or three private residences existed that were rare
productions for our community in those days, but this is the limit that the
year of 188 1 sets to the exhibitions of art applied to the construction of

INTERIOR DEC'ORATIOXS OF ST. GABRIEL'S.

Completed in 1901 for Golden Jubilee of Parish by Giovanno Gioschio, late from Italy.

Center View is Canal, with Church to left.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 457

large-sized buildings. In the other specimens to be viewed, the popula-
tion of those days was accustomed to utility and mechanical dictation for
dominant traits. The seminary building, at Fifth street, was prominent
indeed, but merely as a large square-built structure of imposing dimensions,
but otherwise unattractive. Two factory buildings had lately been erected,
which made them notable for their purpose; but beyond this listing none of
our present graceful edifices had existence when St. Gabriel's pastor brought
out plans for a new church. As a first step, the unplatted ground north of the
school house on Ninth street to the railroad embankment and west to the
Milton road, was bought in August, 1881. This permitted an ample site
for the proposed "cathedral" and eliminated the possibility of any crowded
appearance for so large a building, as everybody admitted. The purchase
of the new ground answered the question finally where to build. As to the
matter of money, for the building of the church, this was next in order.

SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF PROJECT.

Father Rudolf's plan of finding out what relationship existed between
possession and generosity — to have and hold, and to give — was truly charac-
teristic. He put down his name at the head of the list for five hundred dol-
lars. Anthony Apert, though aged, was still on the scene. His close attach-
ment and early habits of helpfulness in behalf of the church moved him
to apply his signature for a like amount. Otho McCarty, whose birth in
Fayette county in 1819 placed him in a historic premiership — he was the
oldest-born member — drew on his belongings for a like amount. Maurice
Connell, a prosperous farmer, did the same. Austin Ready, at this time
looked up to as one of the active and public-spirited citizens of the com-
munity, quickly furnished another name. And the goodness of heart of
Anthony Kehl would endure no interference, no holding back, for himself
in entering into the plans and the work of first class contributors. The
last named persons, Austin Ready and Anthony Kehl, in the sequel, fur-
nished in addition to their donations of money, the largest amount of
personal service in the endless details belonging to an extensive canvass for
aid, closing their connections with the effort only with the time of occupancy
of the completed structure.

In the study of names, to be found in the itemized statement of the
money raised for the purpose of building the new church, it is evident that
many members strained their ability to the utmost; and if sacrifice be truly
an essential quality for a monument intended to praise God's name, then.

458 .FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

among the secondary contributors, can be found easily those who rank on this
account with the first. This self-sacrificing spirit explains also the successful
outcome of the popular entertainments given and public fairs. At these
meetings personal service and handicraft and home products were given
with lavish hands. An aggregate of mites by those who could not give
more, when added to the dollars of those who had them to bestow, resulted
in the phenomenal profits shown in the statements of these efforts. But,
withal, the difference between the total of the income and that of the expen-
diture left a sum of indebtedness which was considerable for the time. It
is much honor to the disposition of the local bankers that during this time
of the building, the name of F. J. Rudolf at their counters was sufficient
for temporary accommodations. Austin Ready's well-known trait to respond
to a demand to do a good turn for somebody else was a silent asset perhaps,
but, in fact, his endorsement was used a very few times only, the pastor of
St. Gabriel's himself conducted the finances for the whole period as a
personal account.

The building had made enough progress in the early spring of 1884 to
warrant fixing the date of June 15, 1884, for the ceremony of dedication.
That this event was looked forward to with interest by neighboring com-
munities is shown by the generous response to the invitations sent out to par-
ticipate in the festivities. The local press speak of five thousand people being
present. The special train from the west, starting at Indianapolis, brought
twelve coaches of excursionists; and that from Cincinnati, ten coaches well
filled. The train from the north, six coaches and from the south, five. No
previous function had ever brought this number to our town before, for a
purely Catholic event.

NEW EPOCH FOR CONNERSVILLE CATHOLICS.

With the new church in use, a new spirit is noticed in all forms of
church activity; in reality an epoch opens for Connersville Catholics. The
extent of the growth and development in parish work, soon called for a
new parsonage, which was buih in 1890. This brought the pastor's home to
the new location on Ninth street, and completed the cycle, except that taking
care of a new expression in parish activity produced Library Hall in 1891,
and finally the Sister's home, a commodious brick building, in 1905.

It would be a mistake to infer that Father Rudolf only knew about
rearing material buildings. The depth of his sincerity and unaffected piety
and self-effacement in the work of shepherding Christ's sheep were soul-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 459

inspiring from their very simplicity. He knew of the conventional ways of
good society, of course — the many natural virtues that go towards making
life pleasant — but they were duly surbordinated in his estimate of things
that were worth while. \\'hat counted in his balancing of the scales was
the motive behind human conduct. The trustful look of his countenance
with a mild but sure and incisive discernment, left little room for human
perversity to hide itself in his presence. In consequence, that God's claims
upon men were imperative was very plainly a lesson taught. In another way, .
and for other purposes, there was ever present in his personal and intellec-
tual makeup an insistent persuasiveness that was well nigh irresistible. With-
out argument, his oi>en. honest and sympathetic opinion would usually be
accepted in the end. because it was Father Rudolf's. There was always a
moral stimulus in store for whoever talked to him even casually, since his
trustfulness in the final good of life was as inexhaustible as it was infec-
tious. It is not surprising, consequently, with these traits, that the funda-
mental principles of religion, as the true philosophy of life, were given a
wide diffusion during his long term of service. It explains also, the extent
of his efforts to bring the members of his flock into a proper appreciation of
the better things of the mind, instead of spending themselves on questionable
social diversions. Library Hall was a result of this program to train young
people in habits of mental activity rather than social ones — strong drink,
dancing and the score or more of attendant misgrowths, all received a cur-
tailment because of his leadership. That the community was benefited thereby,
is writ in large characters in the careers of those who were placed, in their
youths, under his influence,

■ ' F.ATHER RUDOLF'.S SILVER JUHILEE.

A parish event that called out large response, was the observance of the
silver jubilee, in May, 1906, of Father Rudolf's labors in Connersville. It
took the form of a strictly religious exercise, a Forty-Hours' Devotion, and
it proved to be the last opportunity for a manifestation of love for this valiant
friend and true pastor. Death came only a few months later. It found
Francis Joseph Rudolf at his post of duty. The tolling of the church bell
was the first annoimcement to the public : and it created universal sorrow.
The interment of his remains took place at Oldenburg", near his parents, and
the home of his brothers and sisters and the scenes of his first days in
America, near the church where he read his first mass after ordination.

The next chapter of St.- Gabriel's — 1906 to 1917 — is still in the making.

460 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

It will doubtless be found notable in many relations. It is full of hope and
promise at this moment, and can only be contemplated as a something of
bright hues.

In many ways, it was a new period that opened for CathoHcity in Fayette
county even in the closing years of the last century. Although the develop-
ments of the business life of the locality had always been constant and popu-
lation showed a steady increase by new arrivals from other localities, still,
the time which gave occasion for a new pastor of St. Gabriel's in 1906, also
stands for a time which brought an added impulse to this tendency. In
a business way Connersville was feeling the stir of new life. New industries
were installing themselves and old ones all taking firmer roots. In addition
to the general business conditions favoring the growth of Connersville, it
was a noticeable fact that young farmers of German parentage from neigh-
borhoods to the south, were now taking over the management and even owner-
ship of Fayette county agriculture lands in increasing numbers, and were
proportionately adding new names to the church records.

St. Gabriel's new pastor came to a growing community in 1906. How
much he contributed to the healthy development of all the elements of his
charge, will be a matter for superlative terms when its history comes to be
written. For it is a patent fact that all interests covering the multitudinous
duties due such a growing and vigorous church family are safely guarded and
directed with consummate wisdom. Three hundred families is approximately
the number who receive his ministrations..

PRESENT PASTOR OF ST. GABRIEL's.

Rev. Theodore S. Mesker, who became St. Gabriel's pastor in 1906, is
still in charge of the church. He was born at Evansville, Indiana, March
20, 1862, and received his early education in St. Mary's parochial schools
in his home city. In 1874 he attended the commercial college at St. Meinrad,
Indiana, and after a two-year course began the study of the classics, con-
tinuing his studies at St. Francis Salesianum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. JThen
he re-entered St. Meinrad, where he completed a course in philosophy and
theology. He was ordained to the priesthood by the Rt. Rev. Francis Silas
Chatard at St. Meinrad on May 30, 1885. His first appointment was as
assistant to the pastor of St.' Mary's at Indianapolis. A year later he
was made pastor of St. Bernard's church at Rockport, Indiana. At his
own request he was relieved of this charge after a year of service and was
appointed pastor of St. John's church, in Warrick county, serving the church

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 461

from Evansville, where he resided, and at the same time looking after missions
at Boonville and Newburg. On August 15, 1888, he was appointed pastor
of the Guardian Angel church at Cedar Grove, Franklin county, and there
he labored for eighteen years. He erected a substantial brick church, one
hundred by forty-eight feet, furnished the new church with altars, pews
and a splendid pipe organ. He converted the former church into a school
building. The Cedar Grove church is one of the most beautiful country
churches in the diocese. From this place, after a successful pastorate of
eighteen years, he was appointed to St. Gabriel's, taking charge of the
church on July 26, 1906.

Father Mesker found the parish utilities ample for the time and in
good working order; the last one of them however, the new Sister's home,
though finished, had a debt which nearly corresponded to its full cost. The
many new services needed for the influx of new members soon called for a
number of minor improvements, but all of these have been looked after with
ability bv the pastor, and the current movements of the parish seem to be
unhampered by debt. In a counting up of results, it will likely be found
that the greatest showing for the past decade of years consists in the excel-
lent order brought into the parish's routine touching every detail of church
work. There must surely be some great work before it under the plans of
divine Providence, for, seemingly such perfect order in the affairs of a parish
cannot do otherwise than produce fruits in abundance. The numerous lives
brought into conformity with Christianity is the ordinary result; the prime
purpose, in fact, for its being, still, some other and special or material evi-
dence of it must be maturing, and cannot perhaps be long now in the coming.
Will it be a new school building, is a question many people are asking them-
selves.

The question is a reminder that while the future does not enter into the
scope of this sketch of St. Gabriel's, yet the sketch would be incomplete
without a reference to the parish schools of the past.

PARISH SCHOOLS OF ST. GABRIEL's.

The fall of 1854 sees the first parish school assembled in the base-
ment of the new building erected as a church the year previous. A teacher
was found at Oldenburg in the person of' a Mr. Koogler, who' conducted
the school till the early summer of the next year. In 1855 F. H. Browning
took over the work of school teacher, and continued in this capacity till 1858.
In 1861-62, George J. Held, who came here from Canton, Ohio, was teacher,

462 FAYETTE COUNTY^ INDIANA.

being followed by Joseph Peters, a younger brother of the pastor, who con-
ducted school for several years. In 1867-68, a Mr. Staufer taught the school
for one year and was retained also because he was an organist. The need of
an organist that 3'ear arose from the fact that the congregation had bought a
pipe organ in the summer of 1867, and when installed it became the means
of collecting a choir notable for those days. Some of its members had fair
musical talent and even semi-professional training from Europe. This organ
was probably the first pipe organ brought to Fayette county. The next teacher
for the school in the basement of old St. Gabriel's was Joseph Ernst, who
was in charge in 1868-69, and still later, a Miss Mitchell, for a few months
in the latter part of the year.

These several attempts to maintain a school represents a large amount
of individual sacrifice on the part of the few families who could support
it, and the culmination of which is found in the marked success attending
their efforts to do even better in the future. In 1868 a movement was started
under the name of the St. Philip Neri School Society for the purpose of
improving the work by putting up a separate building for school purposes.

Why this desire exists for Catholic schools must be plain to whoever
knows Catholic faith and sentiment. The root idea of it all is the intimate
binding of the individual with God. God is man's Maker, and his final end
and reward. This primal fact of existence is so deep and all pervading that
it overshadows the whole range of being, and alone furnishes a key to the
problem of life. The efiforts of the handful of faithful in the sixties of
the last century to keep up a Catholic school in Connersville is an illustra-
tion of the bravery with which the church has always faced this issue, which
makes God a supreme factor in every stage of human life. When the child
learns the opening lines of the catechism and grasps the great truth that
he is God's creature, made to know his Maker^to love and serve Him — he
has acquired a working philosophy of life which will be as a compass on its
stormy sea ; and which will insure real progress when others perish for want
of this knowledge of the nature and purpose of human existence. A distinc-
tive feature of the school on this account, is the large place it assigns to char-
acter building. It proceeds on the theory that the value of education lies
in the development of an illumined mind possessed of self-cOntrol and sup-
porting enlarged sympathies and wide views. Knowledge, right conscience,
firm will, these are its desiderata; and it undertakes to make them companion-
able by developing them together. The merest acquaintance with the routine
of the school will show the commingling of them at CA^ery point. By this
means, the home, the church, the school, in childhood's estimate of things, are

FAYETTE COUJMTY, INDIANA. 463

kept in unison. Every asset of niin<l and- heart is made to do service in the
effort to-know God and to serve Hi^m. by. doing good and avoiding evil, which,
after all is the sum of all .wisdom. . • Consequentlyi lookiaig at life as it has
Ijeen lived, no small portion of local history is to be found in the painstaking
labors of Catholics to maintain a school, where God and conscience are given
full recognition during the period of the unfolding of childhood.

It is not surprising then, with these principles in mind, that the incon-
veniences of erecting and maintaining schools, have been gladly borne by the
Catholics of Connersville from the beginning. The }ears of 1868 and onward
till 1871 were anything but propitious for their new undertaking; but by one
means and another, they managed to bring it to completion even in the face
of the financial strains of the panic of the early seventies. The lot for the
new school building, the present St. Gabriel's school on Ninth street, was
bought in 1871, and the building was finished in the summer of 1873. ^^ ^'^tle
enthusiasm was manifested by both parents and pupils at the prospects of
the work to be done by the Sisters, who had arrived late in August, 1873.
The local papers speak of it as an item of note, saying that one hundred
children constitute the enrollment. The school thus inaugurated has been con-
tinuously open since that date for ten months each year, in charge of the
Sisters of Providence, whose mother home is at St. Mary's of the Woods,
near Terre Haute, Indiana. The enrollment for the current year is two
hundred and eighteen pupils, who are trained in courses from the primary
to the completion of the eighth-year grades. In addition to this ordinary
school work the Sisters have special music classes, numbering between forty
and fifty children.

There is a local interest attaching to the self-sacrificing labors of this
sisterhood, who now conduct schools as far east as Boston, because of the
fact that of the number <if St. Gabriel's members who have entered religious
orders, all but three ha\-e chosen the work of the Sisters of Providence for
their vocation, the complete list being as follows: Honora Walsh, 1862,
Sister Mary Stephens, St. Alary's of the Woods; Bridget Kane, 1863, Sister
Mary Ettienne, St. Mary's of the Woods; Katherine Ready, 1874, Sister
Mary Edmond, St. Mary's of the Woods; Mary Nevin, 1S77, Sister Mary
Bertha, St. Mary's of the Woods; Mary Balle, 1&78, Sister Mary of the
Annunciation, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Ohio; Mary Heinemann, 1880,
Sister Mary .\lexandrina, St. Mary's of the Woods; Mary Agnes Walsh,
1885. Sister Mary Berchmans. Omaha, Nebraska; Anna McCarthy, -1888,
Sister Patricia, Oldenburg, Indiana; Mary Meyer, 1889, Sister Mary Josepha,
St. Mary's of the Woods; Rosa Carrol, 1902, Sister St. Ro.se Clare, St.

464 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Mary's of the W'oods; Josephine Lnking, 1906, Sister Mary Gratia, St.
Mary's of the Woods; Mazie Carlos, 1907, Sister Regina Clare. St. Mary's
of the Woods; Dorothea Ready, 1915, novice, Poor Clare Monastery, Evans-
ville, Indiana.

LOOKING HOPEFULLY TO THE FUTURE.

In the final re\'ie\v of the history of Catholicity in Fayette county, only
a few words are needed. For many years now, Fayette county's population
has had a Catholic element. In the beginning only scattered individuals
were known to be Catholics, but nearly seventy years ago, the time from
which dates the organization of the parish of St. Gabriel's in Connersville,
fourteen Catholic families were to be found living and loving and laboring,
as others did, for their future home. At the present time they number three
hundred. Through the early pioneer days and through the later industrial
struggles. Catholics were interested participators; they shared the work and
witnessed the progress. Consequently, now, with others they prize inesti-
mably the glories of our common home. To the future they look hopefully ;
and, for whatever new responsibilities arise, they have stout hearts and will-
ing hands.

CHAPTER XVn.
The Press of Fayette County.

The history of the newspapers of Fayette county is difficult to trace,
owing to the fact that complete files of the papers have not been preserved.
The only way to write the history of any paper is to have access to the files
of the paper in question. It is not certain when the first newspaper was
established in Connersville, but it seems that the Indiana Statesman was
started in the county seat some time in 1824 by Abraham Van Fleet. Van
Fleet, a native of New Jersey, had come to Connersville in 1820 from Lebanon,
Ohio, where he had learned to set type on the Western Star, and started
a paper of his own in Connersville as soon as he felt that he had sufficient
patronage to make it a profitable venture. It is not known how long the
paper was issued, but it appears very evident that it disappeared before 1826.

There is a strong probability that the Indiana Statesman was followed
by the Observer, which made its appearance in June, 1826 (Vol. I, No. 4,
was dated July 8, 1826), under the proprietorship of the same Van Fleet
and one Daniel Rench. Undoubtedly it was printed in the same shop as
the Statesman and the evidence would seem to indicate that it was the
latter paper under a new name. At the time of the Observer's establish-
ment it was a small four-column folio. In 1828 it published the local laws
of the state. Some time before 1829 Van Fleet retired from the paper in
favor of John Sample, who had been sheriff of the county from 182 1 to
1825, Sample and Rench issued their last number on May 8, 1830, having
sold out to Samuel W. Parker.

The new owner and editor changed the name of the Observer to the
Political Clarion with the issue of May 22, 1830, and made it a stanch
Whig paper, a supporter of Henry Clay. Parker became one of the great-
est lawyers of the county, served in the lower house of the state Legislature
(1843) a"d in the senate (1840-42) and was a member of Congress from
185 1 to 1855. He was a graduate of the college at Oxford, Ohio, and had
taught school before assuming charge of the Political Clarion. Parker
retained the paper about two years, disposing of it on May 26, 1832, to
Caleb B. Smith and Matthew R. Hull, who changed its name, their first
(30)

466 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

issue, June 2, 1832, bearing the title of Indiana Sentinel. The paper continued
its support of the Whig party. Smith soon severed his connection with it,
turning over his interest to Col. Henry J. Nefif. The Colonel evidently was
not impressed with the possibilities of the paper, for a few months later
he became identified with the Ft. Wayne Sentinel. Neff left the Sentinel
to found the Winchester Patriot. After Nefif left Connersville, Hull con-
tinued as the sole owner of the paper for a time, just how long is not known,
but at least until 1834, since in that year it had the contract for publishing
the local laws of the state. Hull left Connersville and settled in Ohio,
returning after several years to Fayette county.

The successor of the Indiana Sentinel is not definitely known. The
Legislature of 1832-33 selected the Argiis, of Connersville, to publish the
local laws enacted during that session, but when this sheet came into existence,
when it disappeared, or who was responsible for its transitory career are
facts that have perished along with the files of the paper itself.

OTHER PAPERS OF BRIEF CAREERS.

Another paper, a sixteen-page religious monthly, bearing the title of
Christian Casket, appeared in 1832 under the management of Elder John
O'Kane and Dr. Ryland T. Brown. It was laid away to rest after about a
year's struggle and was supposedly given a decent Christian interment befit-
ting its title.

Samuel W. Parker and D. Van Fleet issued the first number of the
Watchman on May 31, 1834, a successor very likely of either the Indiana
Sentinel or the Argus. Parker had formerly been connected with the Politi-
cal Clarion and he became the editor of the new paper. The ownership of
the Watchman underwent several changes within a few years, William Stew-
art and John Sample being connected with it at one time or another before it
disappeared about 1.84 1, although Parker continued as editor during these
changes. It was, of course, a Whig paper, and from all reports it was
regarded as one of the most ably-edited weekly papers in the state during its
career.

THE INDIANA TELEGRAPH.

A paper which succeeded in maintaining itself for a score of years was
the Indiana Telegraph, established in 1840 by Louis C. Fonts, as an exponent
of the Democratic party. Fonts soon sold it to F. B. Thomas and W. A.
Hotchkiss, the new owners' names appearing for the first time in the issues

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 467

of December. 1841. How long they had charge of the paper is not known,
but before 1845 it had passed into the hands of R. T. Brown. WilHani
Stewart, who had previously owned the Watchman, secured the Telegraph
from Brown prior to September 20, 1844, (Vol. 4, No. 18, dated September
20, 1844, gives William Stewart as owner and editor), and directed its waver-
ing career for a short time. Stewart disposed of it to Seth W. Swiggett,
who, in turn, sold it to a stock company of Democrats. Whether there
was not a sufficient number of Democrats in the county to support an
organ, or whether the new company found the paper a burden from other
reasons, the facts are that it soon became the sole property of T. J. White.
The new owner struggled with it for a short time and in 1859 relinquished it
to John M. Higgs and one Smith. Two years later the paper passed into the
hands of Frank Brown, and the new proprietor, hoping to improve its
waning fortunes by changing its name, rechristened it as the Fayette County
Union. It called itself a Democratic-Whig organ, but neither its new name
nor its hyphenated party allegiance could save it, and it quietly passed away
within a few months (1861).

FAYETTE AND UNION CHRONICLE.

In 1850 appeared a paper known as the Fayette and Union Chronicle,
founder unknown, but its history is succinctly set forth in a brief notice from
the White Water Valley, quoted in tlie Brookrille American, October 4, 1850:
"The Fayette and Union Chronicle is no more. It breathed its last two
weeks ago at the early age of six months. We presume it died of repletion —
too much patronage, if we can credit its own statements." The only addi-
tional fact concerning this short-lived paper is that it was a campaign sheet,
and this sufficiently explains its abbreviated career.

PAPERS ACCOMPANY TEMPERANCE WAVE.

In the early fifties a wave of temperance swept over the country and was
directly responsible for the establishing of a large number of papers. One
such paper was established in Connersville, the Ladies Temperance Wreath,
founded by Mrs. Lavinia Brownlee and Marie Louise Chitwood, the former
a resident of Connersville, and the latter of Mt. Carmel, in Franklin county.
Miss Chitwood was one of the most distinguished poets of her day, but died
on December 19, 1855, before she reached the age of twenty-three. The
Wreath was a magazine devoted to women's interests, to the cause of tem-

468 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

perance, and also laid some pretensions to being a literary magazine. Its
whole career seems to have been comprehended within the year 1854.

GENESIS OF THE CONNERSVILLE NEWS.

When the Indiana Telegraph became a Democrat sheet in 1849 the
Whigs at once started a new organ of their own, calling it by the peculiar
name of White Water Valley. The new sheet was founded by Thomas
Surger}^ and William S. Burrows, one of the ablest editorial writers in
the state, became the editor. Some time before 1853 it changed its name to
White Water J'alley Times, under which name it advertised itself for sale
in that year. Who bought it, if it was sold, or what became of it, has not
been definitely discovered, though it appears from the best evidence that
the paper was sold to a man by the name of Maker. Whether he did or
did not have a partner is not known, although it is probable that J. R.
Randall was his associate. The absence of files of the paper makes it impos-
sible to follow the wavering career of this paper which was to become the
progenitor of the present Connerszille News. In 1854 J. R. Randall and
W. H. Green appear as owners, Maker having sold out his interest, whatever it
may have been, to Green. The new firm evidently considered the old name of
the paper too heavy from a typographical and geographical viewpoint, and
they proceded to drop the White Water Valley and call it by the simple name
of Times.

THE CONNERSVILLE TIMES.

The history of the Times from 1854 down to the present time is filled
with a series of changes in ownership, the paper having passed through sev-
eral different hands during the past sixty-three years. The paper was a
weekly until its consolidation with the News, a daily, in 1881, and the names
are so continued till the present. The Nezvs had enjoyed an independent
career for some years previous to its consolidation with the Times. The
various changes in the ownership of tlie Times will first be considered.

On November 16, 1854, the owners became W. H. Green and J. H.
McClung, the latter at that time acquiring the interest of J. R. Randall.
Two years later (May 15, 1856,) Green became the sole owner and he
continued in full charge of the paper until he became auditor in the fall
of 1867. He disposed of the paper to Augustus M. Sinks in December,
1867, and a short time later, the same winter, George M. Sinks, a brother,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 469

became associated witli the new owner. In 1870 a third brother, M. R.
Sinks, was added to the firm. A. M. Sinks sold out his interest to his
two brothers on May i, 1871, and joined Jeremiah Wilson in the prac-
tice of law. Some time during 1873 George M. Sinks became the sole
owner and editor of the Tijiics and so continued until the summer of 1875,
when he became postmaster of Connersville. The formal transfer seems to
have been made on July i, 1875, the paper at that time passing into the hands
of John A. James and William F. Downs.

In August, 1877, Downs sold his interest in the Times to Charles N.
Sinks and the latter continued as sole owner and editor until August 24,
1880, when the paper passed into the hands of John C. Ochiltree and Wil-
liam F. Downs. There appears to have been a time in 1880 or 1881 when
Thomas Downs was a part owner. On March 9, 1881, Ochiltree and Downs
(W. F. ) bought the Conner stnllc Nezvs from McClung & Bacon and consoli-
dated it with the Times under the name of the Connersville Times and Nezi's.
In August. 1 88 1, Ochiltree retired from the paper and the firm at that time
became McClung, Bacon & Downs. In October, 1881, the News part of the
title was dropped from the title. The paper during the eighties seemed to
have been handed back and forth with reckless abandon between five dififer-
ent men. Before the close of 1881 (November 9) A. M. Sinks and John C.
Ochiltree are again at the helm. Both had had previous connection with the
paper, but never as partners before. These two men maintained an unbroken
partnership for nearly three years. Ochiltree severed his connection with
it on July 2, 1884. leaving Sinks as sole proprietor. Sinks was one of the
ablest men ever identified with the newspaper history of Connersville. For
three years he handled the paper alone (1884-87). About this time he sold
the paper, still a weekly, to J. W. Shackleforcl and Howard M. Gordon.
Delia Smith, later Mrs. J. \V. Hull, secured a lialf interest in the paper in
June, 1887, at the time the daily edition was established.

THE TIMES-NEWS COMPANY.

The first daily paper in Connersville was publislied by the firm of Downs
& Smith, on June 9, 1887, with W. F. Downs as editor. They made such
inroads on the field of the older weekly as to force consolidation. The next
change brings the proprietory history of the paper to its present corporate
form — the Times-News Company. On October 20, 1892, this company was
organized under the la\\s of the state, the members of the company being
J. W. Shackleford, Delia Smith and W. F. Downs, the latter serving as editor
of both daily and weekly editions.

470 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

In 1895 J. H. Tatman bought the interest of Shackleford and six months
later Tatman disposed of his interest to Downs and Miss Smith. The fol-
lowing year Tatman bought out Miss Smith, and Downs and Tatman con-
tinued as partners until the latter's death in March, 1904. Before that
time E. W. Tatman had been a stockholder, having had a financial interest
in the paper since 1897, and on the death of his father he assumed his
father's interest. Downs died on March 23, 1905, and since that date E. W.
Tatman, better known as Ned Tatman, has acquired practically all of the
outstanding stock of the paper. Mrs. Downs, the widow of W. F. Downs
and now a resident of Michigan, still controls a small share of the stock.

PRESENT STAFF OF THE NEWS.

In 1916 the company built a new building with the intention of occupy-
ing it as soon as it was completed, but before it was ready for occupancy an
opportunity presented itself to rent it at a favorable figure and the company
decided to remain for the time being in its old quarters. The new building,
erected at a cost of sixteen thousand dollars, stands immediately north of
the postoffice. It was leased to Frank B. Ansted for a period of five years
and is now used as a garage. The paper intends to move into the building
upon the expiration of the lease. It is a handsome brick structure, with stone
trimmings, and was built with a view to enlarging the facilities now enjoyed
by the paper in its present quarters on Court street, north of the court house.

The managing editor of the N^cws is E. W. Tatman, who owns practi-
cally all of the stock of the Times-News Company. Earl W. Williams is the
associate editor and Webb Sparks serves in a reportorial capacity. Louise
Schroeder is society editor and Inez Williams is in charge of the business
department. The general foreman is C. G. Chitwood, who has been con-
nected with the newspapers of Connersville many years. The paper uses the
services of three linotype operators, a number of typesetters and the usual
complement of employees necessary to publish a daily paper in a city of this
size, the total number of employees being fourteen. L. N. Boland, who for
many years was actively identified with the editorial department of the Nezt's,
is still connected with the paper, though only in a limited capacity. Mr.
Boland is the oldest newspaper man in the city. During his early life he
was prominently identified with a number of metropolitan papers. The
News enjoys an unusual circulation for a city the size of Connersville, hav-
ing a total circulation of three thousand one hundred, about two thousand of
which is in the city. The paper is independent Republican in politics.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 4/1

The Coiiiicrsz-illc Xctl's. the original paper bearing this title, made its
initial appearance on June 7, 1877, with E. J. Smith as owner and editor.
It was a six-column folio and was labeled as "A Truly Independent Journal."
For some time after it was started one column of news was printed in German,
but this feature was soon discontinued. On August 7, 1878, T. A. Taylor
and E. B. Rawles bought the paper from Smith and made it the organ of
the Republican party. With the issue of February 26, 1879, Taylor appeared
as sole owner. On November 12, 1879, W. H. Green and G. C. Bacon
became the owners, but Green soon disposed of his interests to J. H. McClung.
The new owners struggled with the paper for a time, but the city was unable
to support three papers. The Titnes and the Examiner had been in the field
several years before the Nctcs and it was impossible for the latter to com-
mand sufficient advertising support to make it a financial success. Conse-
quently, the owners of the News and the Times effected a consolidation of
the two papers on Marcli 9, 1881. This earlier Nezcs is not to be confused
with the present Xezcs. Tt lived and died a weekly, while the present
A\^2i's was a dailv from its inception to its consolidation with tlie Times, and
has had no lapses.

THE CONNERSVILLE EXAMINER.

The Conncrsznlle Examiner, the Democratic organ of Fayette county,
will soon have completed its fiftieth year of existence. On December 24,
1867, John Milton Higgs and F. M. Pickett issued the first number of the
Examiner and it has had an unbroken career from that time down to the
present. Higgs had learned the printing trade in the office of the Brookzille
Democrat and came to Connersville in 1859, where he joined one Smith in
the purchase of the Telegraph. The career of the Telegraph has been prev-
iously' noticed. Higgs soon accpiired the interest of Smith and continued his
connection with the Telegraph until he sold it to Frank Brown in 1861.
Higgs enlisted in the Union army on September 18, 1861, and upon com-
pleting his military service went to IndianapoUs, where he worked on
various newspapers until he returned to Connersville to establish the Exam-
iner.

Pickett remained with the paper until March 17, 1869, v.hen he with-
drew, leaving Higgs as the sole owner. From that time until 1903 Higgs
conducted the paper alone. In 1887 he established a daily edition which has
since been maintained. In 1903 Mr. Higgs disposed of the Examiner to E.
W. Ansted, Frank Buckley and others, the new owners installing Loring

472 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Bundy, of New Castle, as managing editor. Bundy continued as editor
until he was replaced by John W. Fawcett. -The latter in 191 1 was followed
by H. C. Anthony, who was in editorial charge until 191 5, in which year
D. E. Trusler, the present editor, assumed control.

On September 27, 1915, the Express Printing Company, of Liberty,
Indiana, took the Examiner vmder lease for one year, the company placing
D. E. Trusler in charge. At the expiration of the year the Express Print-
ing Company and the Connersville Daily Examiner Company were con-
solidated and incorporated with a capital stock of thirty-thousand dollars,
under the name of the Express Printing Company, the incorporators being
F, L. Behymer, H. M. Hughes, E. W. Ansted, George W. Ansted and D. E.
Trusler.

The new company at once began plans for a new home for the paper,
and let a contract for the building of a one-story brick building, fifty by
one hundred and seventy-one feet, at the corner of Grand avenue and Sev-
enth street. The building was occupied in the early spring of 191 7. It
has new equipment throughout and is prepared to do -all kinds of printing,
binding, catalogue work, and various kinds of work done by first class
printing establishments. There is an art department which was installed for
the purpose of handling the immense amount of. engraving ■ and etching
demanded by the catalogues issued by the local manufacturing companies.

The present force of the Examiner include thirty employees in addition
to the editor, D. E. Trusler. Robert Walker is reporter ; Miss Ethlyn Backous,
society editor, and Miss Mary Kubler, general office assistant. George P.
Spicer is circulation manager. The circulation of the paper has more than
trebled since the present editor took charge in the fall of 1915, and now
exceeds thirteen hundred daily. When the Examiner occupied its new
quarters in the early spring of 191 7, F. L. Behymer, the president of the
publishing company, and H. M. Hughes, secretary-treasurer, became perma-
nent residents of Connersville. At the same time about twenty of the
employees of the Express, published at Liberty, also located in Conners-
ville. Mr. Behymer is the general manager and Mr. Hughes has charge of
the book and catalogue department, Mr. Trusler continuing as the editor of
the Daily Examiner.

THE BULLETIN.

The Bulletin .was published monthly at Connersville from September.
1891, to January, 1893, by J. L. Heinemann for the Catholic Total Abstinence
Union of Indiana. After January, 1893, it was published by others at New

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 473

Albany and Logansport. The subscription price of the paper was fifty cents
a year and it had a wide circulation in the field it was designed to cover.

CONNER.SVILI.E PAPERS OF OTHER DAYS.

A city the size of Connersville can hardly support more than two papers,
but this undisputed fact has not kept other ambitious newspaper men from
attempting to start a third paper. At least two other papers have ventured
into the Itxal field, both with daily editions, and both bidding for patronage
in competition with the two present daily papers. It would seem to an out-
sider that the folly of tr\ing to conduct four daily papers in the city at the
same time would be so apparent that it would be impossible to interest
capital. However the fact remains tliat in the latter nineties four papers
made their daily appearance in Connersville — Avtt'.s-, Examiner, Rcpitblican
and Courier.

The Repiiblieaii appeared early in the nineties and at various times dur-
ing its brief career had both daily and weekly editions. It seems to have
disappeared before the end of the decade. About 1898 the Courier Pub-
lishing Company started the publication of a paper known as the Courier.

Sometime in the later nineties, A. V. Bradrick established a paper known
as The District Farm I ton and he continued to issue it until 1899, when he
sold it to E. E. Moore and B. F. Thiebaud. The new owmers changed the
name of the paper to The Courier. The paper was later sold to John Moses,
of Rushville, in 1905, and three years later, J. M. Hamilton and others organ-
ized a company and bought the newspaper plant and soon established an
excellent morning daily, but the competition with Cincinnati and Indianapolis
morning papers was too keen and the paper failed to pay. The company was
composed of A. J. Roth, Claude Mathewson, Charles Myers, William Masters
and J. M. Hamilton. On May 4, 1912, A. J. Roth became the sole owner
of the paper and discontinued its publication, converting the plant into a job
printing plant. Mr. Roth is still operating the plant.

Two other papers, both magazines, have had brief careers in Conners-
ville. In 1893 John W. Hull established a monthly agricultural paper
bearing the name of The National Sheepman, the title being sufficiently
indicative of its general contents. It was issued regularly for about twelve
years. The other magazine was owned and edited by John P. Brown and
carried the name of Arboriculture. It was published bi-monthly for about
five years during the decade following 1900. Brown was an authoritv on

474 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

arboriculture and later published a volume entitled "Arboriculture" which is
regarded as an authority on the subject.

The first issue of the Apostolic Holiness Herald made its api>earance
Ma)^ 26, 1907. Its first proprietor was George S. Owen, and later Roscoe
S. McBride became associated with Owen. The paper was a small, twelve-
page monthly magazine, eight and one-half by twelve inches in size. It was
not a financial success and suspended publication in October. 1908.

CONNER.S'VILLE EDITORS.

In the preceding- pages has been given a brief history of the several
papers and magazines which have appeared in Connersville since Van Fleet
started the Indiana Statesman in 1824. It now remains to notice the more
promment of the many editors who have b'een identified with these papers.
It has been impossible to secure definite information concerning some of
these men, but the main facts concerning several of the local editors have
been collected and are given in the following pages :

ABRAHAM VAN VI.EET (OR FLEEt).

Abraham Van Vleet, the founder of the first newspaper in Fayette
county, was born in New Jersey in 1783. His career prior to his location
in Connersville in 1823 is not definitely known, but it appears that about
1S12 he located in Lebanon, Ohio, and shortly afterward became connected
with the IVesteni Star, then published at that place. It is not known
whether he learned the printing business in the office of that paper, or
whether he had ser\ed his apprenticeship before going there. It is well
established that he came to Connersville in 1823, bringing with him sutTlcient
equipment to publish a paper. The population of the town and county was
evidently not large enough to support a paper, although a reference to the
Indiana Statesman in the commissioners' records in 1824 proves conclusively
that he had a paper going for a time at least in that year.

No copies of this first paper in the county have. been preserved, and
consequently it is impossible to speak with definiteness concerning it. A
fugitive issue of the second paper (Vol. I, No. 4,) published in the town,
the Observer, carrying the names of Abraham Van Vleet and Daniel Rench
as publishers, is dated July 8, 1826, which would indicate that it was started
in the first week of June of that year. Van Vleet severed his connection
with the paper sometime prior to 1830 and either turned his interest over to

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 475

John Sample. Jr., or to Rencli. Tt is certain that Sample wa.s part owner in
May, 1830, since on the 8th of that month tlie paper contains the valedictory
of Rench and Sample, conveying the definite information that they have
sold it to Samnel \\". Parker. Win Fleet, according to the best authority,
went to New York city in 1831 and died in that city the following year.

DANIEL RENCH.

Daniel Rench was born in Maryland about 1800 and came w^ith his par-
ents to Jackson townsliip, Fayette county. Indiana, about 181 2. He became
associated with Abraham Van Vleet in the publication of the Ohscn'cr, the
.second paper issued in the county, and was connected with it as part or sole
owner from 1826 to 1830. Rench and Sample, then owners of the Obscri'cr,
disposing of it to Samuel W. Parker in May, 1830. Rench was a man of
ability, as is evidenced by the offices of trust to which he was elected by the
people of the county. He became the first auditor of the county in 1841
upon the creation of that office by the Legislature, and served continuously
until 1855. He was elected recorder in the fall of 1865, and served from
August 18, 1865, until his death on Februar}^ 10, 1872.

WILLIAM STEWART.

^^'illiam Stewart was born in Pennsylvania in 181 5 and came with his
parents to Conners\-ille in 1821. He served as an apprentice in the office
of the Observer. His connection with the papers of Connersville is more
or less obscure, due to the fact that files of the early papers have not been
preserved. He was first part owner of the Watchman and later became the
sole owner, this connection falling within the forties. Sometime prior to
1845 ^is bought the Indiana Telegraph from Dr. Ryland T. Brown, but
soon sold it to S. W. Swiggett. Stewart was a representative in the Legis-
lature in the thirtieth and thirty-first sessions (1845-46). Stewart died in
February, 1865.

MATTHEW R. HULL.

Matthew R. Hull was born in Taylor county. Virginia, December i,
1809, and came to Fayette county in 1828. He was a saddler by trade and
followed his calling at various places in the county before engaging in the
newspaper business in Connersville in 1832. At one time he had a shop at
Alquina. He seems to ha\e been a man of unusual energy and ability and

476 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

became one of the leading men of the county. When he was only twenty-
two years of age he joined Caleb B. Smith in the purchase of the Political
Clarion of Connersville, the new owners issuing the first number of the paper
(June 2, 1832) under the name of Indiana Sentinel. The following year
Hull became the sole owner of the paper and he continued alone for some
years. It seems that sometime after Smith severed his connection, Col.
Henry J. Nef¥ became identified with the paper and he may have taken over
the interest of Smith. At any rate the Colonel soon left Hull in full posses-
sion. How long Hull continued the paper is not definitely known, but it
seems to have been discontinued before 1839. In that year Hull was elected
to the lower house of the state Legislature, serving through only one session,
the twenty-fourth. Sometime in the forties Hull left Connersville, located
in Ohio, and from the best accounts available, engaged in newspaper work
in that state for several years before returning to Fayette county. He was
an ardent abolitionist, a radical- temperance man, and took an active part
in local affairs as long as he was a resident of Fayette county. He died on
July 22, 1875.

A monthly magazine, The IVcstern Life-Boat (Des Moines, Iowa),
1873, page 362, says Of Hull: "M. R. Hull was an eminent instructor, and
who but for instability of purpose would have become one of the most
eminent men of the nation. He had much natural ability, a superior edu-
cation, and was one of the most eloquent orators in the West. This same
Hull started an abolition paper in Ohio. He now [presumably 1873] is in
Fayette county, Indiana, carrying on a carriage and wagon factory."

GEORGE M. SINKS.

George M. Sinks, a brother of Augustus M. Sinks, was born in Cler-
mont county, Ohio, February 20, 1846. He served in the Civil War from
1861 until 1864. In 1868 he located in Connersville, where his brother,
Augustus M., had a short time previously bought the Times. He continued
as part or sole owner of the paper until 1875, in which year he was appointed
postmaster of Connersville, serving in that capacity until 1883. Upon retir-
ing from the postoffice he became secretary-treasurer of the Indiana Church
Furniture Company and filled that position until he retired from active busi-
ness life in 1898, though he was for many years afterward the president of
the Favette National Bank.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 477

JOHN C. OCHILTREE.

John C. Ochiltree was bom in Union county, Indiana, March ii, 1846,
and receixed only a common-school education. He began teaciiing school
before reaching his majority and continued teaching twehe years. In the
fall of 1880 he came to ConnersviUe and on August 24, 1880, bought the
Times in partnership with \\". F. Downs. The following spring (March 9,
1881,) Ochiltree and Downs consolidated their paper with the Ncivs, then
published by McClung & Bacon. In August of the same year Ochiltree dis-
posed of his interest in the paper to the other members of the firm, but about
two months later (November 9, 1881,) Ochiltree and ,\ugustus M. Sinks
became the sole owners of the paper. On October 2, 1884, Ochiltree sold
his interest to Sinks and on the 6th of the following November moved to
Indianapolis where he lived for several years. He then located at Dayton,
Ohio, where he was editor of the Dayton Daily A'czt's up to within a year
or two of his death. He is buried near Glenwood, Indiana. Ochiltree was
a very fluent and versatile writer, and turned his liand with equal facility
to prose and poetry. He issued two volumes of his writings.

WILLIAM FRANCI.S DOWNS.

William F. Downs was born at Anderson, Indiana, December 25, 1854,
and in 1862 located with his parents in ConnersviUe. On November 9,
1868, he entered the employ of A. M. and G. M. Sinks, publishers of the
Times. He served seven years a.s a compositor and then became foreman
of the mechanical department. On July i. 1875, being only twenty years
of age at the time, he joined with John A. James in the purchase of the
Times. Two years later the firm disposed of the paper to Charles N. Sinks.
In September, 1880, Downs and John C. Ochiltree Ijecame the owners of
the Times, and a little more than a year later Downs sold his interest to A. M.
Sinks and John C. Ochiltree. Downs now became city editor of the
Examiner for a period of two years. On June 9, 1887, Mr. Downs, with
Delia C. Smith, founded the Daily Nexi's. From its inception it was a suc-
cess, Downs becoming the first editor of the daily edition of the Neivs. On
October 20, 1892, Downs & Smith, owners of the Nca's. combined the paper
with the Republican and during several changes Downs continued to hold
an interest in the paper until his death. Downs was cit\' clerk from 1884
to 1890, and served as mayor from 1890 to 1894. Upon the resignation

478 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of Miles K. Moffitt as county clerk, May 22, 1898, Downs was appointed
to fill out the unexpired term, and served by subsequent election until his
death, March 2^^, 1905. He is buried at Sturgis, Michigan, where his widow
is now living'.

JOHN MILTON HIGGS.

John M. Higgs, one of the founders of the Examiner, was born in
Franklin county, Indiana, April 5, 1841, and received his education in the
district schools and in Brookville. Before reaching his majority he entered
the office of the Brookville Democrat and remained with the paper five years.
In 1859 he came to Connersville and in partnership with one Shiith bought
the Indiana Telegrapli from T. J- AVhite. Higgs continued his connection
with the paper until just before he enlisted (September 18, 1861) in the
Union army for service in the Civil War. He served throughout the war
and after his return home located in Indianapolis, where he found employ-
ment on the Indianapolis Sentinel and Gazette. The Democrats of Fayette '
county had no organ of their own after the war, and Higgs was prevailed
upon to return to his old home and establish a Democratic' paper. He
induced F. M. Pickett, ah editorial writer on the Indianapolis Herald, to
join him in the venture and on December 24, 1867, the new firm issued the
first number of the Connersville Examiner. Pickett withdrew from the
paper on March 17, 1869, leaving Higgs as the sole owner. The latter con-
tinued it as a weekly until 1887, when he established a daily edition of his
paper, both of which have continued to come from the press down to the
present time. Higgs maintained his connection with the paper until 1903,
when he sold it to a stock company. Higgs retired from active affairs
after disposing of the paper, and lived a cpiiet life until his death, No\'ember
7, 1909. His widow is still living in Connersville.

AUGU.STUS M. SINKS.

Augustus M. Sinks was born on March ly, 1838, in Clermont county,
Ohio, and was educated at the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio.
He began teaching at the age of nineteen and followed the profession for
four years, reading law in the meantime. He was admitted to the bar m
1863 and in that same year was elected clerk of his home county. In 1867
he located in Connersville and bought the rfmi'.f from W. H. Green, who
had been elected auditor of Fayette county that fall. He' assumed control
of the paper in December and maintained his connection with it until May

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 479.

1, 1871, when lie sold his interest in the paper to his two brotliers, G. M.
and M. R., who had previously been associated with him in its publication.
Upon disposing of his interest he formed a partnership with Jeremiah M..
\Mlson for the practice of law, the firm being dissolved when Wilson was
elected to Congress. Sinks was attorney for the Cincinnati, Hamilton &
Indianapolis Railroad and for the Ft. Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati Railroad
for ten years. On November 9, 1881, he and John C. Ochiltree bought the
Coiiiicrs7'il!c Times and after the retirement of Ochiltree, July 2, 1884, Sinks
continued as sole owner of the paper until 1891, when he disposed of it to
J. W. Shackleford and Howard M. Gordon. Sinks was city attorney of Con-
nersville for six years. He took a great interest in Masonic \\ork, serving
ten vears as master of Warren lodge, four years as high priest of the chap-
ter, five vears as illustrious master of the council, four years as commander
of the commander}-, and one year, 1885, as illustrious grand master of the
grand chapter. Royal Arch Masons, of Indiana. He died in Cincinnati in
1912. ■

JAMES HARVEY TATMAN.

Xo history, however concise, of the upbuilding of Connersville could
be deemed just to the future unless it told of the life and the business career
of the late James Harvey Tatman. Most of his life was spent in Conners-
ville. Few more active members of the business circles of their day and no
more rugged and strong-principled Christian gentleman ever added to the
city's growth.

Born in Kentucky. Mr. Tatman came with his parents to Franklin
county, Indiana', ^vhen he was still a little child. About the year 1858 he
came to Connersville and the remainder of his life -was lived within the city.
He died on September 9. 1905 in his eightieth year.

In the course of his life in Connersville Mr. Tatman was a photographer,
which art he mastered and prospered in. Af one time, during the w^ar, he
employed three assistants constantly. He was later associated with A. C.
Cooley in the furniture manufacturing business ; he was a partner with L. T.
Bower in a saw-mill industry; at one time he was interested with Henry
Moyer in the retail furniture business ; he platted a large tract of ground in
the western district of the city which is known as Tatman's addition ; he
operated the largest apiary in Fayette county and was engaged in an active
way, but on a smaller scale, in other enterprises.

Mr. Tatman was president of the Times-News Company for many years
and upon it, as upon everything he touched, he left the imprint of a char-

480 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

acter of strong and admirable angles. His eagerness in the conduct of busi-
ness exceeded his strength of body. His ardor as a believer in Methodism
exceeded both and his death took from the city a man who died as he had
lived, and whose memory is revered today. The widow, Mrs. Josephine B.
Tatman, who in her young womanhood was a contributor of verse to early-
day periodicals, still resides in the beautiful family home at the southwest
corner of Grand avenue and Ninth street.

EDWIN WRIGHT TATMAN.

Edwin Wright Tatman, although a comparatively young man, has
nevertheless been classed for a number of years among the city's forward
rank of business spirits. He is president and general manager of the Times-
News Company. His public activities in the Commercial Club, which he
served as vice-president and treasurer, his identity with all public-spirited
and philanthropic movements, and his labors in behalf of the industrial
development of Connersville are predominate characteristics. Cementing all
this he has a wide accjuaintance and a salient penchant for being on the
advance side of issues, questions and movements.

Mr. Tatman was born in Connersville in a house that occupies the same
original lot on which his own house now stands, on July 21, 1878. His
business career is a rather remarkable one. His connection with the Even-
ing News, of which he is now the publisher and principal owner, began in
his teiith year and has lasted, without interruption, until the present. He
began as a newsboy and continued to be a newsboy until the day of his
graduation from the Connersville high school. He was then in his eighteenth
year. The Monday following he took up his duties as bookkeeper for the
company. About a year later the company, theretofore in charge of William
F. Downs and J. W. Hull, underwent a change, Mr. Tatman's father acquir-
ing a half interest in the establishment. At the time of this transaction
young Mr. Tatman was made business manager. He was peculiarly fitted
for that position, having grown up from the humblest duties of the estab-
lishment to the position — which he still holds — of the person who knows
more about the business, in and out, than any other person connected with it.
The years since he began as a newsboy have given him a business education
not to be found in any college.

While on the surface of Connersville's affairs, Mr. Tatman and the
Times-News are all but synonyms, the president and general manager is

/^2;:^^^-v^^-^ '^^ >y^^^'^^cZ^i

FAYETTF. COUNTY, INDIANA.

active otherwise, being interested in local banking and manufacturing enter-
prises and ha\ing \aluable realty holdings. He is a member of the board
of directors of the b'armers and ^Merchants Trust Company, of Connersville.

D. E. Trusler, the editor of the Daily Exainincr. was born near Con-
nersville on February ii. 1888. He was educated in the rural schools and
in the Conncrs\-ille high sciiool. \\'hen onl}' seventeen years of age he
enlisted in the I'nited States na\-y an.d remained in the service four years,
1905-09. serving first on the "Charleston" and later on the "West Virginia."
He was on board the "Charleston" when Secretary of State, Elihu Root,
made his famous trip around South America in that vessel. For three years
he was stationed on the west coast of the United States and during that time
visited all the important ports in the South Sea. Australia, China, Japan and
other jiarts of Asia. He has been in practically every port in the world,
having crossed the ecjuator no less than twenty-eight times in the course
of his travels.

After being mustered out of the navy in 1909, Mr. Trusler was employed
by the Rex Buggy Company until 1912, when he became a reporter on the
Connersville Nezvs. He became editor of the Daily Examiner in September,
191 5, and has succeeded in trebling the subscription of the paper since he.
took charge of it. Mr. Trusler v.as married on January 29, 1910, to Eva
Caldwell.

(31)

CHAPTER XVIII.
Fraternal and Benevolent Societies.

FREE and accepted MASONS.

The existence of Masonry in Fayette county dates from the earliest
history of the county and a large proportion of the leading men of the
county have been members of the fraternity. Its members have been the
leaders in the affairs of the city of Connersville, and several of them have
been men of state and even national reputation. From the local lodge have
gone forth such men as Oliver H. Smith, Caleb B. Smith, Philip Mason
and scores of others v\'ho made names for themselves in affairs of state
and nation. Mason was probably the most active member of the local
lodge in Masonic affairs, serving, as he did, as grand master of the grand
lodge of Indiana for a period of eight years, a record which has never
been equaled in the state.

Warren Lodge No. 15 was formally instituted on October 24, 1820,
the )-ear after the county itself was organized, and thus has an unbroken
history for nearly ninety-seven years. There were a number of Masons
in Connersville at the time the lodge was instituted, the founder of the
city, John Conner, being a member of the fraternity, and he was one of
the petitioners for the lodge. The others who joined with him in a peti-
tion to the grand lodge were John Sample, Edmund L. Kidd, Larkin Syms,
Jubal Finch, Julius Finch, Julius Whitmore and Hervey Bates. A petition
bearing the names of these pioneers of Connersville, and recommended by
Harmony Lodge at Brookville was laid before the grand lodge of the state
of Indiana, which met at Jeffersonville on September 11, 1820. The petition
was presented in person by Hervey Bates, and the grand lodge at once granted
the prayer of the petitioners, issuing to them the following dispensation :

To ALL WHOM IT MAY coNCEEN, Greeting :

M'tiereas, it Is represented to us that at Connersville, in tlie county of Fayette,
state of Indiana, tliere reside a number of brethren of Free and Accepted JIasons,
who are desirous of associating together agreeably to the constitution of Masonry; and
it appearing for the promotion of the royal art necessary and proper that the said
brethren should be enabled to work as aforesaid;

• FAYETIE COUNTY, INDIANA. 483

Therefore. I, Joliii Tiiitmi. gr.-ind master of tlio Most .ViuieiU aiul lloiioralile Sociel.v
of Free and Accepteil York Masons of the state of Indiana, agreeably to the rule.s and
regulations of our grand lodge, do hereby constitute and appoint the Worshipful Johu
Sample, master: Edmund L. Kidd, senior warden, and John Conner, junior warden,
together with all suc-h brethren as are now, or hereafter, from time to time, may
become members, a regular lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, to he known by the
name of Connersville Warren Lodge, and do hereby ordain that all regular lodges
respect them as such, hereby granting them full power to assemble and work together
as a regular lodge; to enter Apprentices, pass Fellowcrafts and raise Master Masons
according to the known custom of Ancient Masonr.v, and not otherwise; and also to
exact from their members such compensation as they shall judge necessary for the
suppi>rt of their lodge, the relief of brethren in distress and contributions towards the
grand charity fund, agreeably to the constitution of the grand lodge of Indiana, com-
manding the aforesaid brethren to reverence and olie.v their superiors in all things
lawful and honest ; to record In their lodge book this dispensation, 'their own private
regulations and their proceedings from time to time as they occur, and by no means
to desert their said lodge, or form themselves into separate meetings without the
consent of said master and wardens.

All which, by the accepting hereof, they are bound to observe, and the brethren
aforesaid, by their acceptance hereof, acknowledge the grand master and the grand
lodge of Indiana as their superiors, and they must pay due regard to all such instruc-
tions and recommendations as they shall hereafter receive from them ; and they are
hereby required to correspond with said grand lodge and attend its meetings by their
officers, proxies or other deputies properly authorize<l under the signature of their
secretary and the seal of their lodge and bring with them this disijensiition, which
shall remain in force until the end of the next session of this grand lodge and no longer.

Done in open grand lodge at Jeffersonville. this fourteenth day of September, A. L.
5820, A. D. 1820.
(Seal) In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and have caused the

seal of the grand lodge of Indiana to be hereunto affixed.
Attest : William C. Keen, John Tipton,

Grand Secretary. Grand Master.

Under the foregoing dispensation the petitioners convened on the 24th
day of October, A. L. 5820 (1820), and Warren lodge was duly instituted
by John Tipton, grand master, and at the meeting of the grand lodge, held
at Corydon, Indiana, on the loth day of October, A. L. 5822 (1822), a
charter was issued, duly signed and sealed by John Shedy, most worshipful
grand master ; Jonathan Jennings, deputy grand master ; Thomas Posey,
senior grand warden; John H. Farnham, junior grand warden, and attested
by W'illiam C. Keen, grand secretary.

FIRST MEETING IN HOTEL.

At the first meeting of the lodge in Connersville, which was held in an
upper room of John Sample's hotel, on the southwest corner of Eastern
avenue and Fifth street, John Newland was admitted a master Mason, and

484 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

four petitions for membership were presented. The lodge evidently con-
tinued to meet in Sample's hotel until the spring of 1824. On March 13,
1824, the lodge purchased lot No. 18, of Larkin Syms, paying one hundred
and ten dollars for the lot. There was a two-story frame building on the
lot and the first meeting in the new quarters was held on March 30, 1824.
In this place the lodge held forth until May 29, 1847, when it began meet-
ing in the saddle shop of Joseph Nelson, on Central avenue. Meetings
were held there only a short time, the next quarters being in rooms above
the present site of the First National Bank, at the corner of Central avenue
and Fifth street, where the meetings were held until the completion and dedi-
cation of the city hall in 1849. The lodge built the third story of this build-
ing and there it has made its home since it first occupied it in 1849.

The history of Warren lodge has spanned nearly a century, during
which time hundreds of men of Connersville and the surrounding commun-
ity have been identified with it. The statement has been made that at one
time practically every property owner in Connersville was a Mason; it is
safe to say, at least, that the majority of the leading men of the city at
all times of its history have been affiliated with the local lodge of Masons.
It is impossible to calculate the benefit which has accrued to the city because
of this body of men, united, as they were, by fraternal ties. The teachings
of the fraternity stand for the highest ideals of citizenship, and, though
there may have been members who did not measure up to the highest
standard of Masonry, yet the influence of the fraternity has undoubtedly
raised the quality of citizenship. The local lodge has had its years of
prosperity and its years of disaster, but through its entire career it has
never failed to minister to those of its members who needed assistance.

LIST OF PAST MASTERS.

The list of past masters of the lodge since 1820 shows a representa-
tive body of citizens of whom any city might well be proud. Here may be
seen men of all professions, and yet all bound together by one common tie
of fellowship. The complete list follows: John Sample, 1820-21; Hervey
Bates, 1 821; Edmund I. Kidd, 1821-22; Abner Bailey, 1822-23; Edmund I.
Kidd, 1823-25; John Sample, 1826; Edmund I. Kidd, 1826; Amos Clark,
1827; Martin Roy, 1827; Philip Mason, 1828-32; Caleb B. Smith, 1832-33;
Philip Mason, 1834-35; John Wiley, 1836; Philip Mason, 1837-38; William
Tully, 1839; Caleb B. Smith, 1840-42; Philip Mason, 1843; Elisha Vance,
1844; Philip Mason, 1845; Robert G. Hedrick, 1845; Philip Mason, 1846-47;

FAYETTE COUjNTY, INDIANA. 485

James Price, 1848-49; George R. Chitwood, 1849-50; Samuel Price, 1851-
52; Wilson Limpus, 1852-53; Edward Bateman, 1853-54; William Pelan,
1854-55: Philip ^lason. 1855-56; William Pelan, 1856-57; George
R.' Chitwood, 1857-58; Addison M. Davis, 1858-59; Christian Beck, 1859-61 ;
Richard Durnan, 1861-62; George R. Chitwood, 1862-63; John Doughty,
1863-67; William Pelan, 1867-68; Robert G. Hedrick, 1868-69; Austin B.
Clavpool, 187c; Harrison Davis, 1871 ; Joshua Chitwood, 1872-75; William
C. Forrey, 1876; Joshua Chitwood, 1877-78; Augustus M. Sinks, 1879-80;
Orlando P. Griffith, 1881 ; John D. McNaughton, 1882; Augustus M. Sinks,
1883-86: lohn Pavne, 1887; Augustus M. Sinks, 1888; Manfred E. Dale,
1889; Augustus M. Sinks, 1890; Walter B. Mundelle, 1891-92; Rudolph A.
]\Iiller, 1893; August C. Pick, 1894-95; Charles L Showalter, 1896; Anthony
Watt, 1897; August C. Pick, 1898; Milton Holberg, 1899-1900; William W.
McFarlan, 1901 ; Hyatt L. Frost, 1902; Minor E. Leffingwell, 1903; Thomas
H. Stoops, 1904; Curtis A. Goshorn, 1905; Harry H. Hall, 1906; Orie V.
Handley, 1907; Ernest C. Hassler, 1908; Allen Wiles, 1909; Richard N.
EUiott, .1910; Samuel Davis, 191 1; Robert J. Greenwood, 1912; John E.
Page, 1913: Raymond S. Springer, 1914; Andrew H. Rieman, 1915, and
Warren O. Hull, 1916. The worshipful master for the current year (1917)
is Josiah H. Clark.

The oflicers for 1917 include the following: J. H. Clark, worshipful
master: William C. Fallon, senior warden: Paul M. Tingle, junior warden;
John E. Page, treasurer; Olla M. Hempleman, secretary; Lorin E. Glass,
senior deacon ; William Dentlinger. junior warden ; Lowrey V. Hegwood,
tvler. The present meniljership is three hundred and seventy-nine.

MAXWELL CHAPTER NO. l8. ROYAL ARCH MASONS.

The dispensation for Maxwell Chapter No. 18, Royal Arch Masons, of
Connersville, was issued on December 7, 1850,- by the grand chapter of
Royal Arch Masons of the state of Indiana, Abel C. Pepper, grand high
priest, and Austin W. Morris, grand secretary, to J. W. Maxwell (high
priest), John Higgenbotham (king), and Caleb B. Smith (scribe), and
Philip Mason, William Pelan, George R. Chitwood, William B. Enyart,
Daniel Rench, Thomas McGiven, W. W. Frybarger and George McCann.
The local chapter was formally organized on January 3, 185 1, and the
charter was issued by the grand chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the
state of Indiana in session at Indianapolis, May 24, 1851.

FAYETTE COUNTY,

A glance at the following list of high priests of the chapter will show
that a large number of them have served as worshipful master of the blue
lodge. The complete list of high priests follows: James W. Maxwell,
1851; William Pelan, 1851-52; Elisha Vance, 1853; William Pelan, 1854;
Martin Frybarger, 1855; Henry Goodlander, 1856; David Rawls, 1857;
Philip Mason, 1858; William M. Smith, 1859; Joshua Leach, i860; William
Pelan, 1861-62; Levin Mcintosh, 1863: Edward B. Thomas, 1864; Alfred B.
Gates, 1865; WilHam H. Smith, 1866; Richard Durnan, 1867; Phihp Mason,
1868-69; Joshua Leach, 1870; Joshua Chitwood, 1871; George R. Chit-
wood, 1872-74; Jesse K. Jemison, 1875-76; George R. Chitwood, 1877-78:
Jesse K. Jemison, 1879; George R. Chitwood, 1880; Augustus M. Sinks,
1881-82; Levin Mcintosh, 1883; Augustus M. Sinks, 1884-88; Charles P.
Riley, 1889-90; John Payne, 1891 ; Charles I. Showalter, 1892-93; Jacob R.
Bright, 1894-95; August C. Pick, 1896-99; Charles P. Riley, 1900-02; Mil-
ton Holberg, 1903; William L. Cortelyou, 1904; Ernest C. Hassler, 1905-06;
Thomas H. Stoops, 1907-08; Curtis A. Goshorn, 1909; Robert J. Greenwood,
1910-11; Harry P. Riley, 1911-14; Harry S. Johnson, 1915; Richard N.
Elliott, 191 7.

The officers for the current j-ear (191 7) are as follow: Richard N.
ElHott, high priest; Warren O. Hull, king; Adrian C. Carter, scribe; John
E. Page, treasurer; Ola M. Hempleman, secretary; Bayard C. Burris, captain
of the host; Allen Wiles, principal sojourner; James A. Coe, royal arch cap-
tain; George H. Haley, master of the third veil; Eugene H. Glass, master
of the second veil; Harry M. Griffin, master of the first veil; William P. Her-
mann, guard.

FAYETTE COUNCIL NO. 6, ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS.

Fayette Council No. 6, Royal and Select Masters, of Connersville, was
instituted on March 5, 1856, following the granting of a dispensation by
the grand council of Royal and Select Masters of the state of Indiana, Feb-
ruary 4, 1856, the same being- issued to Martin Frybarger, Philip Mason,
Enos Gunn and others. The charter was granted by the grand council of
Royal and Select Masters of the State of Indiana, held at Shelbyville, Indiana,
May 20, 1856, the charter members and first officers being as follow : William
Hacker, thrice illustrious master ; James W. Maxwell, deputy thrice illustrious
master; Companion Lynde, principal conductor of the work; Companion
Wolf, captain of the guard; Companion Higginbotham, treasurer; Compan-

FAYETTE COU.XTY, INDIANA. 487

ion Ramsey, recorder; Companion Gunn, stewaril, and Companions Fry-
barg-er, Clinedist and Mason.

The past illustrious masters of the council have served in the following
order: Martin Frybarger, 1856; Joshua Leach, 1857; Martin Fryl>arger,
1858-59; Philip Mason, 1860-63; Jesse K. Jemison, 1864-80; Augustus M.
Sinks, 1881-87; John D. McNaughton, 1888: John Payne, 1889-90; Charles
P. Riley, 1891 Alonzo Runyan, 1892; Jacob R. Bright. 1893-94; Augustus
C. Fick, 1895; Charles I. Showalter, 1898-02: Charles P. Riley, 1903-04;
George C. Hicks, Jr.. 1905-08; Donald M. Wylie, 1909: Francis W. Huxtable,
1910; Ben. F. McCready, 1911-12; Charles T. Gordon, 1912-14; August
C. Fick, 1915-16; Allen M. Wiles, 1916-17, and Harry P. Riley, 1917.

The officers for the current year (191 7) are as follow: Harry P.
Riley, illustrious master; Andrew H. Rieman, deputy master; Warren O. Hull,
principal conductor of the work; John E. Page, treasurer: Ola M. Hemple-
man, recorder ; Jesse S. McFall, captain of the guard ; James A. Coe, conductor
of the council ; Charles E. Butcher, steward ; Isaac N. Herman, sentinel.

CONNERSVILLE COMMANDERY NO. 6, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.

Connersville Commandcry Xo. ft. Knights Templar, was organized as
Cambridge City Commander}-, on Feljruary 7, 1855, following the issuance
of a dispensation, dated December 28, 1854, by the grand commander of the
state of Indiana, held at Lafayette, Indiana, to C. S. Ramsay, H. G. Sexton,
Al)raham Reeves, W. W. Hibben. \\'illiam Crawford, John W. Sullivan,
Martin Frybarger. William Hacker and L. R. Brownell. The charter was
granted on December 25, 1853, by the grand encampment held at Ft. Wayne,
lo \\'illiam Pelan, eminent commander ; Martin Frybarger. generalissimo, and
Richard Durnan, captain general. The members were originally divided
between the two towns, but the site was moved and the name changed in 1885.

The past eminent commanders, with the years of their service, are as
follow: C. S. Ramsay, 1855; William Pelan, 1856; Martin Frybarger,
1857; Henry Goodlander, 1858-59; Joshua Leach, 1860-62; Henry Good-
lander, 1863-64; William Pelan, 1865-66; Thomas Newby, 1867-68; Nathan
R. Bennett, 1869; George A. Johnson, 1870: Levin Swiggett, 1871 ; Robert
Patterson, 1872; Thomas Newby, 1873; James McCaffrey, 1874; Nathan R.
Bennett, 1875; Levin Swiggett, 1876-77; Daniel W. Mason, 1878; Levin
Swiggett. 1879-85; Charles P. Riley, 1886; James X. Huston, 1887-88;
Augustus M. Sinks, 1889-90; Joshua Chitwood, 1891: Augustus M. Sinks,
1892; Joshua Chitwood, 1893; Howard M. Gordon, 1894-95; Charles I.

4C5 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Showalter, 1896; Joshua Chitwood, 1897-1902; John Payne, 1903; George
F. Smith, 1904; William L. Cortelyou, 1905-07; William M. Gregg, 1908;
Joseph R. Mountain, 1909-10; Lewis E. Green, 191 1; Orie V. Handley,
1912; August C. Pick, 1913; John E. Page, 1914; Allen Wiles, 1915-16, and
Charles T. Gordon, 19 16- 17.

CONNERSVILLE CHAPTER NO. 346, ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR.

Connersville Chapter No. 346, Order of the Eastern Star, was organized
on, November 21, 1907, following the granting of a dispensation by the
grand chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star of Indiana, dated November
4, 1907, the same being issued to Etta P. Thompson, worthy matron, and
Andrew H. Rieman, worthy patron. The charter was granted by the grand
chapter on April 23, 1908, to Etta P. Thompson, worthy matron; Orie V.
Handley, worthy patron, and Elizabeth Melhorn, associate matron.

The past matrons, with the years of their service, follow : Etta P.
Thompson, 1907-08; Elizabeth Melhorn, 1909; Estelle M. Ochiltree, 1910;
Anna Handley, 191 1; .Sarah A. F. Ludwick, 1912; Anna M. Rieman,
1913-14; Mary M. Wiles, 1915; Lillie Tingley, 1916-17, and Daisie Baker,
1917.

This chapter was instituted with the following charter members : Thomas
Stoops, May Stoops, Charles E. Bucher, Hattie E. Bucher, W. L. Cortelyou,
Nellie V. Cortelyou, Charles Melhorn, Elizabeth Melhorn, Charles E. Thomp-
son, Etta Thompson, William E. Ochiltree, Estella Ochiltree, O. V. Handley,
Anna Handley, V. D. Ludwick, Sarah Ludwick, Meta Ludwick, Ida Huston,
F. I. Barrows, Carrie L. Barrows, Anna Rieman, Andrew Rieman, George
Carter, Sarah Carter, Lula Ashworth, Lewis Ashworth, Lillie Tingle, John
Page, Pearl Page and Josephine Barrows. Among the first officers were the
following : Etta Thompson, worthy matron ; O. V. Handley, worthy patron ;
Elizabeth Melhorn, assistant matron; Anna Rieman, secretary; Thomas H.
Stoops, treasurer- Estella Ochiltree, conductress; Lillie Tingle, associate con-
ductress. Following are the officers for 1917: Daisie Baker, worthy matron;
A. H. Rieman, worthy patron; Celia Barrows, assistant matron; Elizabeth
Melhorn, secretary; Fredericke Fick, treasurer; Anna Coe, conductress;
Gwendolin Murphy, associate conductress; Lillian DeHaven, Ada; Bessie
Barnes, Ruth ; Bessie Miller, Esther ; Gertrude Beeson, Martha ; Marv Bird,
Electa; Anna Showalter, chaplain; Alice Tingley, warder; Guy Baker,
sentinel ; Elizabeth Robinson, marshal ; Clara Leflfingwdl, organist. The
present membership of the chapter is one hundred and fifty-two.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 489

INDIANA CONSISTORY, ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE, THIRTY-SECOND-
DEGREE MASONS.

Following are the local members of the Indiana Consistory, Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite, \^alle}' of Indianapolis : Charles D. Beck, Thomas
C. Bryson, George R. Carter, James A. Dragoo, Lewis E. Green, William
M. Gregg, Joseph j. Jessup, Arthur E. Leiter, Minor E. Leffingwell, James
C. Mount, John H. Mount, Joseph R. Mountain. Charles Masters, Frederick
C. Xeal. John Payne, Clarence S. Roots, Andrew H. Rieman, Charles I.
Showalter, Harold H. Vawter, Grundy \'each, William W. ^^"ainwright
and Allen ^I. Wiles.

ANCIENT ARABIC ORDER OF NOBLES OF THE MYSTIC SHRINE.

Following are the Incal members of the Ancient Arabic Order of
Xobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with Murat Temple, Indianapolis:
William C. Basse, Charles D. Beck, .Claud C. Bower, Thomas C. Bryson,
George D. Carter, James A. Dragoo, Maynard M. Erb, August C. Fick,
Charles T. Gordon, Lewis E. Green, William M. Gregg, Ernest C. Hassler,
George C. Hicks, Jr., William L. Helvie, Joseph C. Jessup, Arthur E. Leiter,
Minor E. Leffingwell, Charles Masters, Ben F. McCready, William F. ]\Ic-
Xaughton, Charles O. Melhorn, James C. Mount, John H. Mount, Joseph R.
Mountain, Charles Myers. Ernie McGrath, Frank W. McCready, Edward
McGonegle, Fred C. Neal, Clarence S. Roots, John W. Schramm, Dora W.
Sherry, Charles I. Showalter, Carl C. Smith, James S. Tatman, William F.
Thoms, Grundy \>ach, Harold H. \'awter, Allen M. Wiles and Clarence O.
\\'ise.

M.VSONS AT FAIR\-IEW.

Snow Lodge No. 305, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized at
Fairview on May 26, 1864. Among the first officers were the following:
Dr. William Smith, worshipful master; Leroy E. Palmen, senior warden;
William Gibbs, junior warden. All of the first officers are now deceased.
The membership of the lodge, now composed of eighteen members, is scat-
tered and no regular meetings are held. The erection of a building is
under contemplation and if successful should add renewed interest to the
order. The officers for 191 6 include the following: W. S. Saxon, worship-
ful master; Benjamin M. Perry, senior warden; Michael Brown, junior
warden; Miles Daubenspeck, treasurer; Marion W. McCann, secretary;

490 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

William M. Bell, senior deacon; Ross Jenks, junior warden; Calvin Murphy
and Raymond Nesbit, stewards; Garrett D. Wycoff, tyler.

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS, CONNERSVILLE.

Fayette Lodge No. 31, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was granted
a charter at Connersville on July 11, 1849. The lodge was instituted by
Thomas Wilson of Centerville in the afternoon of August 13, 1849. The
charter members and first officers include the following: John F. Youse,
noble grand; Anthony Watt, vice-grand; Calvin Davis, secretary; Henry J.
Kern, treasurer; John M. Hiatt. The officers for 1917 follow: C. L. Mat-
thewson, noble grand; Clyde Thatcher, vice-grand; James Halstead, record-
ing secretary; George Carter, financial secretary; Charles Myers, treasurer;
Roy Utter, warden; Harry Jeffrey, conductor; John Stewart, inside guard;
Bismark Hendrickson, outer guard, William Banks, right supporter to noble
grand; A. J. Lines, left supporter to noble grand; Harry Zimmerman, right
supporter to vice-grand; Earl Lines, left supporter to vice-grand; C. W.
Sefton, chaplain ; Andrew Rieman, .Albert H. Robinson and Charles Hudson,
trustees.

Fayette Lodge No. 31 is one of the oldest fraternal organizations in
the county, and also one of the strongest. In 1901, the order erected a
modern building on Central avenue, at a cost of about sixteen thousand
dollars, and the same is now entirely paid for.

The lodge has in its possession a life-sized oil painting of Thomas Wildey,
the founder of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The founder of
the order consented to sit for the picture at the request of a personal friend
who was a member of the same lodge, and later became a member of Fayette
Lodge No. 31. The local order received the original picture, which now
hangs in the lodge room. The lodge has been offered one thousand five
hundred dollars for the picture, but all offers have been refused.

ENCAMPMENT, INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS, CONNERSVILLE.

Whitewater Encampment No. TiT,, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
was instituted at Connersville on March 17, 1853, by Special Deputy Daniel
Moss, assisted by the patriarchs from Cambridge City. The charter mem-
bers were as follow : John F. Youse, Nathan Raymond, Casper Markel,
Rudolph Benkert, Joseph C. Preston, Isaac D. Bennett and A. D. Smith.

FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. 49I

The first officers include the following": S. M. Youse, chief patriarch;
William P. Applegate, high priest ; J. M. Hart, senior warden ; John F. Youse,'
junior warden ; A. H. Hotchkiss, scribe ; Conrad Wolf, treasurer. The pres-
ent officers are inclusive of the following : George W. Carter, chief patriarch ;
Jesse Becht, senior warden; Edward Moon, high priest; E. Earl Lines, junior
warden; F. H. Miller, financial scribe; C. W. Sefton, recording secretary; A.
H. Rieman, Edward Doenges and Glenn Zell, trustees.

DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH, CONNERSVII.LE.

Emerald Lodge No. 295, Daughters of Rebekah, at Connersville, was
granted a charter on July 3. 1888. The charter members included the fol-
lowing: Mary A. Brooks, Adam Rothermel, Clara Rieman, C. x\. Brooks,
Anna Sanders, Fred L. White, Andrew Rieman, Thomas Shaw, Matt. T. Lair,
Phillip Reifel, Jr., Adolph Bantler. Ella Lair, Geradenia Rieman, Emma A.
White, ]Mary A. Rothermel.

The officers at this time include the following: Ida Bullard, noble
grand, Ellene Steadman, vice-grand; Kate Wood, secretary; Elizabeth Mel-
horn, financial secretary; Mary Jeffries, treasurer; Lorena Stelle, warden;
Isabelle Snyder, conductor ; Estella Bunyard, inner guard ; William J. Rother-
mel, outer guard; Barbara Stout, right supporter to the noble grand; Erma
\\'hite. left supporter to the noble grand ; Elsie Schweikle, right supporter to
the vice-grand ; Melvina Harrison, left supporter to the vice-grand ; Pearl
Jeffries, chaplain. The present membership is one hundred and seventy-one.

GERMAN LODGE OF ODD FELLOWS, CONNERSX'ILLE.

Guttenberg- Lodge Xo. 319, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Con-
nersville, was granted a charter on February 15, 1869, and included the fol-
lowing charter members : John Uhl, Martin Greenwald, Ludwig Thomas,
Louis Leedke, Moses Kahn, \'alentine Billau, Charles Groerer, Anthony Kehl,
John Wolfrom and Jacob l^". Swikley. The lodge was originally organized
as a German lodge, though there never was a membership requirement of
the sort, and English has been used exclusively for many years. The order
has a membership of three hundred and eight. The elective officers for 1917
follow : Rollin Church, noble grand ; Charles Jones, vice-grand ; Werle Vin-
cent, secretary ; F. E. Tingley, financial secretary, and Charles E. Thompson,
treasurer.

492 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ODD FELLOWS, EVERTON.

Everton Lodge No. 139, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organ-
ized at Everton on January 11, 1852. The first officers were as follow:
Joseph Casto, noble grand; Winfield Shockley, vice-grand; James P. Kerr,
secretary; O. H. Myer, financial secretary; Joseph A. White, treasurer; Mel-
ville Ross, warden; Joseph A. Hubbell, conductor; William Shockley, inside
guard; Amos Ladd, outside guard; John Mills, right supporter to the noble
grand ; Walter Lake, left supporter to the noble grand. The officers for 1916
follow : James Elliott, noble grand ; David H. Case, vice-grand ; L T. Will-
iams, secretary; W. M. Williams, treasurer; L S. Case, warder; A. H. Thomp-
son, conductor; E. G. Thompson, inside guard: Elijah Johnston, outside
guard ; Joseph Debolt, right supporter to the noble grand ; J. W. Kellum, left
supporter to the noble grand. The lodge owns its building and has a mem-
ship of one hundred and seventeen.

Star Lodge No. 371. Daughters of Rebekah, was in.stituted at Fal-
mouth on June 2, 1891, the charter being granted to Dan Fosher, S. J.
Fosher, Ginta Fosher, Simon Josephs, N. J. Noble, AVilliam Higley and
Henry Kingery. Tlie present officers include the following : Mrs. Mary
Jones, noble grand ; Mrs. Dora Reese, ^•ice-g•rand : Mrs. Sarah Mohler, secre-
tary; Mrs. Viola Carter, treasurer: ]\Irs, Hettie Rich, financial secretary.
The present meml^ership is thirty-eight.

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.

Connersville Lodge No. 11, Knights of Pythias, was organized on Janu-
ary 12, 1 87 1, with twenty-one charter members. The first officers were
inclusive of the following: W. H. Hatton, chancellor commander; James
Williams, vice-chancellor; H. H. Austin, prelate; J. F. Snyder, master-at-
arms; M. Kahn, keeper of records and seal; George Hatton, master of finance;
Thomas Shaw, master of exchequer ; W. H. Hatton, T. Shaw and F. Hamil-
ton, trustees. The present officers are: Omer C. Floyd, chancellor com-
mander; Cliff Eschleman, vice-chancellor; James T. Little, prelate; Clarence
Sefton, master of work; Henry Pffeifer, master-at-arms; E. P. Holmes,
keeper of records and seal; John S. Hankins, master of exchequer; James
Chrismer, James Eby and P. H. Kensler, trustees. The lodge is now occupy-
ing rented rooms, although it owns property valued at twelve thousand dol-
lars. The present membership is four hundred and nineteen.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 493

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS AT ALQUINA.

Alquina Lodge No. 456, Knights of Pythias, was instituted on March
II, 1898, with thirty-six charter members. The first officers were as follow:
S. E. Gordin, chancellor commander ; C. A. Loper, master of work ; Ross
Thomas, vice-chancellor; W. Lair, prelate: B. S. Maybee, master-at-arms:
Guy L. Thomas, inner guard; William Dungan, outer guard; L. C. Titter-
ington, keeper of records and seal. The present officers are as follow : J. W.
Grimnie, chancellor commander: Charles Beck, master of work; Elmer
Scholl, vice-commander; Frank Davis, prelate; Lon Chance, master-at-arms;
A. H. Jackson, inner guard; Burt Titterington, outer guard; Chester N.
Roberts, keeper of records and seal; Edward Newland, master of finance;
O. E. Dale, master of exchequer; Curtis Retheford, A. H. Jackson and Burt
Titterington, trustees. The lodge meets in the Red Men's hall and is one
of the very strong lodges in the county having a membership at the present
time of one hundred and seventy-one members.

UNIFORM RANK, KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, CONNERSVILI.E.

Carnahan Division No. 17, Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, was
instituted at Connersville on February 11, 1884, by James R. Carnahan, of
Indianapolis. The charter membership was composed of forty-nine members,
the largest of the seventeen divisions in the state at that time. The first
officers included the following: J. H. Fearis, sir knight commander; Fred
Pfaefflin, sir knight lieutenant : W. F. Downs, sir knight herald : J. C. Ochil-
tree, sir knight recorder ; C. F. Serodino, sir knight treasurer ; L. D. Batavia,
sir knight guard; G. C. Pelzel, sir knight sentinel. The officers for 1917 fol-
low: Charles Black, sir knight commander; Henry Pfeifer, first sir knight
lieutenant; John Metzger, sir knight herald; John Stoll, sir knight recorder;
James Chrismer, sir knight treasurer ; James Eby, sir knight guard ; William
Little, sir knight sentinel. The membership at the beginning of the year
191 7 was twenty-two. Meetings are held at Knights of Pvthias Hall, in the
Heinemann building, every alternate Tuesday of each month.

PYTHIAN SISTERS, CONNERSVILLE.

Vesta Temple No. 38, Pythian Sisters, was instituted at Connersville
on March 26, 1891. A charter was granted to the organization on June 2,
1891, and among the chartei" members were the following: Mrs. Minnie

4Q4 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Meyers, Mrs. Minnie Keller, Mrs. Anna Walker, Mrs. Kate Schvvenholz,
Mrs. Clara Reese, Mrs. Flora Dillman, Mrs. Maggie Pfafflin, Mrs. E. Griffith,
Mrs. Elizabeth Melhorn, Mrs. Mattie Crompton, Mrs. Cora Griffith, Mrs.
Nellie Harris, Mrs. Anna L. Ackerman, Mollie Webb, Alma Fowler, Mrs.
Sophia Frost, Mrs. Y. Turkenkoph, Mrs. D. W. Andre, Mrs. Julia Young,
Mrs. Carrie McClure, Mrs. D. H. Showalter, Mrs. E. E. Lewis, Mrs. R. B.
Fowler, Mrs. Yettie Pfafflin.

The first officers were as follow: Rebecca Andre, most excellent chief;
Julia Young, excellent senior; Geradena Lewis, excellent junior; Yettie Tur-
kenkoph, manager; Yettie Pfafflin, mistress of records and correspondence;
Carrie McClure, mistress of finance; Clara Showalter, protector; Elizabeth
Melhorn, outer guard, and Anna Ackerman, past chief. The officers for
1917 include the following: Mrs. Melvina Harrison, most excellent chief;
Mrs. Mary Parker, excellent senior; Mrs. Etta Thompson, excellent junior;
Mrs. Fern Anderson, manager; Kate Woods, mistress of records and corre-
spondence; Mrs. Lillie Tingley, mistress of finance; Mrs. Margaret Pieffer,
protector; Mrs. Ambrose Ford, outer guard; Mrs. Artie Higgs, past chief.
The temple had a membership of fifty-four knights and ninety-nine sisters.
The order meets on Monday evening of each week in the Knights of Pj'thias
hall.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES, CONNERSVILLE.

Aerie No. 1065, Fraternal Order of Eagles, was organized at Conners-
ville on May 4, 1905, with a total membership of one hundred and seventy-
five. The order has enjoyed a most rapid growth, as is evidence by the fact
that the present membership is six hundred and ninety-five. Recently the
lodge purchased the Auditorium theatre building at a sherifif's sale at a cost
of twenty-five thousand dollars. The officers for the year 191 7 include the
following: J. G. Hannah, worthy president; Robert Hera, worthy vice-
president ; Alonzo Binder, chaplain ; Harry Kuhlman, recording secretary ;
William L. Schaefer, financial secretary; Dr. B. W. Cooper, physician; Ben-
jamin W. Cole, treasurer; Charles Balle and Ephraim Kraus, trustees.

LOYAL ORDER OF MOOSE, CONNERSVILLE.

Connersville Lodge No. 1160, Loyal Order of Moose, was instituted
on October 10, 19 12, with the following charter members: E. P. Hawkins,
C. O. Miffit, O. H. Billau, Fred Deter, T. S. Barnett, James H. Johnson.
Joseph Hauk, William Kibby, E. Collins, J. H. Gochner, C. M. Johnson. Rus-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 495

sell Klenk, J. H. Hoag. Walter West, F. I. Barrows. O. 1'. M. Ford, Wil-
liam K. Ketchem, Ambrose Elliott, John H. Winter, Corwin Vare, Roy
Fields, John DeHaven, Frank Wagoner, C. C. Rose, William H. Turner,
William Bright, C. Derbyshire, Henry Lautt, T. O. Simpson, W. J. Wilson,
C. A. Uentzke, Harry M. Lamberson, George W. Junkins, Ben D. Burton,
Fred O. ^^■hite, John McNally, William F. AlcXally, Frank M. Miller, E.
W. Cain, O. E. Arnold, O. E. Franklin, O. B. Schriever, I. L. Reynolds, J.
P. Huber, C. A. Leming, John Stoll, E. P. Holmes, Glen Zell and George
R. Bacon.

The first elective officers were as follow : Past dictator, George Bacon ;
dictator, Glen Zell, vice-dictator, Emil Holmes; prelate, Russell Klenk; secre-
tary. Ivy L. Reynolds ; treasurer, John Stoll ; sergeant-at-arms, Owen Frank-
lin ; inside guard, Charles Pintzke ; outside guard, Ben Burton ; trustees,
Charles Leming, Edward W. Cain, Thomas O. Simpson ; physicians, J. H.
Johnson and James H. Hoag.

The present officers are as follow : Past dictator, F. O. White : dic-
tator, William Cornett ; vice-dictator, L. W. Wolverton ; prelate, Eugene
Turner; secretary, Ambrose Elliott; treasurer, George R. Bacon; sergeant-
at-arms. Thomas E. Jackson: inner guard, Jasper Young; outer guard, J. M.
Hamilton; trustees, Charles A. Leming, J. H. Winter and Glen Zell; physi-
cian, W. J. Porter. At the beginning of the year 191 7 the lodge had a
membership of four hundred and eighty-eight.

The military branch of the Loyal Order of Moose, known as Company
G, First Battalion, Seventh Regiment was instituted at Connersville on
April 22, 1914, with the following charter members: L. W. Wolverton,
J. C. Hackleman, James Lawrence, L. P. White, E. L. Sherman, A. Beaver,
W. J. Brown, H. Burbridge, J. W. Airen, Walter West, David Moore, Roy
Francis, C. Dolphin, R. Hornung, Qair Powers, Edward Jackson, Earl
Jackson, Albert Gansert, G. L. Franklin, J. W. Younger and C. C. Black.

The lodge occupies one of the most beautiful homes in the city, located
on the corner of Ninth street and Eastern avenue. The home has just been
recently purchased and when remodeled and furnished will include an outlay
of about thirteen thousand dollars.

BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS, CONNERSVILLE.

Connersville Lodge Xo. 379, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,
was organized in June, 1897, with twenty-five charter members. The first
officers were inclusive of the following: C. D. Beck, exalted ruler; P. S.

496 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Florea, leading knight; J. A. Becker, loyal knight; W. A. Mclhvaine, lec-
turing knight; W. T". McNaughton, secretary; Ouincy A. Mount, treasurer;
H. G. Stuart, esquire; George Cain, tyler; J. M. Kellum, chaplain; H. A.
Skirkey, inner guard. The present officers are as follow: Fred Hackman,
exalted ruler ; S. Davis, leading knight ; C. Derbyshire, loyal knight : Dr. G. F.
McCombs, lecturing knight; Edwin Maley, secretary; A. J. StoU, treasurer;
F. O. Feigert, esquire; T. E. Moffet, tyler; Oliver Jordan, chaplain; A. E.
Brown, inner guard. The order is in a very prosperous condition, as is
evidenced by the fact that it has a membership of two hundred and owns
a building valued at twelve thousand dollars, one of the handsomest and
most thoroughly equipped lodge buildings in Indiana.

IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN, CONNERSVILLE,

Otonka Tribe No. 94, Improved Order of Red Men, was organized at
Connersville on February 7, 1890, with the following charter members:
Moses Kahn, Charles Lewis, George F. Jackson, Charles I. Showalter,
Adam Rothermel. Frank T. McCready, Elmer E. Ginn, W. N. Harvey,
David W. Andre, Frank P. Frybarger, Riley Hunt, William C. Hanson,
George W. Shirkey, Lewis A. Frazee, Julius C. Turkenkoph, John R. Verden,
William Greer, William Burns, Henry Depner, William F. Downs, James
M. Mcintosh, Fremont Clifford, H. L. Baker, Ward Jemison, Richard E.
McClure, Charles C. Ackei-man, William L. Sparks, William C. Walling,
WilHam Moffett, M. Wenger, M. E. Dale, Jacob Bischoff, F. D. White,
A. E. Barrows, William F. McNaughton. John Payne, Adam Schoenholtz,
Richard G. Wait, William N. Young, E. M. McCready, Frank Griffith, Mar-
tin W. Philabaum, B. F. Thiebaud, Joshua I. Harrison, William M. Poland,
Harry Lillie. D. H. Showalter, D. V. Spivey, G. W. Morrison, Frank E.
Tingle, Thomas Downs, Richard Shaw, William J. Cain, Thomas H. Stoops,
John C. Wolfrum, M. Holberg, George W. Meyers, Mart Reifel, M. K.
Jemison, A. B. Burt, Jesse Chrisman, Matt T. Lair, M. H. Longfellow.
The original elective officers included the following: F. D. White, sachem;
D. W. Andre, senior sagamore, L. A. Frazee, junior sagamore; John Payne,
chief of records ; A. E. Barrows, keeper of wampum ; Moses Kahn, prophet.
The present elective officers consist of the following: Arthur Williams,
sachem : senior sagamore, Mitchell Morris ; junior sagamore, Delbert
McClellan : Frank Hausner, chief of records : Charles V. Snider, collector of
wampum: M. K. Moft'ett. keeper of wampum; Rolman Johnson, prophet; J.
L. Kennedy, Horace Allison and J. J. Turner, trustees. The membership of
the lodge is five hundred and fifty-two.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 497

RED MEN, ALQUINA.

Keneu Tribe Xo. 158, Improved Order of Red Men, was duly organ-
ized at Alquina on Xovember 4, 1892, with a charter membership of twenty.
The lodge has enjoyed great prosperity, as is evidenced by the fact that at
the present time it has a membership of one liundred and seventy-eight. At
the time of organization the officers were as follow : J. A. Dungan, prophet ;
C. A. Loper, sachem; E. W. Jackson, senior sagamore; O. C. Zimmerman,
junior sagamore; George Oldham, keeper of wampum; D. B. George, chief
of records; B. F. Fisher, T. V. Davis and J. A. Retherford, trustees. The
present officers are : Burt Titterington, prophet ; Charles Woods, sagamore ;
Earl Gettinger, senior sagamore; William H. Moore, junior sagamore;
Edward Newland, keeper of wampum ; Chester N. Roberts, chief of records ;
S. E. Gordin, chief of records; Elmer Newland, Curtis Rethford and William
Moore, trustees.

RED MEN, ORANGE.

Hockomock Tribe Xo. 186, Improved Order of Red Men. was instituted
at Orange on June 6, 1894, with the following charter members; L. S. Hunt,
W. R. Conway, E. T. Faurote. H. W. George, J. C. Moore, G. \\ Merrill,
J. W. Hinnes, M. 'M. Anderson, O. T. Churchill, Harry Moore, Samuel
Long. G. \\'. Hinchman, Sidney Hunt, W. S. O'Neal, Albert Bever, J.. F.
Kelley. R. C. Jinks, Edward Benedict, W. E. Record, Albert Simkind, O. E.
Churchill. W. B. May, G. E. Armstrong, Rafe Mercer, J. F. Ryan, M.
Bebout. J. F. Stevens, C. E. Moor, J. M. Stone, W. J. Paxton, Claude
Gaffin, Wilson Stewart, Charles Kennedy, A. Bedell, J. Scanlan, O. P. Hinnes,
G. T. Churchill. Albert Sharp, N. F. Bowen. J. T. Reed. H. W. McDonald,
W. C. Warmsley. The first officers of the tril^e include the following : M. M.
Anderson, sachem; Albert Simpkins, senior sagamore; H. W. George, junior
sagamore; L. S. Hunt, prophet; W. J. Paxton, chief of records; C. E. Moor,
keeper of wampum. The officers for 191 7 are the following: Garrett
Meeker, sachem; Oney McPherson, senior sagamore; Layton McPherson,
junior sagamore; A. E. Armstrong, prophet; A. D. Snoddy, chief of records;
J. T. Reed, keeper of wampum. The present membership is ninety-three.

RED MEN, F.XLMOUTH.

Wawassa lodge Xu. 193. Improved Order of Red Men. was organized
at Fairview on [anuarv 4. 1894. with a charter nieml)ersliip of twentv-one
(32)

49^ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

members. Tlie first officers were as follow : T. C. Reese, sachem ; Henry
Jordon, senior sagamore: E. R. Thorpe, junior sagamore; James Sheedy,
prophet; A. H. Hall, chief of records; James O. Worster, keeper of wam-
pum. This lodge was the fifth of this order in the county, the total mem-
bership for the county at that time numbering three hundred and fortv-
eight.

Among the present officers are the following: Arthur Cregor, sachem;
Fred Carter, senior sagamore: Lowell Collyer, junior sagamore.; Fred Moh-
ler, prophet. The present membership is one hundred and thirty-eight. The
lodge was organized at Fair\'iew, but in recent years was moved to Falmouth
where it owns its own hall.

The Degree of Pocahontas now at Falmouth, was instituted at Fairview
in December. 1895, with twenty charter members. The first officers include
the following: Leota Veach, Pocahontas: Lulu Jeffery, Wenonah; Henry
Gerdon, prophet; Iva Dawson, keeper of records. The present elective
officers are the following; Katie Whitten,, Pocahontas; Mary Jones,
Wenonah: Alary Theobald, prophetess; May Whitten, Powhatan; Mrs.
Thomas Fitzgerald, keeper of records; Mary Jones, keeper of wampum.
The present membership is thirty-four.

HAYMAKERS ASSOCIATION, CONNERSVILLE.

Haymakers Association No. 94^, was instituted at Connersville on
November 19, 1890, with the following charter members: John Payne,
Moses Kahn, Bell Young, Fred D. White, Miles K. Moffett, Herbert Lud-
wick, R. E. McClure, Harry Lillie. Morris \Venger, Jacob Wenger. Jacob
Chrisman, L. A. Frazee, William M. Banks, William Seward, O. G. Bell,
Charles H. Lewis and H. L. Baker. The original officers were as follow:
L. A. Frazee, chief haymaker: R. E. McClure, assistant haymaker; Bert
Ludwick, overseer; F. D. AVhite, hornblower; Harry Lillie, boss driver: Jacob
Chrisman, guard of hay loft; Charles Lewis, Jr., guard of barnyard; M.
K. Moffett, collector of straws ; Morris Wenger, collector of bundles ; John
Payne, past chief haymaker. Officers for 1917 include the following: Charles
V. Snider, chief haymaker; Delbert McClellan, assistant haymaker; Howard
Reibsomer, hornblower ; S. O. McKennan, collector of straws : Edward Selm,
keeper of bundles. The membership at the beginning of the year 1917 was
three hundred and ninety-seven.

fAYETTE COXINTYj INDIANA. 499

lAYMAKERS, ALQUINA.

Keneu Haymakers Association No. 158J/2, was instituted at Alquina on
Alay 16, 1894, with tlie following charter members : B. F. Sandford, James
Keller, Henry Ayers, L. C. Titterington, Ezela Dungan, Joseph Retherford,
^^'alter Haimak, George Davis, Harry Smith, E. W. Jackson, Jesse Aber-
nathy, \'olney Davis, W. J. Lair, Oliver Zimmerman, Basan George, Charles
Loper, Benjamin Fisher, Jesse Oldham, Charles Newland, Charles Fergu-
son and John Baker. The first officers include the following: W. J. Lair,
past chief haymaker; Jesse W^oods, chief haymaker; C. N. Roberts, assistant
chief haAinaker; W. A. Hubert, overseer; L. C. Titterington, keeper of
bundles and collector of straws: Charles Newland, boss driver; Sherman
Chowning, hornblower: F. H. Davis, guard of barnwird : Lee Young, guard
of hayloft. The officers for 1917 are as follow: W. H. Moore, past
chief haymaker; Lee Young, chief haymaker; J. W.' Grime, assistant chief
haymaker; Charles Beck, overseer; John Brandenburg, hornblower; C. Reth-
erford, guard of barnyard: Edward Newland, guard of hayloft; S. E. Gor-
din, collector of straws ; C. N. Roberts, keeper of bundles.

DEGREE OF POCAHONTAS, CONNERSVILLE.

Shawmut Council No. 17, Degree of Pocahontas, was organized at
Connersville on ]March 19, 1890, with the following charter members: D.
W. Andre and wife, D. H. Showalter and wife, R. G. Wait and wife. A. E.
Barrows and wife, H. Little and wife, M. Philebaum and wife, A. Rothermel
and wife, T. Downs and wife, W. C. Hanson and wife, R. Hurst and wife,
Alollie Webb, J. C. Turkenkoph and wife, Mrs. Cora Griffith, Florence Downs,
Mrs. W. N. Young, Carrie Philebaum, Mrs. M. E. Polland, John Payne and
wife, Gusta Downs and Lizzie Rothermel. The first officers were: Mrs.
D. W. Andre, Pocahontas : Mollie Web!>, Wenonah ; Harry Lillie, Powhatan ;
Mrs. A. E. Barrows, prophetess; Gusta Downs, chief of records: Mrs. John
Payne, keeper of wampum: Mrs. D. H. Showalter, first runner: Mrs. R. G.
Wait, second runner; Mrs. J. Turkenkoph, first scout; Mrs. T. Downs,
second scout; Mrs. Harry Lillie, guard of the forest: Mrs. H. Philebaum,
guard of tepee.

The officers for 191 7 include the following: Mrs. Cora Pippin, Poca-
hontas; Mary Crawford, Wenonah; Mrs. Grace Wiggins, prophetess;
Charles Davis, Powhatan : Nellie Vanausdall, keeper of records : Mrs.
Lorena Stelle, collector of wampum; Mrs. Lizzie Ronan, keeper of wampum;

500 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Mrs. Grace Riggs, first scout ; Mrs. Martha Suttles, second scout ; Mrs. Myrtle
Gardner, first runner; Mrs. Catherine Fletcher, second runner; Mrs. Hattie
Schaffner, first counselor; Mrs. Dora Quenzer, second counselor; Mrs. Sarah
Woodward, first warior; Mrs. Reikley, second warrior; Mrs. Stella Hall,
third warrior ; Lola Williams, fourth warrior ; Edward Hall,' guard of the
forest; Mrs. Nellie B. Hall, guard of tepee; Mrs. Mabel Wheeler, Mrs. Martha
Suttles and Thomas Riggs, trustees. The council numbers one hundred and
ninety members in good standing.

The local council was honored in 191 3 by having one of its prominent
members, Mrs. Edward Hall, chosen as Great Minnehaha. She filled the
other offices in the order of succession with honor to herself and to the
local council.

CniQUOLA COUNCIL, CONNERSVILLE.

Chiquola Council No. 174, Degree of Pocahontas, was duly organ-
ized at Connersville on January 9, 1903, with the following charter, mem-
bers : Harry Lillie, Nora Lillie, Mayme Lillie, Anna Baker, Lillie Leedke,
Lula Leedke. Grace Snider, Charles Snider, William Leedke, John ^\'hite,
Cora Griffith, George Bullard, Ida Bullard, Lou L. Rose, Anna L. Acker-
man, Ward Jamison, Minnie J. Phillip, Gertrude Enos, Maude Smith, Eliza-
beth Melhorn, Kate Amslie, J. B. Curry, Kate Curry, Louis Nickles, Mar-
garet Savage, Dora Rose, Frank Shinn, Victoria Shinn, Albert Pigman,
Cora Pigman, Josephine Mahin, Lillie Tingley, William Henry and Mary
Henry. The first officers included the following: Elizabeth Melhorn,
Pocahontas ; Cora Griffith, Wenonah ; Nora Lillie, prophetess : Will Leedke,
Powhatan; Mary Henry, keeper of records; Anna L. Ackerman, keeper of
wampum ; Grace Snider, collector of wampum.

The officers for 1917 are as follow: Prophetess, Edith McClelland;
Pocahontas, Jessie Schuman ; Wenonah, Viola Rynerson ; Powhatan, Dalbert
McClelland; keeper of records, Estella Foster; collector of wampum, Eliza-
beth Jackson, and keeper of wampum, Isabelle Snider. The present mem-
bership is fifty-two. The degree meets every Friday evening at Red Men's
hall.

POCAHONTAS DEGREE, ALQUINA.

The Degree of Pocaliontas was instituted at Alquina in 1900 with the
following charter members: Alice Jackson, Hattie Fender, Chloe Heim,
Francis Williams, Stella Woods, Birdie Sacre. Maggie Newland, Nora Wil-
son, Maggie Snider, Ella Carver, Sarah Jackson, Mrs. T. V. Davis, Alpha

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. JOI

Retherford. Daisy Bruce. Aniaiula Sims, Rozie Wiiito, Adeline l-.llicit. Dode
Retherford, Einnia Lair, Airs. Joseph Retiierforil. William Ileim, Lee
Retherford, John F. Fender, Clint Beck, Henry Ayres, Jesse Woods, Mack
\\'ilson, Emory Carver, Charles Xewland, John Monroe, T. V. Davis, John
Osweiler, Hal Buckley, W. J. Lair, A. AL Sims, Silvia Young, John Chester
Osborne, L O. Chance, S. E. Gordin, L. C. Titterington, Mary Titterington,
Carrie Dalrymple. Elizabeth Davis, Sarah Oldham, G. W. Oldham, Marie
W'ildridge, Lula Lair. The first officers include the following: Lula Lair,
Pocahontas: Emma Lair, W'enonah ; Alice Jackson, prophetess; Charles
Newland. I'owhatan: Alpha Retherford, keeper of records: Maggie New-
land, keeper of wampum. The officers for 1917 are as follow: Mande-
ville Sacre, Pocahontas; Mary Sprague, Wenonah; Lizzie Davis, prophetess;
Amos Jackson. Powhatan ; Esther Hughes, keeper of records ; Stella Rether-
ford. keeper of wampum.

MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA, CONNERSVILLE.

Whitewater Valley Camp No. 3804, Modern \\'oodmen of America,
was instituted at Connersville on April 22, i8g6, with the following charter
members : F.- Broaddus, O. Brumfiel, John Chapman, James Hampson, D.
P. Heltzel, F. F. Kerwood, James Lillie, Harry W. Lillie, John M. Shade,
A. C. .Mofifett, T. Ford, M. Murphy, Frank Reed and A. Jones, Jr. The
officers for the year 1917 are as follow: A. J. Riddle, consul; Russell Goeh-
inger, worthy advisor ; A. C. Carter, banker ; William Frank, clerk ; Harley
West, escort ; Harley Banks, sentry ; Chester B. Hall, watchman ; Harvey
Wieser, A. J. Riddle and G. W. Carter, trustees. The lodge has enjoyed
a steady growth since its institution and now has a membership of three
hundred and fifty-two members.

ROYAL NEIGHBORS OF AMERICA, CONNERSVILLE.

Alnetta Cain Lodge No. 3 1 1 7, Royal Neighbors of America was granted
a charter on June 23, 1902, with the following beneficiary members: Alnetta
Cain, Mary E. Weber, Maud Riggs, Etta H. Nickels, Anna W. Sparks,
Nora A. Jones, Ella Alillspaugh and Laura A. Gordon; social members,
Anna Clark, Dr. J. H. Clark, Mourrilla Elliott, Eva Henderson, Fredrick
Weber, George Nickels, Daniel Jones, Ruby Nave, Mazzena Rose, A. T. Pig-
man, Cora Pigman, James E. Bullard and Laura Bullard. The first officers
were as follow: Alnetta Cain, oracle; Laura Gordon, vice-oracle; Airs. Etta

502 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Nickels, receiver: Mrs. Laura Bullard. chancellor; Mrs. Mary Weber, inner
sentinel ; Maud Riggs, outer sentinel ; Eva Hendrickson, George Nickels
and Maud Riggs, managers; physician. Dr. J. H. Clark. The officers for
1917 included the following: Mrs. Corine Williams, oracle; Olive Leedke,
vice-oracle; Mary Crawford, chancellor; Maud Riggs, recorder; Alnetta
Cain, receiver ; Geneva Hayward, past oracle ; Eva Riddle, inner sentinel ;
Melissa Burton, outer sentinel ; Isabelle Fleming, Ella Ogle and Emma Best,
managers; Dr. J. H. Clark, physician. The membership at the present time
is seventy-one. Although tlie order was organized fifteen years ago, only
one of the charter members, Nora A. Jones, is deceased.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, CONNERSVILLE.

Council No. 861, Knights of Columbus, was instituted at Connersville
on April 10, 1904, with the following charter members: Rev. F. J. Rudolph,
Frank Meyer, P. R. Morris, W. Reagen, Charles Airens, Philip Braun, J.
A. Dudley, Edward Gillespie, H. A. Losman, W. Murphy, J. Ryan, P.
Schneider, Francis B. Ansted, J. Braun, T. Brennen, John Dillman, Adam Tid-
ier, C. Folley, W. J. Geis. E. M. Grant. A. T. Griswald. J. F. Hackman, F.
C. Heeb, J. L. Heinemann, J. B. Hartman, A. G. Lampe, Herman McAtte,
L. Y. Michael, W. B. Rudolph, R. T. Summers, D. B. Sullivan, C. A. Wen-
ley, A. G. Biersdorfer, John Brickler, J. Burke, T. B. Chomel, Daniel Dooley,
W. H. Fell, Charles Ford, George M. Fries, Mike Gannon, H. H. Gillespie,
W. F. Hausner, E. A. Helvey, Jr., Martin Hogan, A. C. Hosey, E. M.
Maley, James O'Toole, J. J. Peters, Charles Reagen, Pat F. Reagen, J. F.
Ryan, Mike Ryan, E. J. Schilchte, James T. Tierney and John Welch. The
officers for the year 191 7 were as follow: Rev. Theodore S. Mesker, chap-
lain; Edward M. Grant, grand knight; Will Luxford, deputy grand knight;
Charles Chomel, financial secretary: Frank Bath, recording secretary; Will
H. Fell, treasurer: Anthony Smith, warder; Michel Foley, Cornelius Foley,
inside guard; Charles F. Ford, outer guard; James Fahlen, Edward Maley
and Arthur Strack, trustees; Edward Hosey, chancellor; John Geise, lectur-
ing knight. At the beginning of 1917 the order had a membership of one
hundred and twenty-six members. Well equipped club rooms are maintained
in the Kahn building.

DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLE, CONNERSVILLE.

St. Rita Circle No. 63, Daughters of Isabelle, was formallv organized
at Connersville on May 14, 1916, with the following- charter members: Rose

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 5O3

Fell, Anna Berling, Madeline Mancini, Rose Mancini, Frances Mancini, Mrs.
R. E. Ford, Mrs. C. C. Conley, Mrs. J. F. Meyer, Gertrude Nevin, Bertha
Hamilton, Alice Berling, Frances Baehner, Gertrude O'Brien, Mary O'Brien,
Bertha Cook. Gertrude \\'elderle. Lona Zeni^el, Theresa Molique, Goldie
Hackman, Jeannete Cord, Pearl Hausuer, Barbara Hill, Marie Grant. Bessie
Powers, Lucie Fager, Kate Berger, Mary Seffrin, Clara Suntrup, Kate Hil-
bert. Pearl McCormick, Mrs. E. H. McMurtry, Marie Graham, Nan Spang-
ler, Mayme Greiner, Catherine Smith, Opal Walch, Margaret Ariens, Minnie
Helvey, Theresa Helvey. Mrs. A. C. Poling, Verlea Patton, Anna M. Balf,
Mrs. W. H. DeVaney, Tina Geis, Josephine Sturwold, Martha L. Doenges
and Lena Telker. The first officers included the following: Madeline
Mancini, past regent; Rose Fell, regent; Mayme Griener, vice-regent; Alice
Berling, recording secretary; Francis Mancini, financial secretary; Theresa
Helvey. treasurer ; Jeannette Cord, chaplain ; Tina Geis, monitor ; Margaret
Wright, custodian; Catherine. Smith, outer guard; Frances Baehner, inner
guard; 0])al Walch, Gertrude O'Brien and Martha Doenges, trustees: Jose-
phine Sturwald and Gertrude Welderle, guides ; Gertrude Nevin, scribe. The
officers at the beginning of the year 1917 were the following: Mrs. John
Hilbert, past regent : Mrs. Rose Fell, regent ; Mrs. Mayme Greiner, vice-
regent ; Alice Berling, recording secretary ; Frances Mancini, financial secre-
tary: ]\Iarie Swift, treasurer; Mrs. Harold Wright, custodian; Frances Baeh-
ner, monitor; Jeannette Cord, chaplain; Mrs. John Bergen, inner guard;
Mrs. Lucy Fager, outer guard; Minnie Helvey, Bertha Hamilton and ?vlrs.
Theresa Aull, trustees; Marie Swift, pianist; Tina Geis, scribe. The mem-
bership is growing rapidly, there being sixty-three members at tiie present
time, with prospects for a much larger membership in the future.

PATRIOTIC ORDER OF THE -SONS OF AMERICA. COXNERSVILLE.

\\'ashington Camp Xo. 1, Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, was
duly organized on July 31, 1875, with the following charter members: Park
Smith, H. A. Nichols, Thomas Cline, John S. Carr, M. P. Wherrett, J. E.
McFarlan, C. M. Harrison, John Verdan, R. L Savage, L. S. Morris, J. W.
Foutz, S. Bullard, Frank J^.liller, J. F. Youse, Jr.. William Hoover, G. S.
Johnson, W. W. Morse, Morrison Long, William Harrell, John Parson, W.
Kerr, John Henry and John Miller. The camp, along with the women's
division of the same, has long since disbanded.

CHAPTER XIX.

LiTERAKY, Musical and Social Clubs.

People are naturally gregarious and the people of Connersville are no
exception to the rule. The trend of modern society is distinctly towards
co-operation and co-ordination of interests in every line of acti\'ity, whether
it be in industrial, religious, educational or social lines. The day when man
lived to himself is gone forever; we are so interdependent that a correlation
of interests is absolutely necessary. In the early days of the county's history
the man of the family built his own house, made his own furniture and
tools, was frequently his own physician, dentist and lawyer, and was in a
large measure dependent on no one — that is, no one but his wife. The wife
spun the yarn and wove the materials for the clothing of the family and per-
formed a thousand and one other duties that are now in charge of others.
To a remarkable degree each family was a unit to itself, making its own
houses, furniture and clothing and providing its own food. Many families
in the early history of the county lived altogether on what they themselves
were able to make.

But how different things are in 1917, a hundred years later. Now the
farmer has everything manufactured for him, and his wife can buy every-
thing needful for her household. Even the gentle art of baking bread is
fast becoming a lost art. In any of the modern department stores the house-
wife can have herself supplied with everything she could possibly use in the
home. Along with this change in the method of living has gone the isola-
tion which surrounded the homes of the pioneers. The cjuilting parties of
our grandmothers and the log-rollings of our grandfathers have been replaced
by social and fraternal organizations which bear little resemblance to their
predecessors. The husking-Jaees and singing-schools of the young people
have been replaced by the cornshredder and the victrola.

Society was simple in the early days of Connersville. The club life of
the women of today was unknown. Such a thing as a group of women
meeting every week to discuss Shakespeare or Browning was unthought of
by our grandmothers, nor did they foregather and spend the afternoon in
playing cards — they spun and wove the materials in those days from which
they made their dresses. It is within comparatively recent years that all

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 505

of the clubs of Conners\ille ha\-e come into existence ; Iiardly an organ-
ization of tliat cliaracter is o\er twenty-tive _\-ears old.

A STRIKING PICTURE REVEALED.

A sur\-ey of the club life of the city in 191 7 re\"eals a strikins^ picture
There is a club for every phase of modem life. The churches ha\c their
many organizations, some of which might be classed as clubs. Then there
are sewing clubs of every description, literary and musical clubs, culture
clubs, dancing clubs, card clubs and a wide variety of other organizations
whose names give no cine to the uninitiated as to what kind of clubs they
might be. The names of such clubs as the "Merry Go Round", "Bon Teni])",
"Stitch and Chatter", "Twelfth Night", "Silent Birthday", "Busy Idlers",
"Wayside Gleaners", "Bachelors Club" and scores of others are seen in the
local papers from day to day. Both the daily papers of the city are com-
pelled to employ specially trained young women as society editors in order
to keep in touch with this multiplicity of clubs. The daily calendar of these
society editors shows a total of about ninety clulis in the city, more than a
third of these being card clubs.

In the following pages is gi\en a brief review of the literary and musical
clubs and those of a general cultural nature. No effort has been made to
review the many card clubs or those connected with the churches. The data
for the clubs has been prepared by the clubs themselves. All tlie general
information concerning the club life of the city has been fiunished by the
society editors of the local papers, Louise Schroeder, of the Mcx^'s, and
Ethlyn Backous, of the Exauiincr. Mrs. \\'illiam E. Ochiltree was the
■organizer of the Cary Club, the oldest literary organization in the city, and
has been active in the club life of the city since the organization of this club
in 1891. Se\-eral clubs, some of them of a literary nature, have yiassed out
of existence. One of these was a Shakespeare Club organized b\- Katharine
Heron; another was the Bay V^iew Club, which later became the present
Wednesday Literary Club. Shortly after the Ci\il War there was a Dickens
Reading Circle, composed of three married couples : Judge Jeremiah Wil-
son and wife, B. F. Claypool and wife and John S. Reid and wife.

THE CARY CLUB.

The Connersville Cary Club was organized on November 3, iSgr, by
Mrs. W. E. Ochiltree, Mrs. L. M. Ellis and Mrs. W. B. \\Tight. The

506 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

charter members beside the above mentioned ladies were Mrs. E. V. Hawk-
ins, Mrs. E. J. Brown, Mrs. S. N. Hamilton, Mrs. J. T. Wilkin. Mrs. J. E.
Huston, Mrs. Scott Alichener, Airs. E. M. Michener, Mrs. C. N. Sinks, Mrs.
R. S. Ludlow and Mrs. E. L. AtcClain. The following is a list of the first
officers: President, Mrs. E. M. Michener; first vice-president, Mrs. E. V.
Hawkins: second vice-president, Mrs. W. B. Wright; secretary, Mrs. E. L.
McClain; treasurer, Airs. J. E. Huston.

The club was named in honor of Alice and PhOebe Cary, of Cincinnati
and New York City, who were poetic writers of note.

The present officers of the club are as follow: President, Mrs. R. J.
Greenwood: first vice-president, Mrs. F. I. Barrows; secretary,' Mrs. Kyde
A\'ils(jn ; assistant secretary. Mrs. J. H. Morrison; treasurer, Mrs. J. E. Hus-
ton: critic, Airs. \\'. E. Ochiltree; federation secretary, Mrs. C. C. Hull.
The present membership, including the above officers, is as follow ; Mrs.
L. A. Frazee, Mrs. C. S. Lewis, Airs. K. L. Hanson, Mrs. E. V. Hawkins,
Mrs. P. H. Kensler, Airs. J. T. Lair, Mrs. R. C. AIcKenran, Mrs. Scott
Michener, Airs. E. AI. Alichener. Airs. W. E. Newkirk, Airs. J. R. Alountain,
Airs. J. E. Page, Mrs. W. F. L. Sanders, Airs. B. R. Smith, Airs. J. T.
Wilkin, Mrs. H. M. Zehrung, Mrs. C. E. J. AIcFarlan and Airs. E. P.
Hawkins.

THE SESAME CLUB.

The Sesaime Club was organized in 1904 with the following charter
members ; Mrs. Willard Robinson, Airs. Lewis Robinson, Airs. L. K. Ting-
ley, Airs. B. F. Thiebaud, Airs. James Eby, Helen Huston, Alice Merrifield,
Mrs. S. S. Merrifield, Airs. James Huston, Mrs. H. AI. Lamberson, Airs.
G. H. Hall, Mrs. Charles Vogel, Airs. George Garrett, Airs. P. P. Mergen-
thal. Airs. Ward Haladay, Mrs. E. C. Green, Mrs. A. W. Daum and Lena
Williams.

The club was organized with the idea of promoting a higher and
broader culture, intellectually and socially, among its members. At the first
suggestion of a city hospital the Sesame Clitb agreed to furnish and main-
tain a room. In 1905 the club became affiliated with the State Federation
of Clubs, and in 1914 with the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

The presidents of the club include the following ; Airs. Willard Rol)in-
son, 1904-1905; Alice Alerrifield, 1905-1906; Mrs. L. K. Tingley, 1906-1907;
Mrs. H. M. Lamberson, 1907-1908; A-Irs. Lewis Robinson, 190S-1910; Airs.
M. R. Hull, 1910-1911; Mrs. L. K. Tingley, 1911-1913; Margaret Gamble,
1913-1915; Mrs. Lewis Robinson, 1915-1917.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 507

Tile acti\e membership of tlie club is limited to t\veiu\' and includes
the following-: Mrs. Willard Robinson, Mrs. Lewis Robinson, .Mrs. 1,. K.
Tingle}'. Mrs. B. F. Thiebaud. Hortense Crago. Margaret flamhle, .Mrs.
James Eby, r\Irs. George L. Moneylion, Mrs, C. E. W'alden, Helen IlustciU,
Mr.s. M. R. Hull, Mrs. F. M. Tucker, Mrs. Charles Men Muir, Mr.s, C. K.
Brookbank, Mrs, George Beeson, AFrs. Levi Green, Mrs, Oscar L, Chance
and Mrs, L E. Booher. The associate members are Mrs. ,S. S. Mernficld,
Jennie Hull, Mvs. M. K. Moffitt, Mrs, R, H, Crawford and Mrs, C, J,
]Murphy, The honorary members are Mrs. E. C. Green, Mrs. i'. P. Mer-
genthal, ]\Irs. A. E. White, Mrs. L. O. Xewcomer, Mrs. George Garrett,
Mrs. Charles Vogel, Mrs. G. H. Hull and ]\Irs. H. M. Lamberson. During
the club's existence three members have answered the call of death, namely :
Mrs. James Huston, Mrs, Guy Lenglade and Alice Merrifield,

The officers for the year 1917 are as follow; Mrs. Lewis Robinson,
president; Mrs, George Beeson, vice-president; Mrs, O, L, Chance, second
vice-president; Mrs. M. R. Hull, secretary; Mrs. C. E. Waldeu. assistant
secretary; Margaret Gamble, treasurer; Mrs. F. M. Tucker, local federated
club director; Mrs, James Eby, art representati\-e ; Airs. B. F. Thicljaud ar.d
■Mrs. George Moneyhon, critics.

A DOZEN OF us.

The club bearing the numerical title of A Dozen of LTs, formerly known
as the Pierian club, was the first literary organization of the present genera-
tion to come inttj existence. The idea of organizing such a club originated
with Mrs. Josephine Fearis, Airs, M. E. Hamilton and Mrs, I. C. Banes,
It was organized early in May, 1892, with the following charter members:
Mrs, DeWitt C. Banes, 'Sirs. James H. Fearis, Mrs, S. N. Hamilton, Mrs.
J. AI. Heron, Katharine Heron, Airs. F. T. Roots, Airs. Af. K. Jemison,
Airs. H. Afunk, I'annie Xewkirk, Airs. J. E. Roberts, Airs. R. C. Wright and
Mrs. E. Dwight Johnston. The first officers were as follow : President,
Airs. DeWitt C. Banes: vice-president. Airs. James H. Fearis; secretarv-
treasurer. Airs. J. AI. Heron.

The acti\e membership is limited to twenty-five members. Aleetings
are held ever}^ two weeks, from September to Alay, at the homes of the mem-
bers. The purpose of the club as set forth in its constitution is the study
and discussion of such subjects as will make- for a higher literarj' culture.
During the year 1916-17 the club made a study of the short story as exempli-
fied by the best authors of all ages.

508 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The acti\e members are Mrs. Arthur Dixon, Mrs. B. M. Barrows,
Etliel Carter, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Earl. Mrs. J. H. Fearis, Elizabeth Eriedgen,
Mrs. M. S. Hallman, Lucy Hawk, Mrs. J. M. Heron, Mrs. George Hicks,
Mrs. Clara Higgins, Mrs. C. R. Houghton, Helen Huston, Mrs. M. K.
Jemison, Mrs. A. H. McFarlan, Mrs. F. V. Miller, lone Reynolds, Mrs.
Edwin L. Rickert, Mrs. E. W. Ryan, Minnie Torr, Olive Traylor and Mrs.
Monroe Starr. The honorary members are Mrs. J. F. Reed, Caroline Sum-
ner and Isabelle Cressler.

The club has lost six members by death since it was organized in 1892:
Mrs. J. E. Roberts, 1894; Grace Riley, 1900; Amelia Anne Jewiss, 1908;
Mrs. E. L Chance, 1909; Fannie Newkirk, 1914: Mary Alice Shera, 1914.

The officers for the year 1916-17 are as follow: President, Mrs. M. S.
Hallman; vice-president, Minnie Torr; secretary, Elizabeth Eriedgen; cor-
responding secretary, Mrs. J. M. Heron; general federation secretary, I\Irs.
Elizabeth C. Earl ; treasurer, Mrs. M. K. Jemison.

In 1893, the club joined the Indiana Union of Literary Clubs and in
May sent delegates to the annual state convention at Ft. Wayne.

THE COTERIE.

The Coterie Club was organized in October, 1893, for the purpose of
promoting a higher, broader and better culture intellectually and socially
among its members. The charter members were inclusive of the following:
Belle Buckley, A'ladge Jewiss, Blanche Kahn, Irene Pepper, Hattie Sparks,
Daisy Sinks, Anna Sinks, Portia Vance and Ella Wood.

The first officers were as follow: Irene Pepper, president; Portia
Vance, vice-president; Ella Wood, secretary; Belle Buckley, treasurer.

The present membership of the club consists of the following : Flora
Broaddus, Merle Broaddus, Ruth Hull Barrows, Minnie Cain, Alice Fearis,
Mabel Glockzin, Lois Higgins, Helen Huston, Irene Johnson, Blanche Kahn,
Anna Kehl, Nellie McFarlan, Esther Meeks, May Meritt, Ethel Roots,
Sophia Pepper, Ella Woods and Belle Zehrung. The associate members
are : Harriet Enyart, Mabel Hart, Mae Holter, Madge Jewiss, Emily Jewiss,
Maude Leiter, Emma McFarlan, Jessica McFarlan, Edna Mount and Irene
Roots.

The officers for 1916 include the following: Blanche Kahn, president;
Alice Fearis, vice-president; Ethel Roots, second vice-president; Nellie
McFarlan, secretary ; Belle Zehrung, assistant secretary ; Merle Broaddus,
treasurer.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 5O9

The presidents of the club from the beg-inning; include the fdllmving:
Mrs. Irene Pepper Johnson, 1893-94; Mrs. Anna Sinks Kchl, iX()4-()3;
Mrs. Portia Vance Hanson, 1895-96; Anna DeVor, 1890-97: Mrs. Ccrtmdc
Bowman Florea, 1807-98: Mrs. Helen Immel Mount, i898-Q(): Mrs. .Mar-
garet Ball Walling, 1899-IQ00: Flora Broaddus, 1900-01: Mrs. I'.cllc lUick-
ley Zehrung, 1901-02: Louise DeVor. 190J-03: I'-lanchc Kahn, 1903-04;
Mary Johnson, 1904-05: Madge Jew iss, 1905-06: Mrs. flarrict Sparks
Enyart, 1906-07: Mrs. Kmnia Sanders Mch'arlan, 1907-08: Mrs. (iracia
Burk Shade, 1908-09: Ella Wood, ii)Oo-io: Mrs. Xellie Brnwn Mch^arlan,
1910-11: Sophia Pepper, iqii-ij: Merle Bnx'uldus, ioiJ-13: M;iv Merritt,
1913-14: Mrs. Minnie Cain, 1914-15: Mrs. Irene Johnson, i()i5-i(); Blanche
Kahn, 1916-17.

THE CLIO CLUB.

The Clio Club was organized in September. 1896, with the following
charter membei-s : Mrs. lulward W. Ansted, Mrs. .\. H. Boyd. Mrs. .\ustin
B. Claypool, Mrs. Samuel DeHaven, Mrs. Morrell J. Earl, Mrs. J. T. Ford,
Mrs. Eli Griffith, Mrs. John Huff, Mrs. James Huston, Helen Huston, I'lorence
M. Hapner, Mrs. Frank Hopkins, Mrs. Amy Hawkins, Mrs. Lee Langston,
Mrs. Jesse Miller. Mrs. Miles K. Moffet, Mrs. Hamlin Risk, Ro.sella Rigge,
Mrs. A. J. Sayler, Carrie B. Sylvester, Mrs. B. F. Thieliaud. Mrs. Everett
Taylor, Mrs. J. Thomas.

The first officers were as follow: President, Elizabeth Claypool Earl;
first vice-president, Harriett Baker Ford; second vice-president, Alice Thie-
baud : secretary, Lilly Brookbank DeHaven ; assistant secretary, Florence M.
Hapner: treasurer, Marian Koogler Huston.

The club was organized for the purpose of general literary culture and
a better appreciation of the dignity of womanhood. Its programs ha\e been
devoted to such subjects as would carry out the plan of its founders. The
current year has Ijeen largely devoted to a study of Indiana history in its
various phases. During the state centennial week in 1916 the club ])resented
the city with a handsome drinking fountain.

There are three classes of members, active, associate and honorary, with
the active membership restricted to twenty-five. The present active members
are as follow: ]\Irs. E. W. .\nsted, Mrs. J. L. .\shworth, Mrs. B. G. Burris.
Mrs. J. M. Carter, Mrs. A. L. Chrisnian, Mrs. B. W. Cole, Mrs. S. E.
DeHaven, Mrs. Morrell J. I-larl, Mrs, R. D. Eby. Mrs. Ambrose Elliott, Mrs.
Orlando Elliott, Mrs. R. N. Elliott, Mrs. Charles Gartlein, Mrs. E. S. Griffith,

5IO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Mrs. J. S. Hankins, Mrs. Frank Hopkins, Mrs. Jacob Kuhlman, Mrs.
Calvin Ochiltree, Mrs. Emory Overheiser, Mrs. Riggs, Mrs. H. B. Salyer,
Mrs. C. E. Thompson, Mrs. Claude Trusler and Mabel C. Wainwright.

The associate members are Mrs. F. A. Guthrie, Florence Hapner
and Mrs. George Carter. The honorary members, former local mem-
bers, are as follow: Mrs. Harry Boyd, Portsmouth, Ohio; Mrs. E.
W. Chambers, Indianapolis, Indiana; Mrs. J. S. Cross, Shelbyville, Indiana;
Mrs. W. N. Fletcher, Akron, Ohio; Mrs. John Huff, Luray, Virginia; Mrs.
Charles Jerdon, Richmond, Indiana; Mrs. Lee Langston, Muncie, Indiana;
Mrs. Will Masters, Le Mesa, Cahfornia; Mrs. L. D. Moore, Teague, Okla-
homa; Mrs. H. L. Stephens, Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Mrs. M. H. Salyer, Indian-
apolis, Indiana; Mrs. Everett Taylor, Portsmouth, Ohio; Mrs. H. T. Thomas,
Harrisburg, Indiana.

Since the club was organized in 1896 it has lost the following members
by death: Mrs. Harriet Barker, Mrs. Austin B. Claypool, Mrs. Harriet
Ford, Mrs. Prudence Hawkins, Mrs. Jesse Miller and Mrs. Elmer St. Clair
and Mrs. Osie C. Hanson.

The present officers of the club are as follows: President, Airs. B. G.
Burris; first vice-president, Mrs. Charles Gartlein; second vice-president, Airs.
Emory Overheiser; secretary, Mrs. Orlando Elliott; assistant secretary, Airs.
Calvin Ochiltree; federation secretary, Mrs. S. E. DeHaven; director of
local federation, Mrs. A. L. Chrisman ; treasurer. Airs. Claude Trusler.

WEDNESDAY LITERARY CLUB.

The Wednesday Literary Club was organized in 1904, with the following
charter members: Alary Pepper, Amanda Huber, Belle Edwards, Sophia
Chitwood, Fannie Xevin, A'ina Klein, Eliza Cain, Kate Heron, Alabel Shoe-
maker, Sarah Carter, Susan Rieman, Elizabeth Wetherald, Ella Porter and
Florence Reifel. The first officers were as follows : President, Alary Pepper;
^■ice-president, Sarah Carter; second vice-president, Vina Klein; recording
secretary, Elizabeth Wetherald; assistant recording secretary and correspond-
ing secretary, Elizabeth Cain; critic, Ella Porter.

The object of the club is to stimulate literary and general intellectual
activity among its members and to promote civic betterment and human
welfare. The club is the successor of the Bay View Club, which was organ-
ized in 1896. The membership is limited to twenty-five. Since the club
was organized in 1908 it has lost the following members by death: Airs.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 5II

George Garver, .Mrs. Reuhen Conner. .Mrs. W. Iv I'.ccketl, Mrs. Mav\ I'ep-
per, Mrs. Stncktun ar.d .Mrs. H. T. Risk.

The club now has se\enteeii niemljers: Mrs. W. J. Cain, Mrs. J. 11.
Clark, Mrs. J. M. Carter, I\Irs. George R. Carter, Mrs. Charles Cassell, Mrs.
Sophia Chitwood, Mrs. Belle Edwards, Katharine Heron, Mrs. \V. C. Klein,
Mrs. J. C. Moore, Mrs. F. H. Nevin. Mrs. W. J. Porter. Mrs. J. G. Powdl.
Mrs. Martin Reifel, Mrs. H. T. Risk, ^Irs. P.. F. Thielxiud. .Mrs. \\'. 11.
\"andergrift and Mrs. I. B. Young.

The present officers are as follow: President. Mrs. W. H. \'andergrift:
first vice-president, Mrs. I. B. Young; second vice-president, ^Mrs. Sophia
Chitwood; recording secretary, Mrs. B. F, Thiebaud; assistant recording
secretary, Mrs. J. G. Powell ; federation and corresponding secretary, Mrs.
H. T. Risk; treasurer. Katharine Heron; critic, ]\Irs. \\'. J. Porter. The
presidents of the clul) since its organization have been as follow ; Mrs. Mary
Pepper, 1904-05; Mrs. Elizabeth Wetherald, 1905-06; Mrs. W. J- Cain,
1906-07; Katharine Heron, 1907-08; Mrs. F. H. Xevin. 1908-09; Mrs. \V.
C. Klein, 1909-10; ]Mrs. George R. Carter, 1910-11; Minnie Moore Wilkin,
1911-12; Mrs. W. J. Porter, 1912-13: Mrs. Charles Cassell, 1913-14; Mrs.
H. C. .Anthony. 1914-15; ^Irs. I. B. Young, 1915-16; Mrs. W. L. X'ander-
grift. 1917.

THE CULTURE CLUB.

The Culture Club of Connersville was organized in October, 1907. with
the following charter members: Mesdames \\'. C. Brown. C. K. Butcher,
J. S. Clouds. S. E. DeHaven. Ida Huston. Minor Leffingwell. G. L. Masters,
.A.. O. Marsh, W. E. Ochiltree, H. Reese, F. E. Tingley. Frank Tatinan, Curtis
W'ithrow, C. Ochiltree. The first officers were as follow: President,
Mrs. F. C. Tingley; vice-president. Mrs. C. Ochiltree; secretary. Mrs. .\. O.
]Marsh ; treasurer, Mrs. H. Reese.

The membership,' according to the constitution, is restricted to twenty
members. Meetings are held at the homes of the members twice each month
from October to May. The purpose of the club as set forth in the ci institution
is social and intellectual culture and the career of the club during its existence
of nine years has adhered closely to the plan of its founders. Of the fourteen
charter members all are still living. The present membership is as follows:
Mrs. W. E. Brown, Mrs. A. C. Fick. Mrs. G. L. Gray. Mrs. Warren Hull,
Mrs. Frank Hayes. Mrs. Charles Myers, Mrs. Fred AlcCombs, Mrs. C. O.
Melhorn, Mrs. W. E. Ochiltree, Mrs. Bettie Reece, Mrs. David Smith, Mrs.
Will Stoops, Mrs. Clint Stone, Mrs. F. E. Tingley, Mrs. F. M. Tatman, Mrs.

512 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

A. G. Trusler, Mrs. Curtis W'ithrow, Mrs. Ari Wiggins and Mrs. Allen
AViles.

The officers for the year 1916-1917 follow: President, Mrs. Frank
Hayes ; vice-president, Mrs. C. O. Melhorn ; secretary, Mrs. Fred McCombs ;
assistant secretary, Mrs. W. E. Brown; federation secretary, IMrs. David
Smith; treasurer, Mrs. Charles Myers; art representative, Mrs. A. C. Fick;
director, Mrs. George L. Gray.

The past presidents have served in the following order: Mrs. F. C.
Tingle, Mrs. David Smith, Mrs. Charles Myers, Mrs. Curtis Withrow, Mrs.
M. E. Leffingwell, Mrs. S. E. DeHaven, Mrs. Alton Trusler, Mrs. H. T.
Silvey and Mrs. C. O. Melhorn.

ADELAIDE PROCTER CLUB.

The formal organization of the Procter Club was effected on November
13, 1896. To three ladies belong the honor of the club's existence, namely:
Mrs. J- F. Carlos, Mrs. Austin Ready and Katherine Nevin. Mrs. Carlos
was chosen the first president and held the office for three years. At first
the club began as a small and weak organization, the purpose of which was
the study of literature and to promote the spirit of sociability among its
members. But with the progress of time the club has become one of the
strongest of the numerous clubs in the city. The field of research and activ-
ity has been so extended as to include music, civics and charity. The club was
federated in 1908. A notable feature of its membership is that mother and
daughter sit side by side, each taking part in the programs with the same
zeal and earnestness. The club is especially gifted in music, nearly every
member being able to take an active part in the musical programs.

Time has wrought many changes in the club during the last few years.
Only four charter members are now on the roll, namely, Mrs. J- Carlos,
Katherine Nevin, Mrs. E. A\'. Ansted and Mrs. Sue Meyers. Death has
invaded the ranks of the club but once, taking one of the charter members,
Mrs. Margaret Dovle. The membership of the club is limited to twenty-five.

THE TRI-KAPPA SORORITY.

The Tri-Kappa Sorority, a state organization w"hose aim is charitable
and social, was organized at Connersville on June 22, r9io, with the follow-
ing charter members: Mrs. Ruth Hull Barrows, Mrs. Edna Pfafflin Wil-
liams, Mrs. Meda Krell Bosler, Mrs. Gladys Lockhart Hassler, Mrs. Nancy

FAYETTE COCNTY,

513

Conwell Thompson, Inez Lockhart, Blanche l\()l)ins(ni and Mrs. I'.ess Wilhanis
Pittinger. The presidents of the sorority have been Mrs. Ruth Hull Bar-
rows. Inez Lockhart, Edna Pfaffiin Williams, Helen Havens and Lois Hijj-
gins. The present officers include the following : Inez Lockhart. president :
Mrs. .Xancv Conwell Thompson, vice-president; Mary Riemaii, treasurer; May
Cain, secretary; Louise Keller, corresponding secretary.

The chapter has i)een very active in charitable work. The organization
has furnished a room in the city hospital and has contributed one hundred
dollars to the new hospital. Besides donations have been made to the fund
of associated charities. During the winter months individual cases of want
are carefully watched and proper attention given. Money is raised in various
ways, but mostly through markets, charity dances, liazaars and the like. Dur-
ing the summer of 1916 the sorority helped manage the Lincoln Chautauqua
movement and thereby cleared one hundred dollars. During the state cen-
tennial week in 1916 they had charge of the sale of the pageant sou\enir and
cleared a neat sum.

THE CAMERATA.

The Camerata of Connersville was organized in January. 19 14. with
the following membership : Miss Edith Brown, Miss Kathleen Carlos, Mrs.
J. F. Carlos. Beulah Campbell, Lois Campbell. Airs. B. W. Cole. Mrs. Wilhel-
mina Fettig. Mrs. Lewis Heeb, Loretta Heeb, Mrs. L. V. Hegwood, Ruth
Lenglade. Margaret AlacDonald. Mrs. Estey Scholl, Josephine Sturvvold,
Mrs. X. G. Wills and Mrs. C. E. Walden. Vera Phillips. Helen Men Muir.

The first officers included the following ; Loretta Heeb, president :
Mrs. Estev Scholl, vice-president; Mrs. C. E. Walden, secretary; treasurer,
Kathleen Carlos.

There are two classes of members, active and associate, the active mem-
bership for 1916 being as follow: Edith Brown. Kathleen Carlos. Mrs. J.
F. Carlos. Beulah Campbell. Myrtle Campbell. Lois Campbell. Mrs. B. W.
Cole, Wilhelmina Fettig, Mrs. Henry Guttman. Mrs. Lewis Heeb. Loretta
Heeb. Mrs. L. V. Hegwood, Edna Johnson, Estella Keller, Opal Krautter,
Ruth Lenglade, Mrs. C. L. Lenglade, Mrs. Myron Levinson. Mrs. \'irgie
Lugar. Margaret MacDonald. Grace McKee. Mrs. Estey Scholl, Josephine
Sturwold, Mrs. F. E. Tingley. Mrs. X. G. Wills, Mrs. C. E. Walden, Mrs.
Ralph Leming, Vera Phillips, Flelen Men Muir, Airs. C. C. Smith and Mrs.
Aster Beeson. The associate memliers are Katlierine Xevin and Elizabeth
Sheehan.

(33)

514 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The officers for 1916 include the following: Mrs. B. W. Cole, presi-
dent ; Mrs. J. F. Carlos, first vice-president ; Edith Brown, second vice-
president; Edna Johnson, secretary; Josephine Stnrwold, assistant; Myrtle
Campbell, treasurer, and Mrs. Estey Scholl, librarian.

The object of the society rs to advance the interests and promote the
culture of musical art in Connersville, and for the mutual improvement of
its members. The regular meetings of the society are held on the first and
third Thursday of each month during the month of October to May, inclusive.

THE WAYSIDE GLEANERS.

The society known as the Wayside Gleaners, a charitable organization,
was organized on October 18, 1906. Originally the society was the Sunday
school class of Mrs. Scott Moore, a lady who was dear to everyone and
quite commonly known as Mother Moore. On the date mentioned above,
Mrs. Will Burhle extended an invitation to the members of Mrs. Moore's
class to the Grand Avenue Methodist church to meet at her home for the
purpose of organizing a society, the object of which was to raise funds for
the benefit of the poor and needy. The following names were enrolled as
charter members; Mrs. Will Burhle, Carrie Becker, Mrs. Arthur Coe, Mrs.
Joseph Hauck, Mrs. John Lee, Mrs. Charles Murphy, Mrs. Scott Moore,
Mrs. Benjamin Riggs, Mrs. Harry Riley, Mrs. Alfie Riggs. The first officers
were as follows ; Mrs. Will Burhle, president ; Mrs. Harry Riley, first vice-
president; Carrie Becker, secretary; Mrs. Arthur Coe, assistant secretary;
Mrs. Charles Murphy, treasurer. The present officers are the following; Mrs.
Joseph Hauck, president; Mrs. Sadie Wymore,. vice-president; Mrs. Dora
Seward, secretary, and Mrs. Otis Arnold, treasurer. The society is com-
posed of thirteen members.

THE MERRY-GO-ROUND CLUB.

The Merry-Go-Round Clifb is one of the most prominent social organi-
zations of the city. The club was organized by Mrs. Herman Munk and Kate
Heron in 1890 with the following members: Herman Munk and wife, J.
M. Heron and wife, J. E. Roberts and wife, J. H. Fearis and wife, Kate
Heron, Cornelia Conwell. Dr. Frank Chitwood and M. E. Dale. All of the
original members are living, with the exception of Mrs. J. E. Roberts. The
first officers were Mrs. Herman Munk, president, and Kate Heron, secretary-
treasurer. The present officers include the following: Mrs. J. R. Mountain,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. - 515

president; Mrs. A. E. Leiter vice-president; ]\Irs. J. M. Heron, secretary;
I\Irs. A. W. Hotchkiss, treasurer.

The origin of the name "Merry-Go-Round" as appUed to the club is
quite interesting. At the time the organization of the club was being dis-
cussed the question of a suitable name arose. It so happened at the time
that a merrv-go-round was running in full blast at the lower end of Western
avenue. Hundreds of people flocked to this place of amusement each even-
ing and in watching with delight the crowds wend their way to and fro, the
name "Merry-Go-Round" occurred to Kate Heron as very appropriate for
the designation of the club. A friend who was in the presence of Miss
Heron at the time thought the name very apt. In the evening paper on
the following day was an announcement that a name for the club had been
fuund. Hence the name, Merry-Go-Round.

THE LABYRINTH CLUB.

The Labyrinth Club is the only literary club in the county whose mem-
bership contains both men and women. It is the outgrowth of the Yankee-
town Alumni Association, which was organized in 1893. For four years the
association continued to hold regular meetings, but as the members married
it was felt that it would be wise to change the original constitution of the
association so as to admit others than graduates of the school. Consequently
a committee was appointed in June, 1897, to revise the constitution, and at
that time the name Labyrinth was adopted, the name by which the club is
now known.

The membership is limited to twenty, and there is only one member of
the club unmarried, Hope Kerr. The club meets on the last Saturday even-
ing of each month in the year at the home of one of its members. A regular
literary program is given at each meeting', followed by a social hour. One
open meeting is held each year, usually in the town hall at Harrisburg. Three
of the original charter members, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Robinson and Dona-
van Robinson, are still members of the club. James C. Rea is the only mem-
ber who has been lost by death, the other members having moved from the
neighborhood. Practically all the members have been residents of Harrison
township.

The present membership includes the following : Mr. and Mrs. Willard
Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. James Eby, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Florea, Mr. and
Mrs. H. T. Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Brookbank, Mr. and Mrs. Grant
Williams, Air. and Airs. Paul Caldwell, Mr. and Airs. Donavan Robinson, Mr.

5l6 ■ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and Mrs. Chester Kerr, Mrs. Joseph Foster and Hope Kerr. The officers for
the current year are as follows: President, Dona van Robinson; vice-presi-
dent, Hope Kerr; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. Paul Caldwell; assistant secretary,
Mrs. Charles Florea. The club is affiliated with the sixth district association
of clubs.

THE REVIEW CLUB.

The Review Club, a literary organization of twelve members, was organ-
ized by a number of the women of Harrison township in 1909. It meets
every two weeks in the afternoon at the homes of its members. There is
one all-day meeting each year for the benefit of the husbands of the mem-
bers. Mrs. Willard Robinson was the first president of the club, but is now
only an associate member. Mrs. P'rank Florea, another of the charter mem-
bers, is also now an associate member. The present membership includes
the following : Hope Kerr, Mrs. Ollie Kerr, -Mrs. J. C. Foster, Mrs. E. M.
Stone, Mrs. FI. M. Broaddus, Mrs. H. T. Thomas, Mrs. Ernest Maurer,
Mrs. Orris Ludlow, Mrs. Orris Williams, Mrs. Charles Florea, Rosalind
Tingley and Lillian Tingley. The president of the club for the current year
is Hope Kerr.

In addition to the Labyrinth Club and the Review Club in the rural
districts of the county, there are a number of other clubs, some of which
are literary, while others are of a purely social nature. Two of the prom-
inent rural clubs which have been in existence for some years are the Mothers
Club and the Twentieth Century Club.

CHAPTER XX.
The City of Connersn'ii.le.

The annals of Indiana are rich in stories recounting the settlement and
development of many industrial and civic centers within its domain, but ncme
eclipse in interest the marvelous growth of the city of Connersxille, cminty-
seat of Fayette county.

Connersville is picturesquely situated on the west bank of the west fork
of White Water river, occupying what forms a natural terrace to the streams
and river bottoms. Its western and southwestern boundaries are dotted with
a range of hills, rising about one hundred feet above the valley, and whose
summits are crowned, at irregular distances, with antique and more modern
suburban homes, from which is obtained a pleasing view of the city and sur-
rounding country. The city is located near the center of Fayette county, and
by rail is distant 67.2 miles, a Httle south of east from Indianapolis and 57.1
miles northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio, lying in latitude 39 degrees 36 minutes
north, and longitude 7 degrees 54 minutes west.

THE ORIGINAL PLAT.

John Conner, the proprietor of the original plat of the town, some time
between the years 1804 and 1808, had established an Indian trading ixjst at
this point. Hence the name Connersville. On March 4, 1813, the city was laid
out by John Conner, though the original proprietor of the land on which the
original plat was made, as shown by the original entry book, was A. Tharp,
who entered the northeast quarter of section 25, township 14, range 12 east,
April 4, 1812. The original plat comprised only sixty-two lots, which were
bounded on the west by Monroe street (now Central avenue), on the east by
Water street, and extending from a little beyond Head street (now Sixth
street), on the north to a little beyond High street (now Third street) on the
south. The place was laid out in Franklin county and the plat there recorded,
which it seems from the records was not transcribed on the records of Fayette
county until October, 1841. .\ttached to the plat is the following descriptive
heading and certificate :

Sl8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Part of town of Couuersville first laid off by John Conner. Laid out on the west
brancli of Wliite Water, on the north side nf the river, on part of the northeast quar-
ter of section 25, township 14. ran^e lii cast, second principal meridian; course of street
running up and down the river and udrth iTr east, commencing at the lower end of the
town, and the other north 65° west, extending from the river, and all of them four poles
wide ; the alleys are one pole wide. The public grounds contain two blocks or four lots.
The lots are five poles front and two poles back, each containing fifty square perches of
ground, and laid down by a scale of ten poles to the inch by nie, Enoch McCarty. — '
March 4, 1813.

Indiana Territory, Franklin Count.v, ss :

On the 1st day of October, 1813, personally came before me, Benjamin Smith, a
Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, John Conner, and saith on oath
that the within plat is a true representation of the within described town of Conners-
ville, and further saith not.

Benjamin Smith, Justice of the Peace.

ADDITIONS.

In 1817 Joshua Harlan made additions embracing lots extending above
Boundary (now Second) street, east of Market and south of the alley above
Head (now Sixth) street. The same Joshua Harlan in 1818 made further
additions embracing lots west of Market street to Tanner, south of Madison,
and to one street further west north of Madison, extending from Boundaiy
along Market to an alley between Harrison and Head streets, the northern
boundary of these lots consisting of a line from said alley on the south to an
alley on the north between INIadison and Harrison streets; and again in 1819
by the same, embracing lots south of Boundary street. In 1818 by Dale; in
1 8 19 by Jonathan McCarty ; in 1819 by John Conner. The ground comprising
the public square, on which are now located the city hall and court house,
bounded by Central avenue, Market Court, and Fourth streets, was a part of
the Harlan plat of additions to the town.

On February 17, 1819, Connersville was selected as county seat by the
locating commissioners designated by the legislatve act of December 28, 1818.

THE EARLY VILLAGE.

Dr. Philip Mason, an early pioneer and well-known historian, who died
April 26, 1869, published the following:

I came to the valley of the White Water in the Spring of 1816. and early in the
summer of that year I visited Connersville. A small tract of land had been laid off
by John Conner into town lots, which lay along the river bank on Water street and
along Slain street, and a few log cabins had been erected. The most of the land which

FAYETTE COITNTY. INDIANA. 5I9

coiiiiirises the present site of tlie town was then a dense forest. In traveliii); up the
river to the phice there was now and then a small oiieuing to he seen, with an inhahited
log cabin on it. John Conner, after whom the town is named, and who owned the land
on which it stands, had hnilt a mill .iust above the town, and not far above the site of
the iire.sent mill now owned b.v A. I*.. Conwell. The town had bnt one small retail store.

The keeping of the first store at Connersville has Ijeen credited to Joshua
Harlan. This, of course, is excepting Conner's trading post, where he had
been bartering with the Indians for several years. The first business house
built on the town plat is said to have been a log building which stood on the
west side of Main street (now Eastern avenue), on or near the corner of the
alley on the site of the dwelling house formerly occupied by the widow of
William Bunnell. He is known to have kept a store at that point in 1815.
Mr. Harlan, who had been a judge under the Territorial Government, was a
native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, born in 1763. He lived for some years
in Kentucky and Brookville, and in 181 3 came to Connersville. He has been
described as a tall man, fully six feet two inches, and of strong and clear mind.
About 1820 he built a brick house on the northeast corner of what is now East-
ern avenue and Fifth street. Here Judge Harlan kept one of "ye olden time
inn,s" for a number of years. He died at Connersville on September 15, 1827.

AN ATTORNEY WITHOUT MONEY.

Xewton and Solomon Claypool. young unmarried men, came to the village
in 181 7 and for a time carried on a bartering trade with the Indians and the
few white settlers. Newton emlsarked in the tavern business, and Solomon
engaged in farming. The Hon. Oliver H. Smith, a United States senator
from Indiana, in alluding to Mr. Claypool as a landlord, said : "When I
arrived at Connersville in May, 1820, I stopped at the hotel of Xewton Clay-
pool. He was about my age. I had been licensed to practice in March before,
and was looking for a location. My last dollar had escaped from the top of
my pocket. Breakfast over, I met Claypool in the l)ar-ruom ; as we met I
remarked : 'Look me over and see whether you will risk me for my board
for a year.' 'Who are you? Where did you come from? What is'your trade
and how do you expect to pay for your board ?' '^ly name is Smith ; I am from
Lawrenceburg ; I- am a young lawyer, and I expect to pay you from my prac-
tice." 'Rather a bad chance, Init I will risk you.' " The board bill was paid.

It appears from an inscription on a tombstone at Connersville tliat the
Claypools were Virginians ; that, with their father, Abraham Claypool, they
migrated to Scioto Valley, Ohio, in 1798, thence to Clermont county, same
state, in 1808, and then to Connersville in 181 7.

520 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Silas Ford, a wheelwright, came to the village from Virginia in 1817.
Here he followed his trade, and for a time he also kept a house of entertain-
ment. A 3-oung man from Pennsjlvania, by name Joseph Nelson, and by trade
a saddler, settled in Connersville in 18 19, and at once opened the first saddlery
in the place.

In 1819 Austin Bishop opened a store on the northwest corner of Eastern
avenue and Fifth street. The building was erected by Benjamin Berry.
Absalom Burkham built the Heinemann corner. The same year were built the
hotel of Joshua Harlan, a house for Charles MoiTut, the old United States
Hotel, which stood on Central avenue opposite the court house, and a house for
George Reed.

TAVERN LICENSE GRANTED.

Jonathan John, from Kentucky, settled in 1816 on the site of the McFar-
lan residence, on the western border of the city. The father of Amos R.
Edwards, from Pennsylvania, settled in Connersville in 18 17, and in 18 19
came Douglas Burton and family from Kentucky, though previously migrat-
ing from South Carolina. At this period those engaged in keeping tavern
or merchandising were required to make application for a license for same.
In 1819 the county commissioners granted-a tavern license to Newton Claypool
and George Reed, and in 1820 to Joshua Harlan and Archibald Reed. The
rate charged per annum was ten dollars.

The following business interests were represented in Connersville in 1821 :
Arthur Dixon kept a dry-good store; Austin Bishop conducted a grocery;
Joshua Harlan was running a tavern; John Sample, Sr., had an inn; Newton
Claypool kept a house of entertainment; Archibald Reed carried on a similar
house ; Absalom Burkham also vended spirituous compounds ; Silas Ford con-
ducted a hotel; Bartholomew McCleary carried on a general store; Barnet and
Jonas Levi had a jewelry establishment ; a Mr. Bouton had a cooperage ; Joseph
Nelson was the only saddler; Martin Remington was the village blacksmith;
one Rankin sold hats to suit all heads; the United States tavern was in the
hands of William W. Wick, and David Beck was sartorial outfitter to the com-
munity ; William Burnett and Julius Whitmer were carpenters ; John D. Stew-
art sold shoes ; Stebbins & Ball ran a pottery works ; William W. Wick and
Oliver H. Smith were the resident attorneys; Dr. Joseph Mofifit was the only
physician ; John Conner had in full blast a saw- and grist-mill and distillery ;
A. B. Conwell owned a tannery, as also did a Mr. Rees ; Asher Cox, Edmund
I. Kidd and Hervey Bates had in operation a carding and fulling machine. At
this time there was no church building or school house in the village, yet the

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 52I

circuit preacher.s of the Methodist Episcopal church visited the place occasion-
ally. ^^■illianl \\". Wick, above referred to, was the first attorney in Conners-
ville: he was later a judge and congressman, and also served as postmaster at
Indianapolis for four years.

Licenses to keep tavern in the village from i8ji to 1830 were granted to
the following: Thomas Murphy and Moses Cox, in 182 1 ; Archibald Reed,
Joshua Harlan, Newton Claypool, Abraham W. Harris, Andrew Wallace, John
Mcintosh, John Sample. Martin M. Ray and John Allen, Jr., in 1824; Abra-
ham Bays, in 1826: Abner Smith and Benjamin Johns, in 1829. Licenses to
vend merchandise during the same period were granted to : W. & S. Walton
and George Frybargei". in 1824; Joshua Mcintosh, in 1825; A. Clark & Com-
pany, Robert Swift, Andrew Wallace, Hugh Wooster, Samuel Walton and
Meredith Helm, in 1S26; William Walton. 1827: Amzi Clark and Theodore
R. Lewis, and Daniel Hankins and James Mount, in 1828; Meredith Helm,
Robert Cox, Amos Conklin, Charles Shipley and John Picket, in 1829.

Other business interests in Connersville up to 1830 were the tin, sheet-iron
and copper factory, owned by J. Dawson ; Hull & Fearis, saddlers ; John Wil-
ley, meat market: Merrifiekl & Miller, hatters: Christian Beck, gunsmith: H.
Goodlander, jeweler: A, Van Vleet and Hiram Bundy, weavers; John Perin
and L)-man Carpenter, oil millers: A. Conklin and \\'. H. Coombs, chair fac-
tory; Thomas Rutter was a hatter; Frisbee, tannery; George W.

Parks, blacksmith; George W. Reed, tailoring; Nicholas Baker, shoemaking;
J. Hart, tinner ; Silas Ford, spinning-wheels ; Robert Griffis, saddlery ; John
McCoy, hatter, and Isaac Wood, spinning-wheels.

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER.

The first newspaper, the Indiana Statesman, was started in 1824 by
Abraham \'an Vleet, and was followed in 1826 by the Fayette Observer.
under the proprietorship of Van Vleet and Daniel Rench. The Methodists
erected a house of worship in 1824: this was the onlv church in the village up
to 1830. A seminary building was erected in 1828, and was the first regular
school building in Connersville.

In 1826 John Sample was postmaster; he requested "all letters and pack-
ages to be sent in the mail to be in the office half an hour before the mails
closed." That summer the arrival and departure of the mails from the post-
office in Connersville were : "Eastern mail arrives on Thursdays 1 1 o'clock
a. m. and departs west in half an hour, ^^'estern mail arrives on Tuesdavs

522 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

II o'clock a. m. and departs east at 12 o'clock midday. Southern mail arrives
on Fridays at 9 o'clock a. m. and departs north at 10 o'clock a. m."

THE FIRST LIBRARY.

As early as 1820 there was a circulating library in the village, and in
November, 1825, the Fayette county library was opened to the public. One
year later it contained one hundred and fifty-one select volumes, and this
number was later augmented by one hundred and twenty-five volumes. The
library was under the management of a board of trustees, of which Daniel
Rench was secretary. The library was open every Saturday afternoon from
one to six o'clock. An announcement in the Observer reads:

There are volumes in tlie library to suit the tastes and inquiries of all. The citi-
zens, we hope, will not be slow in availing themselves of Its great advantages, which
may be had for fifty cents a year. All citizens over sixteen years may draw books,
by (riving bond and security for d;nnil^'es, etc. The rules governing drawers are public
in the librai-y room.

The Observer of June 17, 1826. over the signatures of Kidd & Cox,
carried the following advertisement :

Wool Carding. — The undersigned return their grateful acknowledgments for the
lilieral support they have heretofore received, and now inform the public that their
machines are in complete operation, and ready to receive wool, which they will card in
the best manner and on the shortest notice. Every exertion will be made to accommo-
date persons living at a distance. The following articles of produce will be received
in payment — wool, sugar, linen, beeswax, flax, wheat, tallow, etc.

In the Observer of February, 1830, J. M. Ray, as agent, advertised that
On Jlay 26 would be offered for sale Conner's grist-mill, saw-mill, distillei'}- and
mill farm adjoining Connersville. the farm below town, the tavern- and store-stands
opposite the court house in said town and some out-lots in the vicinity. Mill farm
about eighty acres cleared land under good fence. The mills and distillery are in fine
operation, and the tavern-stand occuiiied l)y Captain Sample, and the store room by
Messrs. Hankins and Mount. The whole property is now under rent at $600 per annum,
cash.

"regimental orders."

On March i, 1830, the following notice, under the title of "Regimental
Orders," was issued :

Captains comijianding companies in the Eleventh Regiment of the Indiana Militia,
are hereby ordered to attend the following musters with subaltern otficers. first sergeants
and musicians at th6 following time and places, to wit: Drill muster, at the town of
Connersville, on the 26th and 27th of May next; battalion muster, at the house of N.
McClure, on the 2Sth day of May next ; at the house of Amos G. Pumphrey, on the 29th
of May next, and regimental muster at Connersville, on the 2d day of October next.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 523

aiuied aiul equipiied as the law iliivi-ts. at !> o'clock on each day. ('mirl of .\sscssiiiciil
iu Couuersville on the first Monday of Xoveiiiber, and Court of .Vpiioals im the lii-si
Monday of next Decenilier, al llir house of Archibald Held.

VN'ILI.IAM C.\i.ii\vi:i.i.. ('(iloin.l.
ronuuaudius; Klevcuth Kciiiiiiciil. 1. M.

SOME NOTABLE CONNERSVILLE MEN.

The preceding pages, in a general way, give a summary of the condi-
tions up to 1830, and before returning to the beginning of the decade, when
it may be said that Connersville began to grow, the point may be made that
its first step towards development and prosperity, which have followed it for
almost a century, was coincident with its selection as the county seat. A
brief reference to some of the men who pioneered the development, is worthy
of record. Among them were Joshua Harlan, Arthur Dixon, Newton Clay-,
pool, John Sample, Jonathan- McCarty, James M. Ray, Oliver H. Smith,
William W. Wick, Jonathan John, Samuel C. Sample, George Frybarger,
A. B. Conwell, and later, Marks Crume, Martin M. Ray, Samuel W. Parker,
Caleb B. Smith and Daniel Hankins — future legislators, judges, members of
Congress, a United States senator, a cabinet officer, and business men of great
capacity. In the hands of such men it is no wonder that the village became
progressive and interesting. An anecdote will serve to illustrate the peculiar
talents of the taverns heretofore referred to. An old Englishman by the
name of John Knipe was asked by a traveler who kept the best hotel. "\\e"el.
hif thee wants good grub, go to Samples; hif thee wants thy 'oss well cared,
go to Claypool's, and hif thee wants gude whisky, thee will iietter stop at
'Arlan"s."

It will not be amiss here to chronicle a few particulars of the early men
who figured conspicuously in the greater business interests of Connersville,
and whose advent into her business circles marked an era in her history. Of
the men referred to, Newton Claypool was native of Virginia, where he was
born in 1795, though at an early day with his father removed to Ohio, and
in 1817 settled in Connersville. In 1818 he returned temporarily tf) Ohio
and was married to Mary Kerns, of Ross county. Claypool was a tavern-
keeper until 1836, when he purchased and removed to the fami just north of
the citv limits, where his son, Austin B. Claypool, later resided. Newton
Claypool was elected to the Legislature first in 1825, and to the Senate first
in 1828, and subsequently served a number of years in each branch. Oliver
H. Smith writes of him in this connection : "He was one of the most efficient
men in the Legislature for many years. His greatest forte was in his prac-

524 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

tical knowledge applied to the subject by his strong common sense. For many
years he was closely identified with the banking business of this community."
Another writer thus alludes to him : "Luck was not one of Newton Clay-
pool's words; it was not in his lexicon. He did but little on faith, either —
had his own philosophy, both of church and state. He fought all of his
enemies with the same weapon. He was a consistent enemy of the Demo-
cratic party, through a life longer than is usually allotted to a man. It can
be said of him that he was eminently successful as a financier, in earlier life
as an economist and producer, and in after life as a banker. In this latter
ca])acity his reputation was brilliant and enviable throughout the state."
Claypool died at Indianai^olis on May 14, 1866.

HONESTY PERSONIFIED.

George Frybarger came to Connersville from Dayton, Ohio, in 182 1 and
opened a dry-goods store. A writer speaks of him thus: "Like most of the
early settlers he was fearless and self-reliant, and entered upon the duties of
his calling with decided purposes of usefulness and accumulation. His indus-
try and energy gave him success, and for many years he ranked among the
foremost merchants and traders of the White Water valley. It has been said
that, perhaps, there never was a man in Connersville who knew the business
as well as Frybarger, none at least who did so much business as he. There
can be no doubt but the ruling trait and the carefully guarded ambition of
George Frybarger was honesty. Even to the minutest details of ever raging
trade throughout a long life of successful mercantile pursuits, he adhered in
theory and practice to his passion — honesty. The charity of Frybarger was
in business, that is, he was charitable to those that deserved it. He loaned
to the unfortunate honest ; he gave, too, and encouraged with his advice and
credit and means, stimulating them to all the demands of success. He had
an unbounded credit at home and abroad. He always kept safely stored in
his vaults coin to put against his credit. He is said to have been the first
man in the West in a crisis, well remembered in the commercial world, to
promptly pay his Eastern debts with coin stored for the purpose of adver-
sity." An inscription on his tombstone indicates that he was born in 1797
and died in 1853.

A. B. Conwell was born in Delaware in 1796, and at the age of fifteen
was apprenticed to a tanner, with whom he served five years. In 181 7 he,
with a brother, walked from Washington, D. C, to Pittsburgh, where they
separated, A. B. going to Kentucky, and in 1821 he located in Connersville,

FAYETTE COUXTY, INDIANA.

525

and began his successful career on an acre of ground whicli he purchased of
John Conner. Here he put in operation a tannery, which business lie sul^se-
c|uently abandoned and engaged in mercantile pursuits. For many years he
was engaged in the milling business, and erected and carried on one of the
most extensive fiouring-mills in this section of the state. The large mill on
what is now north Eastern avenue, was a monument to his enterprise. Pork-
packing for a number of years claimed his attention, and this business he
successfully conducted on a large scale. He was a man of nuich natural
intellect and judgment, and had ever been known for his wise forecast of
events, as well as for his sustained success in his Inisiness ventures and spec-
ulations.

Daniel Hankins settled in Conners\ille in 1827 — six years later than Fry-
barger and Conwell, \-et he figured in the latter years of that decade. Colonel
Hankins, as for some unexplained reason he was known, was a native of New
Jersey state, born in 1795 and died in i860. He began as a dry-goods merch-
ant in Connersville and so continued throughout his business career. He was
possessed of great activity and energy. A writer has gi\en as his chief
qualities, "untiring industry, coupled v.ith worthy ambition; a restless, eager
spirit, he was a fretful business man. Dull times only conquered him." He
engaged extensively in speculation, pork and grain receiving his attention in
large investments. His influence is said to have been great, because his trade
was great. In 1830 he, with Marks Crume, represented the county in the
Legislature. In writing of his death the Conncrsznllc Times said : "He ac-
cumulated a vast property ; he had a farm of fourteen hundred acres north
of Connersville, which he superintended, though his attention was largely
engrossed with the extensive mercantile trade and speculations in pork and
flour. Perhaps no man of one county has ever managed as much business,
and managed it as correctly and successfully, as has Colonel Hankins."

CONNERSVILLE IN 1833.

The "Indiana Gazetteer" of 1833 gives the village of Connersville as
having a population of five hundred inhabitants. In that year the village
comprised seven mercantile stores, one drug store, four taverns, four physi-
cians, four lawyers and two printing offices, besides mechanics engaged in
various occupations.

C. B. Smith and M. R. Hull, editors of the Indiana Sentinel, published
the following on April 20, 1833:

This place is truly in a flourisliing coudition. The citizens are quite as industrious

526 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

as any others hi the great West, and complete marks of tlieir persevering habits are
displayed on every street. New houses are in successive building, and the hum and buzz
of business are made to resound in the distant valley, and to the approaching traveler
bespeaks the industry of mechanics. Our merchants are daily receiving thousands of
dollars worth of goods. The spring sales progress with much vigor, which makes the
active salesman skip the counter with a business-like spirit. Our physicians (poor fel-
lows) have but little to do; they droop their heads beneath the influence of general
good health. Our streets present a lively picture of enterprise and industry. While other
presses are falling out with their subscribers and placing their names on the "black list,"
the ticiitincl still holds an undiminished patronage, and its conductors continue, daily, to
place good names on their "white list." All this prosperity we owe, in a great measure,
to the farmers of Indiana — "the staff of life." But a few years of such prosiierity and
Connersville will become the most flourishing village in the Western country.

THE SUCCEEDING DECADE, 1833-43.

Connersville kept on in the even tenor of its way during the following
ten years, making no notable advance in the way of industries, yet increasing
gradually in numbers and business and quietly laying the foundation upon
which was to be built the city that now occupies a prominent place in the sis-
terhood of eastern Indiana cities.

A noteworthy event of the decade was the passage of the great Internal
Improvement bill for the state of Indiana, at the head of which stood the
White Water Valley Canal bill, and it was this canal that was to mark an
era in the history of all villages and towns along its proposed path. The bill
was passed on January i6, 1836, and the news was received at Connersville
on the 18th. When twilight came on the houses and buildings in the village,
with few exceptions, were in a brilliant blaze of illumination. The court
house was lighted up from the basement to the steeple. About sundown the
one cannon of the village was hauled out to the canal line and six guns fired
— one in honor of the governor, one to the senator and one to each of the
representatives of the county in the General Assembly and one to the White
Water Valley canal.

In the evening a meeting was held at the court house, which was
addressed by Oliver H. Smith and Samuel W. Parker. A number of toasts
were drunk, after which the whole assembly repaired to the river bank east
of the village, which was still brilliantly lighted up with a number of bon-
fires, and under the illumination of the buildings. A sad accident, resulting"
in one death, occurred during the progress of the celebration, owing to the
premature explosion of a piece of artillery by which four young men were
maimed and wounded. Alexander Saxon had one arm torn off and the
other so badly injured that both were amputated above the elbow. His eyes

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 527

were blown completely out of his head and his death resulted next uKirnini,'-.
Joseph Clark had his right arm blown off, and Abiather Williams and Will-
iam Worster were severely burned.

The canal was completed to Connersville in June, 1845, ^^^ the first boat
to reach the village was the "Patriot," commanded by Captain Gayle Ford,
which arrived in the fall of the year. The imports and exports on the canal
for the week ending November 20, 1845, (from the village) were as follow:

Exports. Imports.

Wheat, number of bushels i-5o6

Cider, ba:rrels 13

Industries, pounds 6,010 8,993

IMerchandise, pounds 8,189

Salt and castings, pounds 150

Lumber, feet /OO

The canal ceased to be used for through traffic in 1849, but was operated
between local points up to 1862. The last boat to pass over it was the "Union,"
owned by David McCarty. Subsequently the railroad company (now the Big
Four) purchased the undertaking and laid their rail lines over the towpath.

CONNERSVILLE DIRECTORY IN 1 858-59.

Fortunately there has been preserved a complete directory of all the busi-
ness and professional interests of Connersville in 1858-59. Many of the older
citizens of the city hving in 191 7 will recognize many of the men below listed,
a large number of whom were in business for many years after the Civil War.
Since this directory is not generally accessible to the people of the county at
the present time it is given in this connection as it was published in 1859:

Apert, A., wagon-maker; Applegate, W. P. & A., carriage manufactur-
ers; Bailey, J. L., dry goods; Barnard & Hall, carpenters and joiners; Bate-
man & Gates, staple and fancy dry goods; Beck & Brothers, merchant tailors;
Brown, J., clothier: Bunnell. J., livery stable; Bunnell, W., livery stable; Burk,
X. H., dry goods and grocery: Burton, T., merchant tailor; Durham, R., pro-
prietor Bates House ; Conwell, A. B. & Sons, proprietors Conwell mills : Clark.
J. H., town officer; Campbell, G. W. merchant tailor; Cassady, J., saddler and
harness maker (town officer) ; Claypool, A. J. & Company, dry goods, etc. ;
Claypool, B. F., attorney; Collins, E.. dentist; Compton, Lizzie, milliner; Daw-
son, D. H., county coroner: Cooley, cabinet warerooms; Erwin, , civil

engineer; Edwards, C, county clerk; Fearis, G. L., saddler and harness-

528 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

maker ; Felton & Smith, groceiy ; Frybarger, W. W. & Company, staple and
fancy dry goods; Gregg, V. H., physician and surgeon; Green, William H.,
publisher of Connersz'illc Times; Gates, Bateman, dry goods; Greer, W. H.,
proprietor Scofield House; Goodlander, H., jeweler; Huston, J. & W., millers;
Hack, Anthony, meat market: Henry, R. B., clergyman; Hawkins & Griffis,
dry goods and groceries; Hall, D. D., physician and surgeon; Hall, D. H.,

physician and surgeon; Johnson, , boot and shoe dealer; Johnson, A. H.

& Company, agricultural implements; Justice, J., druggist; James, W. W.,
marble worker; Kunphlon, Augiistus. merchant tailor; Lewis, Josephine, mil-
liner; Line, A. J., blacksmith; McLain, John, justice of peace; Marks, Robert,
blacksmith; MuUikin, J., town officer; Minor, A. S., saddler and harness-
maker; Morrow & Mason, hat and cap dealers; McFarlan, J. B., carriage
manufacturer; Morehouse & Youse, manufacturers of wagons, buggies, etc.;
Mullikin, J. & E., manufacturers of agricultural implements; Mcintosh, James
C, attorney; McCleary, WilHam, sheriff; Morris, Harry, county surveyor;
Marshall, Joseph, attorney; Morris, B. F., clergyman; Newkirk, W. & Com-
pany, hardware; Parry, L. D., town officer; Powell, L, auctioneer; Pelan,
William, clergyman; Parker, Samuel W., attorney; Pumphrey, N. R., pro-
prietor Connersville Hotel; W. J. Pepper, physician and surgeon; Rawls &
Morrison, druggists; Roots, P. H. & F. M., manufacturers of woolen goods;
Rhodes, J. K., county recorder; Scott, James, livery stable; Stewart, William,
clergyman; Shumate, H., dry goods and groceries; Smith, W. M., town officer;
Smith, J. W., paper-hanger and painter; Reid, John S., judge court common
pleas; Tate, W. A. H., justice of peace; Tate, J. F., county treasurer; Thisle-

wait, , saddler and harness-maker; Thomas, S. B., furniture; Taylor,

W. W., physician and surgeon; Trusler, Nelson, attorney; Vance, Elisha,
attorney; Vance, Samuel W., physician and surgeon; Victor, J., grocer; Wal-
lace, R. J., carriage-maker; White, T. J., editor Connerszille Telegraph; Wil-
son & Co., grocery, bakery and confectionery; Wilson, J. S., blacksmith;
Wood, John, blacksmith; Youse, J. F. & Company, stoves and tinware; Zellar,
Ignatius, jeweler.

CONNERSVILLE IN 1 86 1.

Two years after the directory of 1858-59 was issued a larger and more
complete directory of the city and county was published. This second direc-
tory not only gave a complete list of all the business and professional inter-
ests of the city, but also preceded it with a brief historical sketch of the town.
There is also a directory of Brownsville and Liberty, towns in Union county.
This brochure of sixty pages is in the collection of Theodore Heinemann, of

PALACE HOTEL, COXNERSVILLE.

McFARLAX Bl'ILDLXC, COXNERSVILLE.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 529

Connersville. It contains a two-page history of the cit_\', a "Review of the
Business of Connersville," a complete list of all the county and town officers
of 1861, a list of lodges, churches, libraries (three in Connersville alone),
schools (three in number — Connersville Female Institute, English and Ger-
man school and Connersville Seminary), and finally, an alphabetical list of all
the business interests of the town of Connersville. Not the least of the valu-
able features of the 1861 directory is the assortment of advertisements scat-
tered through it.

A study of the advertisements reveals some very interesting industries.
Caldwell, McCollem & Company, pork packers and wholesale and retail gro-
cers, state that they have a pork house with a capacity of twenty-five thousand,
while they are killing on an average of one thousand hogs a day. E. Collins,
dentist, says that "my operations upon the living organs shall always be the
most thorough." Henry Holland conducts what he calls a "Hair Dressing
and Shaving Saloon," and from the quaint cut which features his advertise-
ment, it appears that he was an ordinary barber. Wilson & Company, whole-
sale and retail grocers and confectioners, give notice to the public that they
"have a fine oyster and eating saloon attached to our business to feed the
hungry," and that "warm meals are served up at all hours." There were at
this time six regular saloons: Anthony Apert, Frank Doll, John H. Fattig,
John Muller, Adam Pfister and Daniel Scotton. A man of the name of Davies
informs the public that he deals in "Ambrotypes and Melaineotypes" and that
he gives "lessons in the art on reasonable terms," while at the bottom of his
advertisement he adds : "P. S. — Pictures of sick or dead persons at a distance
promptly attended to."

SUMMARY OF BUSINESS HOUSES.

It would not be ])rofitable to gi\e in detail a complete list of the business
interests of Connersville as set forth in the directory of 1S61. It may be inter-
esting, however, to give the number of men or firms engaged in the various
lines of activities which are listed. They follow : Agricultural implements,
two; attorneys, eight: bakers and confectioners, two: banks, one (called the
Branch Bank of the Bank of the State) : barbers, two (both colored — Henry
Holland and A. H. Turner) : blacksmiths, three; books and stationery, two;
boots and shoes, three; brewers, one (Willman & Billau); butchers, two;
cabinet-makers and furniture dealers, three ; carpets, one ; carpenters and
builders, five; carriage makers, three: clothiers, three: coopers, three; daguer-
(34)

530. FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.-

reotypists, two; dentists, two; druggists, four; dry goods, seven; express com-
pany, one (American Express Company); flour mills, three; foundry, one;
general stores, eight ; grocers, seven ; gunsmith, one ; hardware, one ; hats and
caps, one; hotels, four (Cone House, Connersville Hotel, Durnan House and
Scofiield House) ; iron and steel, one; livery, two; marble dealers, two; mer-
chant tailors, three; milliners, four (Miss M. A. Blake, Mrs. Brown, Miss E.
Compton and Mrs. Talbert) ; news agent, one; newspapers, two {Connersiillc
Telegraph, J. M. Higgs, and Coiniersville Jl'eekly Times, \V. H. Green) ;
notaries public, five; physicians, nine (G. W. Barber, G. R. Chitwood, Joshua
Chitwood, V. H. Gregg, D. D. Hall, S. W. Hughes, James M. Justice, W. J.
Pepper and S. W. Vance) ; pork packers, two; saddlers, three; saloons, six;
sa.sh, doors and blinds, two ; stoves and tinware, two ; tailors, two ; tanner, one ;
undertakers, three; wagons and plows, three; watches and jewelry, four;
woolen factory, one (P. H. Roots and F. M. Roots).

The brief sketch of the. town's history in 1861 — it was not a city until
1869 — may be summed as follows: Population, twenty-five hundred; a sem-
inary with two hundred pupils; seven churches — First Presbyterian (Old
School), Second Presbyterian (New School), Methodist Episcopal, Christian,
Episcopal, Colored Baptist and Catholic; no railroads, but the Junction Rail-
road (now the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western) "is expected to be in run-
ning order by the first of July, 1861" ; three libraries — McClure Workingmen's
Institute, Fayette county library and Connersville township library ; teachers —
J. W. Stewart in Female Institute, George Held in basement of Catholic church,

and W. T. Moffitt. — ^ White. Augustus Nast, Miss Johnson, Miss Youse,

Miss Millikin and Miss Talbert in the seminary; Masonic, Odd Fellow, Sons
of Temperance and Good Templars lodges ; John B. Tate, postmaster.

This 1861 account of Connersville may very fittingly be concluded by
adding the closing paragraph in the sketch of the town : "Thus the future
prospects of Connersville are flattering. With a steady increase it will soon
become a place of importance. If there be a speedy impulse given to its man-
ufacturing interests by the attraction of capital from abroad, it must event-
ually become a large inland point, and if it does not surpass, it may become
equal to any city in the state."

SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS.

It seems fitting to digress at this point to take a survey of the population
of the city during the sixties. The population of the county in 1850 was.
10,217, which had, by i860, increased to only 10,225. Connersville had a

FAYETTE COUNTY^ INDIANA. 53I.

population of 1,396 in 1850 and 2,1 19 in i860. Doctor Mason in his invaluable
volume gives some interesting statistics on Connersville as the city stood in
1867. The table follows:

No. A\'ard. Renters. Freeholders. Males. Females. Tdtal.

First Ward 91 T,y2 227 236 463

Second Ward 122 492 325 289 614

Third Ward 42 201 138 105 243

Fourth Ward 35 212 144 103 247

Fifth Ward 163 681 435 409 S44

Totals 453 1.958 i,26() 1,152 2,411

At the time the above census was compiled, in September, 1867, there,
were 772 children of school age ; 379 males and y)^ females. Tiie total amount
of personal property and real estate placed on the tax duplicate at that time
was $1,360,364.

RENAMING THE STREETS OF CONNERSVILLE.

In JMay, 1866, the names of the streets of Connersville were changed
as follows: Main to Eastern a\-enue ; Monroe to Central a\enue; Tanner to
Western avenue ; Short to First ; Baltimore and Boundary to Second ; High,
to Third: Madison to l-"ourth ; Harrison to Fifth: Head to Sixth: Maple
to Seventh: Mill to F.ighth.

CONNERSVILLE CREATED A CITY.

Hidden away in the recesses of the city clerk's office in the town hall is
a must}' old documen.t, yellow with age, which is responsible for the advance-
ment of the village of Connersville to the city of the same name. It is about
four feet long, of the usual legal cap paper size in width, and contains the
names of three hundred and eleven citizens of the village of Comiersville who
signed the petition which was presented to the town board asking that steps
be taken to apply for a city charter. The document is headed as follows:

To the honorable board of tni.><tet'S of the town nf foiiiiers\ illc. tcmit.v of Fayette,
state of Indiana : . .

We, the undersigned city voters in said i<ir|inration. do lioreliy rfs|icitfiilly petition
your honorable body to take such action as shall in your wisdom seem iirojicr to enal)le
said corporation to secure a city charter pursuant to the laws of said state. And for
your welfare your petitioners will ever pray.

Dated this fifteenth d,\y of May. ISIJO.

532 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The first signer to this petition was Daniel Rench and the last was William
Newkirk. It may be said that practically every prominent citizen of the
village signed the document. The result of this petition on the part of the
voters was the ordering of an election by the village council.

The election was held on June i6, 1869, at which three hundred of the
voters out of three hundred sixty-five expressed themselves in favor of a city
charter. The city charter was procured and adopted, the city ordered divided
into three wards, and July 5 appointed as the day for the election of city
officers.

The election resulted in the choice of William H. Beck as mayor; C. D.
Smith, marshal; Henry F. Kane, clerk; John Uhl, treasurer; A. H. Wood,
assessor; council for the First Ward, Train Caldwell and F. Martin; for the
Second Ward, John R. McCabe and Lee Thalheimer ; Third Ward, E. F. Clay-
pool and John S. Wilson. The mayors since have been : John P. Kerr, 1871 ;
W. C. Forrey, 1872; Gilbert Trusler, 1876; W. C. Forrey, 1877; Charles
Roehl, 1880: Charles Murray, 1884: James M. Mcintosh, 1886-88; William
F. Downs, 1890-9-'; Hyatt L. Frost, 1894-96; Thomas J. Clark, 1899-1904;
Finly H. Gray.' 1904-06; Frederic I. Barrows, 1906-10; Finly H. Gray,
1910-11; John S. Hankins, 1911-14; Philip Braun, 1914.

In 1917 the city officials were; Philip Braun, mayor; Charles E. Hud-
son, treasurer; W. L. Schaefer, clerk; R. J. Greenwood, engineer; G. Edwin
Johnston, attorney. Councilmen: First ward, W. J. Walsh; second ward,
Charles Rieder; third ward, A. T. Pigman; fourth ward, John G. Krasser.
Councilmen-at-large ; James A. Chrismer and John J. Peters. The police
department has J. R. Gillespie as chief and six patrolmen ; the fire department
has two stations, with G. W. Woolley, fire chief, and nine men. Board of
health: Dr. J. M. Sample, Dr. Frank Chitwood and Dr. Y. D. Ludwick.
Superintendent of cemetery, Charles A. Rieman.

THE TOWN HALL.

In 1848 the commissioners of Fayette county granted the trustees of the
town of Connersville permission to erect on the west part of the public square
a public building for the use of the town officials. The first story was to be
utilized for a town hall and engine house ; the second and third stories by any
moral or philanthropic association of the city or county that was then, or would
thereafter be, recognized by the laws of the state, provided that the consent
of the president and trustees of the town was first obtained.

The building was erected by the citizens, the Society of the Sons of Tem-

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 533

perance and the Masonic order each paying one-third of the cost. Sherman
Scofield undertook the erection of the building for four thousand eight hundred
dollars. Each of the three parties was to finish their respective portions. The
first floor contains the city offices; the second was used by the Sons of Tem-
perance, and the third by the Masonic order. After the Sons of Temperance
dropped their organization the Masons took over the second floor. In 1906,
and again in ic;i4, the town hall was remodeled and enlarged and new offices
for the efficient conduct of the city's business erected. The building provides
accommodations for mayor's office, clerk's and treasurer's office, city
engineer's office, and court room.

PUBLIC UTILITIES.

A city is in a peculiar sense a l>usiness corporation. It must light and
water itself; carry away its waste products; provide means of protecting itself
against fires; guard the lives and property of its citizens; build sidewalks and
streets for them ; and as in the case of some cities, means are even provided
for a place to bury citizens after death. In many cities part of these various
functions are in the hands of private persons, while in others the cities them-
selves own and operate them. Every city has its own police and fire depart-
ments, and in the case of Connersville the city owns the waterworks. Natur-
ally the city installed its own sewerage system, and has built all of its own
streets and sidewalks. The telephone system in Connersville, as in all other
cities in Indiana, is in the hands of a private corporation.

The oldest cemetery of the city is under municipal management, and
a part is set aside for those who are unable to purchase a burying lot. The
city hospital does not belong to the city, but to the county as a whole. The
following pages are devoted to a detailed discussion of the \'arious public
and semi-public utilities of Connersville.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Up to the decade between 1830 and 1840 the villagers protected property
against fire as best they could without the aid of a fire engine, the old bucket-
line system being then in vogue. Toward the latter part of the decade the first
fire engine of the village was purchased of a Mr. Wadley, of Oxford, Ohio,
and was called "Pluto." The "Pluto" was a small engine and consisted of a
rude device for throwing water placed in a box or bed, the whole being mounted
on four small wheels. The water was thrown into the box by a line of men

534 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

with buckets extending from the nearest supply. From the box the water was
pumped By hand brakes and thrown upon the fire.

The second fire engine introduced into the village was the "Ocean," which
was contracted for on June 7, 1848, between the board of trustees of Conners-
ville, and D. L. P'arnham & Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio. The "Ocean" was
what was known as "Farnham's patent horiontal engine,'' having a row-boat
movement, working horizontally without levers. It was a two-stream suction
engine, worked by men occupying a sitting posture as oarsmen in a boat. The
cost of it was twelve hundred dollars. These two engines were the property
of the city authorities up to 1870. On the purchase of the "Pluto" and the
"Ocean," volunteer companies were organized and kept up during the use of
the engines.

On the organization of a city government in 1869, and the installation of
the first waterworks, steps were taken looking to a better system of protecting
property from fire. On January 3, 1870, an ordinance to this end was estab-
lished pro\-iding for a fire department, to consist of sixty able-bodied male
citizens, to be divided into four divisions of fifteen members each — three divi-
sions of hose and one division of hooks and ladders, each to be located in a
suitable place in the city. In accordance therewith the fire department was
re-organized on" January 19, 1870. It consisted of forty-eight men divided
into four sections, a division of twelve men each — one hook and ladder divi-
sion, and the others, hose divisions, located as follows: One hose division on
Se\-enth street, just west of the canal; another on Eastern avenue, south of
the railroad, and the remaining hose division and the hook and ladder division
at the' city hall building. There was located at each of the hose divisions one
hose reel, and at the hook and ladder division one wagon with the necessary
equipments. The department had about eighteen hundred feet of serviceable
hose on the reels and about one hundred feet of ladders with the general
accompaniments. By an ordinance established in 1875 each member of the
department was to receive annually ten dollars, which was increased by
another ordinance established in iS8t, to twelve dollars and a half. The
number composing the department was reduced in the latter year to forty-
eight. The whole department was under the super\'ision and management
of an officer styled the chief of the fire department, whose salary was fifty
dollars a year. Since the completion of the waterworks the system has been
in successful operation.

No radical changes were made in the management of the department
between 1881 and 1894. On June 20, 1894, an ordinance provided that addi-
tional hook and ladder wagons be accjuired and stationed at convenient points

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. ^35

over the city. About the same time a change was made in the composition of
the fire department ; six men were employed on full time, that is, the city for
the first time had a regular department. However, twenty-four volunteer
firemen were retained. The chief's salary was fixed at five hundred dollars.
An interesting feature of the department at this' stage of the cit\'s history is
the fact that the city council ordered that the first volunteer fireman present to
have the fire hose out on a call should be given a prize of two dollars and a
half. How long this was continued the records fail to state. In this same
year (1894) fire-alarm boxes were stationed at various points over the city,
and as the city has grown new ones have been added, the total in 1916 being
thirty-three.

The retention of some of the volunteers in 1894 and their work in con-
nection with the six regularly employed firemen does not seem to have been a
complete success. Complaints were made that the volunteers were not on hand
at all times and the result of these increasing complaints was an order on the
part of the city council which abolished forever the old system of volunteer
firemen. This occurred in 1899 and since then the city has had a regular body
of firemen on full time. At this time a central hose house was established on
the north side of the city at Sixth street between Central and Grand avenues.

The next chapter in the history of the department was the establishment
of fire station Xo. i, iii 1906, in the city hall. Fire station No. 2 was opened
in 1908 at the corner of Eighteenth street and the canal. The first fire chief
under the new regime in 1906 was Ezra B. Brown, F. I. Barrows being
ma_\-or, during which administration the fire department was kept on a non-
partisan basis.

The use of horses by the department was continued up to 1914. In July,
1914, the city, on the recommendation of Chief Hassett, passed an ordinance
abolishing horses and provided for the. introduction of motor trucks. On
November 30, 1914, the first motor wagon was purchased at a cost of thirty-
five hundred dollars for station No. i. It was built by the AIcFarlan Motor
Company, of Connersville. On March 8, 191 5, a motor hook-and-ladder wagon
was added at a cost of three thousand dollars, also built by the local company.
On April 5, 191 5, a motor truck for station No. 2 was provided at a cost of
thirty-five hundred dollars. The present value of the entire equipment is six-
teen thousand one hundred and twenty-one dollars.

Chief Hassett died in the early part of 191 5 and the present chief, George
W. Woolley, was appointed to succeed him. Chief Woolley was connected
with the old volunteer department in the early eighties, and in those days
received the munificent sum of twelve dollars and a half a y^ar for his services.

536 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

At station No. i, in the town hall, are located the chief and five men;
at station No. 2, Assistant Chief C. C. Hibbs and three men. The salary of
the chief is nine hundred dollars annually; the assistant receives eight hundred
and fifty dollars; the firemen are paid sixteen dollars and fifty cents a week.

In 1916 the department responded to sixty-three calls, seven of which
were false alarms, leaving fifty-six fires to fight. None of these were serious,
the estimated damage being about six thousand dollars. One of the fires, in
December, was supposed to be of an incendiary character and a reward of one
hundred dollars was offered for such information as would lead to the arrest
and conviction of the incendiary.

One of the most serious fires in the history of Conner sville occurred on
the night of May 19, 1880. The coffin factory, located in the northwestern
part of the city limits, was totally destroyed causing a loss of seventy thousand
dollars. As a result more than one hundred men were thrown out of employ-
ment. In 1905 the Central Manufacturing Company's plant at Seventh
street was burned, with a loss of one hundred thousand dollars; a part of
their new plant was burned in 191 7, with a loss of two hundred thousand
dollars.

WATERWORKS ERECTED.

The council of Connersville, in September, 1869, entered into a contract
with the Holly Manufacturing Company, of Lockporf, New York, for the
erection of a waterworks for the city, which was intended to furnish a more
efficient and reliable fire protection, rather than with a view to revenue there-
from for water supplied for domestic purposes. The waterworks plant was
completed in January, 1870, at a cost of forty-seven thousand dollars. The
plant was situated about one mile from the center of the city, built on ground
bought from Wanee & Martin for five hundred dollars.

The machinery of the waterworks was propelled by power from the Con-
nersville hydraulic (formerly White Water) canal. The power was so
regulated that a pressure of from forty to sixty pounds was always
kept up in the mains, which was sufficient for all purposes except in case of
fire; and in case of an alarm of fire the power was immediately increased to
give a pressure of seventy-five to one hundred pounds. The mains were
the property of the city, the pumping station being on leased grounds. The
annual cost of operating the plant ranged from three to five thousand dol-
lars a year, with a gross return of from two or three times this amount. The
plant which was established in 1870 was in operation for forty years and
was enlarged from year to year to meet the growing needs of the city. For
several years the city paid the Hydraulic Company one thousand eight hun-

FAYETTE COTTNTY, INDIANA. 537

dred dollars a year for the water which it furnished, the water for botli public
and private consumption being taken from the canal.

For some years prior to 19 lo there was continual agitation on the part
of some of the citizens for a purer water supply. When the canal was
cleaned out there were occasionally found dead animals in it, particularly
about election times, and these occurrences were sufficient to arouse the pub-
lic to the need of pro\-iding water from another source. In 1910 affairs
came to a climax on the waterworks situation ; the desire of the hydraulic
company for more rent was the last straw on the camel's back. The result
of years of agitation and discussion was a decision on the part of the city
to build a new plant. This was done in the year 1910, the new plant being
in the eastern part of town at Eighth and Fayette streets.

It would be a long story to tell of the building of the new plant, but it
is sufficient to state that it was finally erected, although its cost considerably
exceeded the original estimate of thirty thousand dollars. This amount was
found insufficient to complete the plant and by the time the plant was com-
plete the city had expended about ninety thousand dollars. In 1914 the city
expended ten thousand dollars on improvements. The water is derived from
wells sunk in the immediate vicinity of the plant and thus the city always has
the assurance of a plentiful supply of clear water.

At the close of the fiscal year 19 16 the plant was found to be self sus-
taining, that is, if the interest on investment and the amount of depreciation
are not taken into consideration. Operations for the year showed that there
was a surplus of eight hundred dollars over and above bare operating expenses.
Since this is a municipally-owned utility it is operated with a view to service
and not for profit. The plant is in charge of James O. Massey, as superin-
tendent. He has a force of eight men under his charge. The clerk of the
waterworks department is W. F. Michael.

The charge for domestic water service is a flat rate per opening, aver-
aging eleven dollars and fifty cents per annum. For manufacturing purposes
the rate by meter is as follows :

Per Minimum

100 feet. charge.

Under 1,000 cubic feet $0.12 $ 0.50

1,000 to 3,000 cubic feet .09 1.20

3,000 to 6,000 cubic feet '. .07 2,70

6,000 to 200,000 cubic feet .04^ 4.20

Over 200,000 cubic feet : 03^ 90.00

In 191 7 there were nineteen miles of water mains within the city limits.

538 lvA,YETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

PUBLIC LIGHTING.

The early records of Connersville shed no Hght as to whether an}^ means
existed to dispel the outdoor gloom which comes with night-fall. It is certain,
however, that the old-fashioned and much-used oil lamp was the first illuminant
to cast its rays on the streets of the town, and that mode of lighting continued
until 1875.

Following the granting of the charter of 1869, which gave Connersville
the status of a city, a gradual development of civic enterprise ensued, one of
the results being the organization of the Connersville Gas-Light Company in
1875. Ground was purchased at the south end of the city and a brick building
erected, and Connersville appeared for the first time lighted by gas on Christ-
mas night, 1875. As the city progressed additional lights were provided from
time to time, and, finally, the municipal authorities decided to supersede the
gas light by a system of electric light.

Early in 1887 it became evident that there was a growing desire on the
part of the public to have a more modern lighting service inaugurated. To
this end the city council passed the following ordinance on March 7, 1887:

The Tliouisoii-Houstou Electric Light Comirany, or their assigns, shall have the
privilege of erecting poles, stringing wires and providing the , necessary appliances in
and over the streets and alleys of said city for the purpose of supplying the citizens of
said city with electric light. Said poles, appliances and wires to be so erected and
strung at such places and in such manner as will least interfere with the free use and
en,ioyment of stiid streets and alle.vs, under the direction of the coniuiittee on the streets
and alleys of said city. Provided, Iwiccver, That such poles, appliances and wires shall
be so erected and strung as not to interfere with the use and management of the tele-
graph and teleiihone poles and wires already erected and maintained in said streets
and alleys.

This order shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Ordered and established this 7th day of March, 1887.

J.\MES M. Mcintosh, Mayor.
Attest: William F. Downs, City Clerk.

However, nothing definite was done in the electric lighting matter until
May 5, 1890, when the plat of the location of lights was submitted to and
approved by the council. The Connersville Electric Light Company, of which
James N. Huston was president, proceeded rapidly with constructive work,
and on August i, 1890, Connersville was electrically lighted. The cost of the
public lighting for the first month after installation was two hundred and
sixty-two dollars. For December, 1916, the light cost the city seven hundred
and eighty dollars and eighty-seven cents.

FAYLTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 539

On July i8. 1892, an order was niacle to llie effect llial (Hi ami after
tiiat date the city should he lis.;hted throuy,hout the niyht ; said order is still
in force.

In January, 1917. the city was supplied by the following; service: 140
six hundred candle-power arc lights; 129 pedestal lights, and 20 sixty candle-
power arc lights. The Hydro-I'dectric Light Company is the ])resent con-
tractor.

GAS AND ELECTRICITY IX COXNEKSVILLE.

The gas and electric plants of Connersville have always been in the hands
of private parties, the city never having owned either its own gas or electric
plant. The history of the gas company in the city dates back more than
forty years, gas having been the means of street lighting from .1875 to 1890.
The Connersville Natural Gas Company was incorporated in 1889 and sup-
plied natural gas to the city until 19 13, when the pressure became so low,
that the company began to make artiticial gas at the plant on Sixteenth street
near White Water canal. In 1914 their plant was enlarged and the latest
gas-making machiner\- installed. On Deceinber 24, 1914, natural gas was
entirelv discontinued. The company, now known as the People's Service
Company, has quarters in the McFarlan building on Sixth street. There
were a few wells being drilled in the vicinity of the city, but n(^ne of them
proved successful, the natural gas used in the city being piped in from other
fields. It might be mentioned in this connection that there were a few gas
wells in the western part of the county, in Fairview. and Posey township,
but the suppK- was only sufficient for the farmers who were interested in
drilling the wells. Very little, if any, gas has been piped from the county.

Gas lighting was seen for the first time in Connersville on Christmas
night, 1875, and for fifteen years it was the only means of public lighting.
The first attempt to introduce electricity was made in 1887, when the Thom-
son-Houston Electric Light Company, a foreign corporation, was granted a
franchise by the city council. The ordinance of March 7. 1887. granted
this company the privilege of putting in the poles and installing the wiring
and other apparatus for "the purpose of supplying the citizens of said city
with electric lights." This company was not to install the plant proper, but
only the poles and wiring. A local company was to equip the plant. The
company, however, did not proceed with its plans, and it was not until three
years later that definite steps were taken to install a plant.

540 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.

On May 5, 1890, the city council granted a franchise to supply electric
service to the Connersville Electric Light Company, organized by James
Huston, and by the first of the following August the plant was ready for
operation. The first plant was situated at the southern edge of the city and
continued in full operation until January i, 191 7, when it became the prop-
erty of the Hydro-Electric Light and Power Company. However, in the
meantime it had passed out of the hands of the original owner. The plant
struggled along for the first five years of its existence and then went into
the hands of a receiver. In the early part of 1895 George M. Sinks became
the receiver of the company and on March 9 of that year the entire plant was
sold at a receiver's sale. The purchaser was George B. Markle of Hazelton,
Pennsylvania, who paid twenty-six thousand dollars for the plant.

The new owner had the entire field to himself for the following fifteen
years and during that time extended the system to meet the growing needs
of the city. The next chapter in the history of electricity in Connersville
came about as the result of the city deciding to install a new waterworks
system in 1910. At the time the old waterworks plant was discontinued,
the Hydro-Electric Light and Power Company, the successor of the Conners-
ville Hydraulic Company, and the owner of the building and part of the
equipment of the old waterworks system was organized and at once installed
an electric light plant in the building which had been the home of the water-
works plant. The first meter was installed on November 2-], 191 1, and within
four years the cornpany had installed more than one thousand meters in
the city.

The two electric light companies divided the field between themselves
and as a result neither company was able to make much money. It was
evident that it would be for the best interests of the owners to have but one
electric light-plant, but it was not until January i, 191 7, that the two systems
were consolidated. On that date the Hydro-Electric Light and Power Com-
pany took over the other plant and at the time this volume went to press
the old plant was being dismantled. The Hydro-Electric plant uses both
water and steam power, deriving its waterpower from the old White Water
canal. The Hydro-Electric plant entered into a ten-year contract with the
city for lighting the streets, the contract beginning February 5, 1916.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 54I

SEWERAGE SYSTEM.

Tile present sewerage system dates from 1894 and each year since that
time there have Ijeen additions to the system. It is known as the comhined
storm and sanitary system and with the extensions which are already projKtsed
for 1917 it will be extended to reach practically every lot in the city. The
first sanitary sewer in the city was constructed from Seventh street south to
the river in 1894 and from it laterals were extended to other parts of the city.
In 1904 a comliined storm and sanitary sewer was extended from Seventh
street to Twenty-secniul street, and by ]i)\(-> this was extended to remainder
of the city. The system has cost the city in the neighborhood of $160,000.
.\11 the city sewage is em])tietl into the old mill race at the foot of Seventh
street and eventually finds its way into White Water.

STREET PAVING.

The city of Connersville had nothing but graveled or macadamized streets
from the beginning of its history down to 1902. In that year the first paving
was done in the city. Central avenue being paved with brick from First to
Seventh streets. A few other streets were paved for short distances between
that time and 1912 when the first concrete paving was started. Since that
year all new street paving has been concrete, the alleys being uniformly paved
with brick.

Connersville now claims to have more paved streets than any other city
of its size in the state and is adding new streets each year. This work has
been of such an unusual character that it seems pertinent to list the work done
year by year since the inauguration of concrete paving in 1912. The figures
have been furnished by Robert J. Greenwood, the present city engineer, and
an incumbent of the ofiice eight of the last ten years. He has had general
charge of all the paving while in oftice. The year-by-year summary of paving
follows, including the streets paved, the distance improved and the number of
square yards of improvement :

1912 — Grand avenue. Seventh to Eleventh, 6,733.03 square yards; Wash-
ington avenue, Seventh to Fifth, 1,615; Milton pike. Eighth to Eighteenth,
10,500; Ninth street, Milton pike to Eastern, 4,365.12; Seventh street, West-
ern to Eastern, 4,400.

1913 — Grand avenue, Eleventh to Seventeenth, 8,459.46; Central avenue,
South I'^irst to Fourth and Seventh to \^irginia, 17,265 ; Eastern avenue, South

54-'. FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

First to Eleventh, 16,771.87; Eastern avenue, Eleventh to Twelfth, 1,828.51 ;
Eighth street, Milton pike to Eastern, 3,338.74: Si.xth street, 7,444.55: Fifth
street, 2,700: h'onrth street, 1,035.47; Grace alley, 350.

1014 — Third street, 4,155.94: Second street, 724.39; First street, 742.50;
^^"estern avenue, 4,447.59; Mount street, 3,931.84; Illinois street, 500;
Eighteenth street, 3,268.87: Summit street, 1,730; alley between Seventh
and Eighth, 625.

1915 — Grand avenue, 635.11 ; Rieman alley, entire alley, 469.33.

1916 — Grand avenue, Seventeenth to Twenty-second, 9,742.69; Indiana
avenue. Thirteenth to Twenty-first, 12,079.08; Virginia avenue. Fifteenth to
Twenty-first, 11,020.8; alley between Eleventh and Twelfth, 1,517.18.

The city now (T917) has 1,300,000 square feet of cement sidewalks,
practically every sidewalk in the city being so improved. The curbing and
guttering totals 200,000 lineal feet.

POLICE DEPARTMENT.

Tlie present police department of the city of Connersville dates from Alay
21, 1888. During the mayoralty of James JMcIntosh the question was first
agitated and the council finally passed an ordinance establishing a regular police
department. The first marshal under the ordinance was William Cotton. The
ordinance gave the mayor power to appoint a marshal and one or more police-
men, and the mayor still exercises this power. At the present time the depart-
ment consists of a chief and six patrolmen.

City prisoners are kept in a cell in the town hall pending a trial, but if a
jail sentence is given the prisoners are incarcerated in the county jail. The
mayor presides over all police-court proceedings. There is no regular time for
sessions of the mayor's court, the sessions being held as cases may arise.
The prosecution in the city court is in the hands of the circuit prosecutor,
James A. Clifton, and his deputy, Frank M. Edwards. In 1916 there were
two himdred and five cases tried by the mayor. The amount received in fines
amounted to seven hundred and seventy-eight dollars and fifty cents.

J. R. Gillespie has been chief of the department since 1914. The annual
salary of the ofifice is eight hundred dollars. The patrolmen receive sixteen
dollars and fifty cents a week. The headquarters of the department is in the
town hall. The city has no patrol wagon, motorcj'cle men or mounted police
of any kind, although there is considerable agitation at the present time to
add a patrol wagon.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

TELEPHONES

543.

To move apace with the industrial and civic development of Conners-
ville; to provide ready means of communication other than In- mail, hecamc a
problem which could only be solved by the installation of telephone service.

In 1882, James H. Fearis, of Connersville, started the Bell telephone
exchange, which was the one hundred and eighth station opened in the United
States up to the }ear mentioned. Fearis continued to operate the exchange
for two and one-half years, at the end of which time it was sold to the Cen-
tral Union Telephone Company of Chicago. At the time of the transfer
eighty subscribers were using the telephone service. The rates in those days
were, for business lines, three and one-half dollars a month, and residence
service was fixed at two and one-half dollars. Following the change in
ownership. \\ . Everett Lowe was in charge of the local station for some
years.

In T805, L. -Andrew Frazee, of Conners\ille, organized tlie Connersville
Telephone Companv, which has since been in continue ms ojjerat'ion, and has no
local competitors. The rates are. for luisiness serxicc, iwn and one-half dol-
lars per month, lor residence, two dollars, and party-wire service one and one-
quarter dollars per month. The company provides facilities for long-distance
service, and three toll lines are also in operation. The entire plant is owned
and managed by Mr. Frazee. who, in 1917, installed new equipment costing
thirty thousand dollars and acquired a new location on Sixth street. .\t the
end of 1916 the compau}' had one thousand six hundred subscribers. In
December, 1916, the public service commission of Indiana was asked by cer-
tain subscribers of the company to review its existing rates, their com-
plaint being that the present charges were excessive. The commission ordered
a reduction of the rates, which the owner either had to accept or appeal to
the courts. Feeling that the decision of the commission was unfair, Frazee
applied to the courts for relief. The decision of the court resulted in tlie
matter being referred back to the public service commission, whose further
action had not been reported when this work went to press.

CEMETERIES.

As old as Connersville itself was the first place of burial, which was
located on the river bank ojjposite Third street, and extending a1)Ove and
lielow. For burial purposes this place was not used much after r8j8, tlie

544 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

encroachments of the river making it necessary to remove the graves and
abandon the grounds. The water now passes through what was the first city
of the dead.

The second grave-yard was laid out on Western avenue, now the site
of the Methodist Episcopal parsonage, and was used until the growth of the
town necessitated anotiier change. The third site, a part of the present beauti-
ful cemetery, was located in 185 1. It comprises about fourteen acres of land
laid out and dotted over with choice evergreens, shade trees and many ele-
gant and costly monuments of marble and granite.

On October 8, 185 1, ten acres of the cemetery were purchased by the
corporation of Silas Pumphrey, Sr, and laid out into lots the following
December — it being the north part of the present grounds. The greater
number of the bodies interred in the other grave-yards were removed to this
cemetery. The latter has been under the care and management of the
town and city authorities from the beginning. A former superintendent,
R. C. Bratten, held the position for twenty years. Owing to this ground
offering no further space for interment, it became necessary to acquire a new
site.

In 1916 Manford E. Dale donated sixty-six acres, fifty-five acres of
which is laid out for cemetery purposes; the value of the land was $7,500.
Following Dale's benefaction, Daniel Hankins built a chapel, known as
Hankins chapel, in memory of his father and mother, and his son provided
the interior furnishings. The present cemetery, known as "Daleview," is
located one mile west of Connersville. The association is called the Dale
Cemetery Association and consists of twenty of the most prominent citizens,
chosen by the lot owners. More than twenty thousand dollars has been
expended by the association and much by private parties, the Ansted mau-
soleum alone costing ten thousand dollars. M. E. Dale is president; E. W.
Ansted, vice-president; R. N. Elliott, secretary and treasurer, and W. M.
Gregg, superintendent. A beautiful stone road leads to this cemetery.

INDUSTRIES OF CONNERSVILLE.

Anv eft'ort to paint a picture of Connersville and Fa}^ette county as it
appears at the present time in\-olves the artist in difficulty. Simplicity seems
to have disappeared. The thousand and one things which we demand in
our daily life of today were not known a hundred years ago. The farmer
of the early days of Fayette county, were he to return to one of the well
improved farms in h'ayette county in 191 7, would hardly be able to recog-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 545

nize any of tlie iniplemeiits used liv hi.s graiulsdn. He wduIiI see the simple
eoni knife replaced by a corn harvester: his cradle by a binder: liis flail by a
threshing machine. His wife would likewise see in the kitchen of her grand-
daughter a score of utensils which would provoke her curiosity : she would
hardly see any relation between the fireless cooker and the old fireplace in
which she cooked her corn pone.

Truly the times have changed, Init we would not go liack to the simple
days of our forefathers if we could. We would not exchange the electric
lights for the old tallow dip: nor would we trade our automobiles for the old
ox cart. In another chapter the stor\- has been told of the life of the people
of the county as they lived in other days. There are certain aspects of life
which cannot be expressed in words. It is possible to set forth the material
life of the county — its schools, churches and industrial life are matters of
record : the civil life of the county with all its ramifications is easy to express.
There are some things which resolve themselves into figures, while there
are others which cannot be measured with a foot rule. It is easy to set forth
the number of churches and school houses in the county, but it is a much
more difficult thing to express the religious life of the people or show the
concrete results flowing from the public school. In other words, there is
such a thing as the morale of the people which is difficult of definition and it
is only by the use of most general terms that this can l:)e expressed.

THE ROMANCE OF FIGURE.S.

Material progress, as has been stated, may be given more definite
expression. The story of one phase of Fayette county's life as it appeared
in IQ16 is revealed in the annual report of the county recorder to the state
statistician. The person who can invest figures with a degree of imagina-
tion should be able to glance through this report and see in it definite facts
concerning the people of the county. Here, for instance, is a page covered
with figures and yet on this one page is a hint of the thriftiness of the people.
It tells of the liquidation or the reduction of mortgages on farm loans and
when the reader sees the figures $286,099, he will understand that this amount
has been applied to the indebtedness incurred by people of the county in
former years: in other words, these figures in a measure indicate the thrifti-
ness of the people. Bank deposits are another indication of thrift.

The annual report of the recorder gives, in a general manner, an idea
of how the {people of Fayette county are running their business, what they
have made during the year, what thev ha\e spent, the debts thev have paid
(35)

546 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

off, and the amount of money they have spent for education, for roads, for
bridges, for a thousand and one things. Tliere are other official reports of
the county which set forth the number of cases tried in the courts of the
county and their disposition and from this the careful student of social condi-
tions may draw his conclusions as to whether the county is getting better or
worse. There are reports giving the number of marriages, the number of
divorces, the number of children born and there may be traced something of
the home lives of the people of the county.

Other unofficial reports help to explain how the county lives. The
many churches of the county issue annual statistical statements to their vari-
ous national organizations. A study of these reports will show how many
people belong to the church and just how many united with it during the
previous year; they will also show the number enrolled in the Sunday school
and the other auxiliary church organizations. Thus if the "goodness" of a
people can be expressed in figures, it is possible to draw certain definite deduc-
tions by a study of these church statistics.

In other words a study of the statistics of the county will reveal the
life of its people in a striking manner. Even so prosaic a statement as a
delinquent tax list tells an interesting story. But the people of today arc
so much concerned with their daily efforts to provide for themselves and
those depending upon them that they do not have the time to take a retro-
spective view of the life about them. As someone has stated, we keep our
nose so close to the grindstone that the dust gets in our eyes and obscures
our vision, thereby rendering us unable to see what is going on around us.
There is certainlv more than a modicum of truth in this statement.

A .HALF-MILI.TON-DOLLAR STORY.

The following brief summary, compiled from the county recorder's
annual report to the state statistician for 191 6, shows in a concise manner
a number of interesting facts pertaining to the county. It might be called
a half-million-dollar story.

Deeds to the total value of eight hundred and fort3^-eight thousand one
hundred and twenty dollars were taken and entered of record throughout the
county.

During 1916 those residing outside the city gave mortgages on farms
to the amount of $337,043 and in the city and towns, mortgages amounting
to $397,371- To the casual observer this would look as though but little
progress was made, the debts incurred nearly equaling the amount of prop-
erty acquired.

' FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 547

Rut this is tlie item that coiiiits: "Satisfactions," tliat is, the li(|uicla-
tion or reduction of mortgages on farm loans amounted (hiring the year to
$-'86,099. Oil city or town property the .satisfactions amounted to $212,517,
a net liquidation of .$537,403. Subtract tliis from the total amount of mort-
gages for tlie year vvliich inchides cliattel mortgages and sciiool fund and
liens totaling $Si_',_'_'o and the net indebtedness of the county is $274,817.

On the other side i^f the ledger, howe\er, loans represented in deeds up
to $848,120 were taken. Deducting the net indebtedness from this shows
a net gain in real estate wealth of well above half a million dollars.

As showing that the people have traveled far since the days when the
state school fund, in the hands of the county auditor, was the main source
from whence farmers and .some others could obtain loans, the 19 16 report
shows that during all of 1916, but $8,225 was borrowed from that fund!
When it is added, as the report shows, that "satisfaction" of more than the
amount borrowed, or $9,400 was made to that fund, it is difiicult to see how
the state school fund can be a revenue producer for prosperous counties like
Fayette.

The filing of liens, on buildings principally, swelled the total amount of
the mortgage total by $11,450. Nearly half of this, or $5,348, had been
satisfied. Another item increased that total by $57,331, of which $29,039,
or more than half, has been paid. This is chattel mortgages, largely on
horses and household furniture, and in no way has to do with real estate
property or transactions.

The report indicates many deals in real estate during the past year. The
giving of mortgages on real property is not an indication of stringency but
the reverse. Men venture only, as a rule, when the\- are hopeful and see
inducements for venturing in the near future.

This report of the recorder includes, of course, the city of Connersville
which is an integral part of the financial history of the county, but it is
necessary to treat more of the city in detail.

connersville's pecl'ljar qualifications.

If John Conner could return in 1917 to the city wliere he had his little
trading post in 181 7 he would be more surprised at the transformation which
one hundred years had wrought than Rip Van Winkle was when he awoke
from his long slumber. His saw-mill and grist-mill have long since disap-
peared; the old blockhou.se has met a similar fate: the Indian has long since
been gathered to the Happy Hunting Ground. The Connersville of today

548 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

has but a landmark or two to link it with the Connersville of Conner's time ;
probably the old Buckley house and a part of Heineniann's grocery store are
the only two buildings in the city in 19 17 ttpon which the eyes of the founder
of the city ever rested.

As has been said in another chapter John Conner arrived about 1808
or 1809 on the site of the city which now bears his name. It has been said
that there were only three houses in the village in 1816 and there certainly
were not more than eight or ten at the time the little village was selected as
the county seat in the early spring of 1819. The village grew slowly until
the forties and then with the promise of the canal it increased by leaps and
hounds. The story of its growth has been told elsewhere, but as it is a part
of this particular story to tell why it has become the city it is today it is
necessary to say a word in this connection about its history within the past
few decades.

The size of any urban community depends on a number of factors, chief
of which is its location. A New York or a Chicago cannot come into
existence at any place — not even in Fayette county. Proximity to the sea
or to a navigable lake or river is always a large contributing factor in the
growth of a city. A central, inland location, such as is enjoyed by Indi-
anapolis, contributes to a healthy growth. And there are other factors
which enter into the development of a city.

The question naturally arises in this connection — What are the peculiar
qualifications possessed by Connersville which has made it the city it is in
1917? It is not on the sea, neither on a lake nor on a navigable river — •
even the old canal is gone. There does not appear any good geographical
reason to account for its prosperity. True, it is in the center of the county,
and a county-seat town ; and it is also true that it has excellent railroad con-
nections, but these facts, contributory though they may be to the city's growth,
do not sufficiently explain its prominence. Some cities seem to possess every
natural advantage which a city ought to have, and then they do not grow;
while, on the other hand, other places seem to lack these same essentials to
urban growth and yet prosper without them.

And such a place is Connersville. Possessing few pf the essentials
which go to make a city, yet it has grown to a thriving municipality of ten
thousand. Some one has said that God made the country and man made
the town. Thus it is with Connersville. The questioner who seeks after
the underlying causes of the present prosperity of the city is told that the
credit belongs to a very few men. A study of other municipalities reveals
the fact that a half dozen wideawake and progressive men can overcome

FAYETTF. COUNTY, INDIANA. 549

seemingly insunnouiitable obstacles and make a pnxsperous city despite
geographical ilisadxantages. And such men Connersville possesses.

EARLY INDIJ.STRIES OF THE CITY.

The founder of the city of Connersville was a good business man and
it is to such men as Conner that the city owes its present condition. For
many \ears prior to the Civil War, and even for some time after that struggle,
the main industries of the town were milling, pork-packing and woolen
manufacturing. Today two of these industries ha\e disappeared entirely
and the other, milling, is only a minor industiy. The milling industry is the
only one which has been in continuous operation since before the Civil War,
the manufacture of blowers dating from i860. Of the score of industrial
plants now in operation practically all of them ha\'e come into existence
within the past thirt\' years. Until the nineties the manufacture of vehicles
and furniture constituted the chief industries in addition to the milling and
blower industries. The three largest industries of the Civil W'ar period —
milling, pork -packing and woolen manufacturing — gave way to the manufac-
ture of buggies and carriages and furniture in the eighties. The woolen-mill
burned in the seventies and was never rebuilt.

The extensive flour-mill of A. B. Conwell on Eastern avenue was erected
in 1846, shortly after the completion of the canal, and had a capacity of
manufacturing up to two hundred barrels of flour a day. It continued to
operate until 1866, when its waterpower was destroyed by the great freshet
of that year. Later the Triple Sign Company occupied the building until it
burned. A part of the foundation of Conwell's mill is still standing.

Pork-packing engaged the attention of a number of citizens of Con-
nersville for about twenty-fi\-e years following the construction of the canal.
Sexeral extensive factories for the carrying on of that industry in its various
branches were erected, and hog-slaughtering and pork-packing ranked with
the leading industries. A. B. Conwell & Sons, George W. Frybarger, Daniel
Hankins, Holton. Simpson & Company, Caldwell, McCollem & Company
and the Fayette County Hog-slaughtering & Pork-packing Association, were
among the firms engaged in the industry. The killing in 1846 amounted to
6,000 hogs: in 1856 about 11,000 were slaughtered and packed by the firms
of A. B. Conwell & Sons and J. Holton & Company. The price paid was
$6 a hundred. In 1852 Conwell & Sons killed for Daniel Hankins, and by
all firms there were over 25,000 hogs slaughtered in the town. In 1863 the
tirm of Caldwell & Company slaughtered upward of 13,000 hogs, the average
being 242 pounds each.

S50 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The Fayette County Hog-slaughtering & Pork-packing Association was
organized in February, 1862, the capital being $18,000. Bezaled Beeson was
president and James Heron secretary of the association. They took over the
old Frybarger building, where the industry was carried on while they
remained in business. Pork-packing ceased in 1874, Caldwell & Company
being the last firm engaged in the lousiness, killing in 1872-3 upwards of
28,000 hogs.

The pork-packing houses and large flour-mills required thousands of
barrels, most of which were manufactured in the town, thus creating another
industry of considerable importance. This branch of trade was begun in
1845 by Valentine Michael between Fifth and Sixth streets and carried it
on until 1864, when John Uhl succeeded him, the latter doing an extensive
business up to 1870, when he was followed by Henry Weitsel. Uhl, while
in the business, turned out about 18,000 barrels a year. Florentine Michael,
a son of Valentine, started barrel-making in 1865, in the southern part of
the city and produced some 12.000 barrels a year.

The tanning business was active from the very beginning of the village
of Connersville. Conwell, Reese and others were engaged in the industry
for many years. In the early forties Brown & Burdrant operated a tannery.
Later, the yard passed into the hands of John L. Gilchrist, who continued
the industry for some years. About 1883 Myer Brothers started a tanyard
on a small scale, but the business soon became unprofitable and was discon-
tinued.

BEGINNING OF THE BLOWER PLANT.

William F. Gephart, of Dayton. Ohio, came to Connersville about 1846
and erected a large brick building in which he installed a stove foundiy.
The building later became a part of the Roots blower plant. Gephart con-
tinued to manufacture stoves for about ten years and then sold out to Will-
iam J. Hankins. Prior to selling out, however, Gephart had leased a part
of the building to John Ensley, of Richmond, who began the manufacture of
threshing-machines, steam-engines and other kinds of machinery. Ensley
built up a profitable business and about 1855 associated himself with James
Mount and Josiah Mullikin, and the firm at once erected a large brick build-
ing which is still standing on Eastern avenue near the Cincinnati, Indian-
apolis & Western Railroad station. The new firm continued in the manufac-
ture of machinery, but shortly afterward Ensley retired and the firm became
Erwin, Mount & Mullikin. The new owners disposed of the business about
1866 to Wetherald & Sons, although prior to the disposition of the plant in

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 55 1

that year Afullikin, about i860, had rented the foundry l)uil(hn);, huilt in
1846 by Gephart, which had later been sold to Hankins. Mullikin continued
to manufacture machinery for a short time, disposin,^- of tlie plant to the
firm of E. & E. L. Mullikin. The latter firm continued tlie Imsiness until
the close of 1863, when it was discontinued.

The building was sold in January, 1864, to P. II. & 1-". M. Roots, who
at once began the manufacture of a rotar_\- force blast blower. The ihin has
continued under this name down to the present time, although the brothers,
Philander H. and Francis M., have long since passed away. The blower
was patented by the Roots brothers in 1859 ^"^1 ^^'^s manufactured in machine
shops in the city on a small scale until 1864 when they went into the building
before mentioned. The brothers took out several patents on the blower,
being granted not less than fifteen between i860 and 1870. Since tliat time
a great many more patents have been taken out.

It should be stated that the Roots blower was the first blower in the
world and that all blowers which have been made since i860 have been
based upon patents and models developed by this company. The products
of the company are shipped to all parts of the world. They are found in
Canada. ^Mexico and South America : throughout Europe, South Africa, the
continent of Asia and in the islands of Japan and Australia. Roots blowers
are found wherever manufacturing on a large scale is to be found. The pro-
ducts of the company are catalogued under a wide variety of names, but
tliey may all be summed up under the general title of rotary positive-pressure
machinery. They include blowers for foundries, smelters, oil furnaces, mine
\entilation, pneumatic service, steel converters and the like; gas e.xhausts
for foul gas pumping service, high-pressure boo.ster service, corrosive gas
handling, etc. ; water pumps for cooling towers, condensors, irrigation, etc. :
vacuum pumps for heating systems, condensers, sugar-mills, paper-mills,
vacuum cleaning, etc. ; Acme blowers for oil furnaces, forges, tuyere irons,
laundries, gas appliances, fire beds. etc. ; Acme vacuum pumps for hotels,
clubs and private homes; flexible couplings for power transmission; gov-
ernors, valves for wing gates, gas \alves, by-pass valves, c|uick opening blast
gates, etc., etc.

The otificers of the company are as follow: E. I). Johnston, i)resident
and general manager; George C. Hicks, Jr., vice-president and engineer; J.
AI. Shade, secretary and treasurer; ^^'illiam C. Basse, superintendent. The
company employs an average of two hundred and fifty men. practically all
of whom are skilled mechanics.

552

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

OTHER BLOWER CONCERNS.

In 1893 ^ group of business men of the city organized the Connersville
Blower Company, and from a very small beginning it has grown steadily
until it is now producing blowers for all parts of the world. The company
has several large buildings equipped with the latest improved machinery and
is in a position to manufacture all kinds of water, air, gas and vacuum pumps.

The United Vacuum Appliance Company was organized in 1910 for the
manufacture and sale of vacuum cleaners. The company makes exclusive
use of the blowers of the Connersville Blower Company and has built up
an extensive business during the six years it has been in operation. It
manufactures a number of sizes and designs, which find a ready market for
use in factories, public buildings, business blocks, theatres, residences, etc.

THE OLD roots' WOOLEN-MILL.

The Connersville Woolen Mill, a veiy important industry between 1847
and 1875, was established in the former year by A. & H. P. Roots. The
senior partner, A. Roots, retired in 1852 and was succeeded by P. H. & F.
M. Roots, who ran the business until 1871, when the name of the firm was
changed to P. H. Roots & Company. Early in 1875 P. H. Roots withdrew
all his interests in the business and Ciiarles P. Roots, his son, became owner
and business manager and the firm was then styled Roots & Company. The
products of the factory — flannels, robes, hosiery, jeans, waterproofs and
Avorsted bagging — had a market throughout the United States. Forty per-
sons on an average were employed the year around. It waS' estimated that
for twenty -eight years an annual average of 150,000 pounds of wool was
consumed, and the products during the same period were valued at $4,500,000.
Fire destroyed the factory on June 13, 1875.

ANOTHER DEPARTED INDUSTRY.

In 1873 the ^^"estern Hosiery Mill was established by Leonard Brothers,
with W. H.. Caswell as superintendent. In the beginning two machines were
used, which were operated at the superintendent's house. In 1881 Superin-
tendent Caswell obtained a patent for driving knitting and other machinery
by power and applied the same to the Lamb machines then in use. From
June, 1882, to October, 1883, the firm was Chenoweth & Ralph. In the
latter month Ralph purchased the interest of his partner and a joint-stock

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 553

company was org-anized. witli J. X. Huston as president; Melvin Ellis, secic-
tary: A. J. Ralph, manager and W. fi. Caswell, superintendent. A. J.
Ralph sold his interest to Hub Thomas and retired from the mill in 1S84.
The mill foimd employment for upwards of one hundred female operatives.
The concern finally failed and its building is a part of the Connersville Ice
Company's plant.

BEGINNING OK rlTE FURNITURE INDUSTRY.

In ]\la\'. i8()5, Connersville witnessetl the inception of the manufactur-
ing of furniture — an industry which has since become so extensive as to
commanti a market in all the principal cities of the United States. In the
year mentioned. Warren Wanee, a carpenter, and A. C. Cooley, a cabinet-
maker, joinetl their business interests and begali the manufacture of furni-
ture, but in the fall of the same year the partnership was dissolved. Shortly
afterwards A. C. Cooley, George W. Gregg and William Newkirk formed a
company for the manufacture of furniture and continued together until iS6().
In addition to the factory they had a retail business in the town. When
they dissolved Newkirk had possession of the factory building and machinery
and Cooley and Gregg had the retail property. . Some six months later
Gregg sold his interest to Alexander Morrison, and in 1870 Cooley, Mor-
rison & Company began operations as a furniture manufacturing cimccrn
on Eastern avenue, where they continued until July of the same year, then
moving to Central avenue and there continued until 1874, when the c(incern
was merged into a stock compan}^

The Cooley-Morrison furniture factory was on the corner of Seventh
and Mason streets and was a substantial four-story brick building. Curtis
Wright was president of the company and J. T. Rittenhouse acted as secre-
tary and treasurer. They employed aliout one hundred hands and manufac-
tured all kinds of household furniture.

In 1869 \\'illiam Xewkirk formed a partnerslu'i) with Herman Munk in
the manufacture of furniture. In 1874 Xewkirk sold to James E. Roberts
and the firm became Munk & Roberts. The factory was located in the north-
western outskirts of the city, along the track of the White Water Valley
railroad. The company employed, on an average, one hundred and fifty
workmen. Xewkirk, on selling his interests to James E. Roberts in 1874,
formed the Indiana P'urniture Company, with the following named incorpor-
ators: William Xewkirk, J. B. McEarlan. John W. Ross, J. M. Wilson,
B. F. Clayixjol, G. C. and F. A. Hanson. The officers were J»\'. Xewkirk,

554 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

president ; W. H. Wherett. secretary and treasurer. The original stock of
$50,000 was later increased to $100,000. The factory was located at the
south end of Eastern avenue. A second building was erected in 1876 and
a further addition made in 1878. The manufactured articles were confined
exclusively to ash, walnut and cherry sets.

The Indiana Furniture Company continued in business until 1908,
although for some time prior to that date it had not been doing much busi-
ness. In 1908 the Krell Auto Grand Piano Company accjuired the entire
plant of the Indiana Furniture Company and has been engaged in the manu-
facture of pianos and piano players since that year.

Edwin B. Pfau has been the general manager of the piano factory since
it came under the present management.

CONNERsVlLLE FURNITURE COMPANY.

In 1869 John Wanee started a coffin factory on the site of the present
Connersville Furniture Company. Subsequently J. T. Parry was associated
with him in the enterprise. In October, 1874, J. H. Bailey and Samuel
Beck acquired an interest in the business, and early in 1875 a stock company
was formed with a capital of $57,000. The new firm at once constructed a
five-story brick building, forty by eighty feet, at a cost of $13,700. In May,
1879, part of the factory was destroyed by fire and as a consequence about
ninety employees were thrown out of employment. The estimated loss was
in the neighborhood of $70,000, the company having 7,000 coffins in stock
at the time. The firm went out of business with the fire and three years
later the Connersville Furniture Company was organized and occupied the
site.

The Connersville Furniture Company was organized as a joint-stock
company in February, 1882, with the following officers: Francis M. Roots,
president; Charles Mount, vice-president; N. W. Wright, secretary; E. V.
Hawkins, factory superintendent. The first factory was six stories high, and
In the early days gave employment to one hundred and fifty workmen.
On January 30, 1884, a fire occurred which did considerable damage. The
insurance adjustment resulted in the payment of $14,500.

The original capital was $55,000, which was subsequently increased to
$75,000. The rapid growth of the company's business demanded additional
space and capital, and in 1911 the latter was increased to $200,000 and a build-
ing of solid brick, eighty-six by two hundred fifteen feet, erected. The
company employ two hundred twenty-five men. The company's products are

FAYETTE COUNTY, TNDIANA. 555

shipped to all important centers in America. The officers of the company
are : E. \'. Hawkins, president ; M. L. Hawkins, vice-president ; E. P.
Hawkins, secretary, and F. J. Snider, treasurer. E. V. Hawkins is the only
one of the original incorporators now with the company.

MANUFACTURE OF CARRIAGES AND AUTOMOBILES.

Until about 1850 but little was done in the way of carriage building.
In the year mentioned the firm of Drew & McCracken began the manufac-
ture of buggies and carriages on Central avenue, near Sixth street, but their
operations were of short duration. In 185 1 William P. and Andrew Apple-
gate began the same branch of business on Central avenue, near Fifth street.
The first kept running until 1870, when the first-named partner died, and the
plant was sold to Henry & Swikley, and they in turn after a short time sold
to J. B. McFarlan. While the Applegate plant was running about fifteen
hands were employed during the year.

In 1851 the firm of Ware & Veatch opened a carriage factory on Sixth
street, and continued in business for several years. Later, Charles Veatch
laecame the proprietor and he operated the business until 1857. In the latter
year J. B. McFarlan established a carriage and bugg}' factory under the name
of the McFarlan Carriage Company. The old Veatch place fell into his
hands and was the place of the beginning of his extensive operations, the
buildings being on Sixth street and Central avenue. The company, comprising
J. B., C. E.. J., W. W,. and J. E. McFarlan, was formed in i88.v and at that
time employed about seventy-five men throughout the year. The cdmpany
continued the manufacture of vehicles until the automobile industry forced
them into that field.

The McFarlan Motor Company is an outgrowth of the carriage industry
and was the pioneer in the automobile industry in Connersville. In 1909
it placed on the market the first medium-priced six-cylinder automobile in
the United States. The company manufactures only high-priced pleasure
cars and special closed bodies: they also make some fire trucks, hose and
ladder wagons, patrol wagons, funeral cars, hospital ambulances, limousines
and other cars for special purposes.

CONNERSVILLE BUGGY COMPANY.

The Connersville Buggy Company, organized in December. 1883, was first
located on the corner of Eastern avenue and Charles street, the premises

556 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

being formerly occupied as a planing-mill. The first officers of the com-
pany were J. N. Huston, president; J. D. Larned, treasurer; L. T. Bower,
secretary ; John W. Pohlman, superintendent of manufacture. Within a
short time Bower became superintendent and so continued until May, 1892,
when he became president, continuing in this capacity until his death in 191 2.
In 1892, when Bower became president, Scott Michener was elected secretary-
treasurer, a position he filled until the death of Bower in 1912. Mr. Michener
then became president, his brother, E. M. Michener, becoming secretary-treas-
urer at the same time. This plant, like all vehicle factories in the country,
was practically forced out of business by the automobile industry. In 1914
the company entered into a contract with the Van Auken Electric Car Com-
pany, of Detroit, for the manufacture of electric trucks. They manufactured
a number of the trucks in that year, Harry K. Tarkington being superintendent
of construction. During 191 5 and 1916 the company manufactured automo-
bile bodies. In January, 191 7, the company was absorbed by the Dan Patch
Novelty Company, the latter company occupying the extensive plant of the
old buggy company.

TRIPLE SIGN COMPANY.

Manufacturing- companies come and go in Connersville and one that
was a flourishing industry for several years, but has come and gone, bore
the unique title of the Triple Sign Company. This company was not exactly
a company, but rather a voluntary association of two business men of Con-
nersville, Theodore Heinemann and Francis T. Roots. In the latter part
of the eighties Heinemann secured a patent on an advertising' sign of an
unusual character, now known all over the ci\'ilized world, and in 1888
associated Francis T. Roots with himself in the manufacture of the sign.
They continued in business until the death of Roots in 1908, the other mem-
ber of the firm disposing of the business at the same time because of his
health.

During the twenty years that the sign was being, manufactured in Con-
nersville it did a business in excess of a million dollars. Roots secured the
orders and Heinemann had charge of the manufacturing end. At one time
the firm employed fifty men in order to take care of the large amount of
business which was secured through the efforts of Roots. One order alone
— to Lever Brothers, Limited, of England, soap manufacturers — amounted
to fifty thousand dollars. .A.nother heavy user of the sign was a well-known
soap manufacturer in this country. The signs of this local concern found

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 557

their way into all corners of the world and were jirinted in scores of differ-
ent languages.

With the dissolution of the firni in 1908 the business was soki to the
Dan Patch Novelty Company of Connersville, hut the new firm did nut meet
with the success which attended the efforts of the old firm. .\t the present
time very few of the signs are being manufactured. But the history of the
industrial life of Conners\'ille would not be complete without an account of
a business which once was the best advertisement that the cit\' enjoyed.

THE ANSTED INDUSTRIES.

The next stage in the industrial history of Connersville opens in the
early nineties, when E. W. Ansted established a spring factory in the city.
When he started his factory here in 1891 only vehicle springs were made and
it was not until four years later that the manufacture of axles was added.
The Ansted Spring and Axle Company, the first of the many industrial plants
established in Connersville by E. W. Ansted, has grown to be one of the
largest plants of its kind in the United States. Starting with this one plant
Mr. Ansted has established a series of industrial concerns in the city, all of
which at the present time are correlated with the Lexington-Howard Com-
pany.

The story of E. W. Ansted's connection with the industrial life of Con-
nersville is the story of a man of unusual business ability. During the twenty-
six years he has been connected with the city he has undoubtedly done more
for its industrial life than any one other man. For several years after coming
to the city he devoted all his time to the manufacture of axles and springs
for vehicles. It was not until 1898 that he began to extend his operations.
In that year he organized the Central Manufacturing Company for the manu-
facture of vehicle wood work. In 1903 this plant l)egan the manufacture of
automobile bodies for the Cadillac Motor Car Company. In 1907 the company
began to manufacture metal bodies for automobiles and is still engaged in
that line of manufacture. They have added building after building in order
to meet the demands of their increasing business and are now making metal
automobile and buggy bodies, and selling only to manufacturers. The plant
absorbed the Connersville Wheel Company in 191 5. They make all the lx)dies
for the Lexington-Howard Company and for a number of other automobile
factories. It might be mentioned that the Connersville Wheel Company had
a contract with the Empire Automobile Company of Indianapolis to construct

558 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

cars for that concern and was thus engaged from 1912 until absorbed by
the Central Manufacturing Company in the latter part of 191 5.

The third industry started by Mr. Ansted was the Indiana Lamp Com-
pany which was incorporated in 1904 for the manufacture of automobile and
vehicle lamps of all kinds. The lamps are sold through jobbers and automo-
bile supply houses throughout the United States. In 1913 Mr. Ansted estab-
lished the Lexington-Howard Company, which succeeded to the manufacture
of Lexington cars, commenced by an earlier and less successful company in
1908. During the four years which this company has been in operation it
has built up a business which has made the name of the Lexington car known
all over the Ignited States. This company, as has been stated, is the center
of the group of Ansted industries in Connersville. The Lexington-Howard
Company assembles the car, the parts of which are manufactured by the
subsidiary plants composing the group. All the iron castings for the Lex-
ington are made by the Hoosier Casting Company; the springs and axles
come from the Spring and Axle Company; the tops from the Rex Manu-
facturing Company, while the lamps are the product of the Indiana Lamp
Company and the hoods and fenders from the Metal Auto Parts Company, of
Indianapolis, another Ansted company. Thus, many of the parts which
go into the Lexington car are manufactured by the Ansted factories in Con-
nersville. It is said there is no automobile that is so wholly under the super-
vision of one man as is the Lexington car.

The increased demand for the Lexington car during the past year made
it necessary for all of the Ansted factories to increase their output. It was
not so long ago that the Lexington-Howard Company was turning out only
one car a day and two years ago the company was only producing an average
of six cars daily. During 1916 the plant was enlarged so that it is now
possible to produce twenty-five cars daily and the company plans to produce
at least seven thousand cars during 191 7. Since the Lexington-Howard
Company was organized in 1908, E. W. Ansted has been endeavoring to build
up such a system of auxiliary plants in Connersville as would enable him
to produce a high-grade automobile at the lowest possible cost of production.
It was in accordance with this plan that he organized the Hoosier Casting
Company in May, 191 5, with a capital stock of $35,000, since increased to
$100,000. This company is headed by W. H. DeVaney, who was formerly
mechanical and production engineer with the Interstate Foundry of Cleveland,
Ohio. The company makes automobile, stationary and marine-engine castings
and a general line of Hght and medium weight gray iron castings for all pur-
poses. The company bought the plant and building, sixty by one hundred

AYLTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

559

and thirty feet, of tlie old Connersville Safe and Lock Conipan\-. All the
old machinery was cleared out, and a new equipment consisting of a cupola,
core of ovens, pattern shop and all molding accessories. At the end of seven
months they built a brick-and-frame addition, sixty-six by seventy-five feet,
and at the end of fourteen months from date of organization, the present
building was started, which covers the entire square from Seventh to
Eighteenth street, on the east side of Columliia avenue. The company now
employ over two hundred men in the factory, exclusive of the office force
and management. The products of the company are shipped to many
important points in the United States, including North Tonawanda, New
York ; Detroit, Poughkeepsie, New York, and Chicago.

SOME OTHER LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Another flourishing industry of Connersville is the manufacture of leather
specialties. This industry is in charge of the George R. Carter Company and
has been in operation in the city since 1903. It had previously been located
at Williamsburg, Ohio, where it was established in 1897. The company manu-
factures gimps, welts, automobile top straps, cut leathers of all kinds to
patterns for the carriage and automobile trades and furnishing special leather
designs of every description. They do not cure or tan the leather, but confine
their attention to the manufacture of products from the finished leather.

In 191 1 the H. Cain Company began the manufacture of steel tank and
troughs in Connersville, although the company had been in business since
1895, '" general tinning and sheet metal work. In 191 1 they installed
machinery for the manufacture of steel tanks and troughs of all sizes and
shapes and are now turning out several thousand each year. They make water-
ing, storage, tower, dipping and wagon tanks, and poultry and stock watering
troughs. They also install furnaces, do all kinds of galvanized-iron work
and take contracts for metal roofing and eaves-troughing.

There are two large flour mills in the city, the McCann Milling Com-
pany and the Uhl-Snider Milling Company. Milling is one of the oldest
industries of the city and has existed practically from the beginning of the
county.

George M. Fries is engaged in the manufacture of drain tile and has one
of the best equipped plants in the state. His plant was totally destroyed in
the flood of 1913, but he immediately rebuilt and is now operating on a
larger scale than before the flood. He was the originator of the State Asso-
ciation of Drain Tile Manufacturers. G. P. Ariens & Son have an extensive
brick plant adjoining the city.

S60 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

There are four lumber companies in the city : The Connersville Lumber
Company, Fayette Lumber Company, Thomas H. Stoops Lumber Company
and W. H. Sherry & Son.

MINOR INDUSTRIES.

Ice cream and artificial ice are produced by the Bell Ice Cream Company.
The Carnation Support Company manufactures and sells wire supports for
flowers and also is engaged in jobbing in all kinds of floral supplies. The
Connersville Ice Company manufactures distilled artificial ice and ice cream.
J. L. Heinemann has been engaged in the manufacture of mirrors for nearly
a quarter of a century and has one of the busiest plants in the city. He
finds a ready market for his output in the furniture factories of Connersville
and through the Lexington-Howard Company.

CONNERSVILLE BUSINESS DIRECTORY.

There have been enumerated more than a score of the larger industrial
concerns of the city, but in addition to these are a number of other concerns
engaged in manufacturing on a smaller scale. The city has its full share
of bakers, confectioners, jewelers, milliners, monument makers, plumbers,
photographers, tailors, tinners and wagon makers. There are the usijal
number of department stores, grocery stores, dry-goods stores, hardware
stores, drug stores, and the like, all of which are enumerated in the appended
directory, which includes the various business and professional interests of
Connersville in 191 7.

Ackerman, C. C, jeweler.

Adams Express Company, Z. O. Mullane, agent.

Ainsiey, Joseph, tailor.

Allison, Roscoe, tinner.

American Express Compan}^ H. E. Suhre, agent.

Ansted Spring and Axle Company.

Ashworth, J. L., drugs.

Auditorium The, William Shea, manager.

Ayers, Mrs. Albert, restaurant.

Ayers, John,, second-hand goods.

Ball, Isabel, librarian.

Barker, V. J., hardware and implements.

Barrows, A. E. Company, insurance.

CLARENCE ROOTS.

. FAYETTE COUXTY, INDIANA. 561

Bell Ice Cream Company, Albert Bell.
Berg, Charles, photographer.
Blieden, Harry, clothing and shoes.
Blum, W. L., meats.
Booher, Irvin E., physician.
Brand. Theodore, harness.
Braim & Kehl, clothing.
Broaddus & Florea, attorneys.
Cain, Harry, tinner.
Carlos, John F., grain and seeds.
Carter. George R., Company, leather goods.
Carxer, C. H., insurance.
Cassidy, E. P., life insurance.
Central Manufacturing Compan\-, vehicle bodies.
Central State Bank.
Chance Bros, grocers.
Ching Tong, laundry.
Chitwood, F. A., physician.
Chrisman, A. L.. attorney and real estate.
Chrismer European Hotel, J- A. Chrismer, proprietor.
Clark, J. H., physician.
Clifford-Mathewson Company, insurance.
Cochran, Murlin, insurance.
Conner, Alonzo. attorney.
Connersville Blower Company.
Connersville Commercial Club.
Connersville Commercial School. Irene Durham.
Connersville Dry Cleaning Company, S. E. DeHaven, proprietor.
Conncrsi-illc Examiner.
Connersville Furniture Company.
Connersville Ice Company.
Connersville Lumber Company.
Connersville Mirror Works.
Connersville Publishing Company.
Connersville Taxi Company.
C onncrsi'ille Times.
Connersville Vulcanizing Company.
(36)

562 FAYETTE COUXTY, INDIANA.

Conner & Lewis, hardware and implements.

Conwell, LaFayette, architect.

Cooley, A. C, photographer.

Cooley, Frank M., grocer.

Corner Drug Store.

Courier Printing Company.

Crescent Enterprise Laundry Company.

Dan Patch Novelty Company.

Dillman, L. D., physician.

Doenges, Simon, postmaster.

Dorris, Andrew, confectioner.

Douglass, George, shoes.

Drebin, Myer, clothing and shoes.

Dudley, baker.

Elliott, R. H., physician.

Evening News, Times-News Company.

Farmers & Merchants Trust Company.

Fayette Lumber Company.

Fayette Manufacturing Company, confectioners.

Fayette National Bank.

Fayette Savings and Loan Association.

Citizens Telephone Company.

Fearis, J. H., insurance.

Fick, A. C, furniture.

First National Bank.

Fletcher, A. J., physician.

Frost, Goble & Himelick, attorneys.

Gardner, Bruce C, photographer.

General Repair Machine Company.

German Building and Loan Association.

Grand Hotel, Mrs. Albert Ayers, proprietor.

Green, L. E. and D. R., drugs.

Gregg, William M., monuments.

Griffin, H. M., architect.

Guttman, Harry, furniture.

Hackman-Heeb Company, furniture.

Hahn's Accessory Company, garage and accessories.

Hamilton, Jesse & Son, transfer.

Hankins, John S., attorney.

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 563

Harper, E. E., horse and auto livery.

Harr, J. C, veterinary surgeon.

Hassett, Michael, sporting goods.

Hassler, F. J., grocer.

Heinemann, Charles, grocer.

Helvie & Dragoo, veterinary surgeons.

Henry, O. M., harness and buggies.

Hilbert, J. H. wagonmaker.

Holberg, M. & Company, clothing.

Home Loan Association.

Hoosier Casting Company.

Huxtable, F. W., laundry.

Hydro-Electric Light and Power Company.

Ideal Candy Shop.

Indiana Lamp Company.

Inland Alotor Sales Corporation, automobiles.

Israel, Edward, jeweler and optician.

Jessop's Candy Factory, C. W. Jessop, proprietor.

Johnson, J. H., physician.

Johnson, Zella, optometrist.

Johnson & Sparks, attorneys.

Jordan, Oliver, tailor.

Joseph, Phil, dry goods and milliners.

Kahn, Leo, clothing.

Kahn-Williams Company, shoes.

Kehl, A. (F. E. Kehl), jeweler.

Keller, John, repair shop.

Kennedy, Fred A., dentist.

Kinder, Tillie, tailor.

King & Moffet, livery and stock dealers.

Klein, W. C, jeweler.

Koch, J. L., meats. i ■■ i

Krell Auto Grand Piano Company, Lawrence Maxwell, owner.

Lambert, Walter R., taxicab and transfer.

Leiter, A. E., dry goods and millinery.

Lewis, William D., fruits and feed.

Lexington-Howard Company, motor cars.

Lines & Layson. cigar store.

564 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Lockhart, W. M., grocer.

Luking, W. H., shoes.

Lyric Theater, J. A. Chrismer, proprietor.

McCann Milling Company.

McComb, G. F., dentist.

McCune, Mary, milliner and ladies furnishings.

McFarlan Hotel.

McKee, Wiles & Elliott, attorneys.

McQuestion, W., grocer.

Mancini, Peter, cigars and fruits.

Mancini Sisters, millinery.

Masters, G. L., dentist.

Mathews, H. J., plumber and electrician.

Maxine Company, dental supplies.

Mettel Brothers, bakers.

Miller, J. H., automobiles and garage.

Moffett, Miles K., drugs.

Moffett & Davis, live stock.

Morrison, J. H., dentist.

Mountain, J. R., Physician.

Muddell, John S., lawyer.

Mungavin, Thomas, tailor.

Myers, Charles, undertaker.

Nave, I. R., grocer.

Neal & Stoll, plumbers.

Ochiltree & Edwards, attorneys.

Oliger, A. J., livery.

Owl Pharmacy.

Palace Hotel, J. W. Reichle, proprietor.

Peters, John J., meats.

Porter, C. E., photographer.

Porter, W. J., physician.

Powell, John G., hardware and implements.

Pratt Shoe Store.

Pryor, F. M., meats.

Remington, J. A., cigars and sporting goods.

Rex Manufacturing Company.

Rice, J. S., physician.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 565

Richman. Leslie, life insurance.

Ricord, Henry, restaurant.

Riley, C. P. & Son, plumbers.

Risher & Guttman, ladies' furnishing goods.

Roots, Clarence S., attorney.

Roots, P. H. & F. J\I., Company, blower manufacturers.

Roth, A. J., variety store.

Rubenstein, A., clothing store.

Sample, J. M., physician.

Schlichte, Edward J., department store.

Schneider, Peter, grocer.

Scholl, W. H. & Sons, grocers.

Schriever & Company, confectioners and seeds.

Sherry, W. H. & Son. coal and lumber.

Silvey-Luking Company, clothing.

Smith, Bernard R., physician.

Smith, Virginia, hair goods.

Smith, T. L. & Son, undertakers.

Sparks, William E., attorney.

Spencer, W. H. & Company, notions.

Spillman, Frank J., physician.

Stoll, John, grocer.

Stoops, Thomas H., planing-mill.

Strauss Mercantile Company, department store.

Sweetland, A. T., chiropractor.

Swindler & Spicely, drugs.

Tate, Grover C, second-hand goods.

Thompson, C. E., undertaker.

True, W. E.. insurance.

Uhl-Snider Milling Company, tlour-mill and grain.

United Vacuum Appliance Company.

Van Ausdall, Nellie, fish and oysters.

Van Hart, L. M. & Company.

Vaudette The, J. C. Shilling, manager.

Wainwright, W. W. & Son. engines.

Wait, John T., real estate and investments.

Walker, restaurant.

Wallace, William E., wall paper.

566 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Walmer Company, notions.
Waybright, Julia, second-hand goods.
White Water Creamery Company.
Whiteis, J. N., mechano-therapist.
Williams, H. O., restaurant.
WilHs, N. G., dentist.

Worster, J. A. & Son, live stock, automobile and garage.
Wrennick, J. H., cigars.
Young, I. B., books and office supplies.
' Zehrung, H. M., dentist.

THE CONNERSVILLE OF TODAY.

What shall be said about Connersville as it appears today ? The city
has made wonderful strides during the past decade, but in no one year has
it shown a greater growth than in 19 16. The centennial year was epochal
in many respects. Never before has the city seen such an era of constructive
effort. In the industrial field the Connersville Manufacturing Company
absorbed and occupied the plant of the Connersville Wheel Company,
which had been in business fifteen years, adding altogether about
one hundred per cent, to the Central Manufacturing Company's capacity for
production. The Connersville Blower Works increased its capital stock from
$400,000 to $750,000, and built a large brick addition to its machinery room,
thereby adding fully one-third to its former capacity. The Lexington-Howard
Company built a larg^e addition and reorganized its plant in such a way as to
treble its output and at the same time greatly increase the efficiency of the
departments already in operation. W. W. Wainwright & Son built a large
two-story addition to their machine shops which increased their space by
at least one-third. The Hoosier Casting Company, one of Connersville's
newest industries, doubled its floor space with the building of a substantial
annex, and installed a new system of operation which makes it a much more
efficient plant.

The P. H. & F. M. Roots Company, the oldest manufacturing institution
in the city as well as one of the largest, built an addition to one of its
buildings. The installation of new machinery made a substantial increase
possible in its output. This company, it might be stated, dates from 1859
and is the pioneer blower factory of the world. The Connersville Furniture
Company erected an addition to its west building, increasing its plant by
about one-sixth. The buildings of this plant alone cover about four acres.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 567

The Dan Patch Novelty Company, organized in 1912 to manufacture novelty
vehicles for children and toys of all kinds, was reorganized in 1916 and
at the same time increased its capital stock to $100,000. It then acquired
and occupied the Connersville Buggy Works, which had been established
in 1883. It may be said that the European war was the direct cause of
the re-organization of the compan\-. The National Moorish Tile Flooring
Company, the newest concern in the city, was organized in 1916 by E. P.
Hawkins and acquired the building formerly occupied by the carpet factory in
East Connersville. The building was remodeled and enlarged in order to
make it available for the needs of the new company.

While the industrial plants just enumerated have all expanded, many of
the other factories of the city have added more men to their force in order
to increase their output. All the factories of the city have been running on
full time, some of them being in operation twenty-four hours a day. There
have been no strikes and no lock-outs, but on the other hand there has existed
the most friendly feeling between employers and employees.

EVIDENCES OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISE.

This glance at the industrial life of Connersville during the year 1916
sets forth merely tlie outstanding, salient expansive movements. It can truly
be said that there was a tremendous, almost dramatic quickening of the
whole industrial system of the city during the year.

But the city did something else in 1916 which it never did before and
which it will not do again for another hundred years. It conceived and
held, with great success, a three-day centennial celebration which was one
of the best of many held in the state during the year. Of course, the city
did not do all of this itself; the citizens of the county had an active part in
the celebration and contributed their full share toward its success. In the
midst of all this industrial activity and stimulated by the centennial spirit,
the city and county undertook the raising of fifty thousand dollars for the
county hospital, and the fact that the amount was raised is a tribute to
the thriftiness and generosity of a good people. It should be mentioned in
this connection that the county during the year completed a magnificent
county infirmary, at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars.

Another evidence of the general prosperity enjoyed by the people of the
city is shown by their desire to add street paving to the city. Since 1912,
when the present program of concrete street paving was inaugurated, the
city has paved many miles of its business and residence streets. The value

-568 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of good roads is recognized by the rural dwellers as well as by his brother
in the city, a fact which is shown by the paving of the road between the
city and East Connersville, and Grand avenue from the city limits to Roberts
park. The pedestal lighting system was extended in the business district
and a new lighting contract entered into with the Hydro-Electric Light and
Power Company. The water mains and sewer system were extended and
sidewalk, curb and gutter improvements were made in all parts of the city.

With all of these industrial activities there was a greater demand than
ever for men to work in the factories. The city reached a point during 1916
where it became imperative to increase housing facilities. During the year
every house in the city was occupied, all the boarding houses and hotels were
filled to overflowing, and workmen were often compelled to find quarters in
nearby towns. But the business men of Connersville prepared to meet the
situation by employing what was known as an interagent to serve without
cost to the homeseeker, in assisting him to find a place to live. This group
of business men, headed by E. W. Ansted, bought ground and let a contract
for the construction of thirty-two rental houses to be built in the northwestern
part of the city.

CHURCH AND SCHOOL EXPANSION.

But not only has the industrial life of the city been c]uickened; the
churches and schools have taken on new life, and increased their efficiency as
factors in the general movement for a better and bigger Connersville. The
school board was compelled to build a large addition to the Maplewood
school, an addition made necessary by the heavy increase of population in
that part of the city. The manual training department of the high school
was enlarged and many other improvements made in the schools in order
to meet the growing requirements of the city's increased population. In the
beginning of 1917 the city faced the probability of having to build another
school house and there seems to be no doubt that the next year or two will
see the erection of the fifth school building in. the city.

The fourteen churches of the city are doing their full share toward making
a bigger and better Connersville. The many charitable and benevolent organi-
zations are active in their respective fields. As the city faces the second
century of its existence it seems to have all the factors necessary for a bright
future. It is but one of thousands of cities of the same size in the country,
but the people who call it home would like to have it said that it is the best.
It takes people of the right sort to make a good city and Connersville has
them in abundance. May the next century show as much progress as the
last centurv.

PUBLIC LIBRARV, COXXERSVILLE

FEDERAL BUILDING. COXXERSVILLE.

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 569

THE POSTOFFICE.

The first postoffice in Fayette county was established at Connersville on
January 28, 1818, which was nearly a year before the county itself was
established, the village being in Franklin county at the time that the postoffice
started. It remained the only postoffice in the county for seven years, Water-
loo, the second one established, dating from May 4, 1825. In fact, there
were only three other postoffices in the county during the first ten \'ears <>f
its history, the other three being at Bentonville, Everton and Harrislnirg.
During the entire history of the coimty, covering a period of nearly one
hundred years, there have been seventeen different postoffices established,
but with the introduction of the rural free delivery of mail there are only
five remaining: Connersville. Everton, Alpine, Falmouth and Bentonville.
The discontinued offices are Alquina, Columbia, Ashland (later Nulltown),
Orange, Bently, Waterloo, Springersville, Fairview, Harrisburg, Groves
(later ]\lelrose), Lyons Station and Philpotts Mills (later Longwood). At
the present time there are ten rural routes connected with the Connersville
postoffice, two with Everton, and one each with Alpine, Bentonville and Fal-
mouth. There are also routes from adjoining counties which furnish service
in Fayette county, while some of those in Fayette county extend to adjoining
counties.

All the mail which reached Fayette county before 1845 ^'^'^'^ brought in
by the old stage coach or on horseback. During the life of the canal part
of the mail was brought in by boat, but it was not until 1862 that the first
mail reached the county by the railroad. As might be expected, there was no
daily mail service to Connersville for several years after the postoffice was
estaljlished. and even as late as 1833, the town received mail only three times
a week. With the arrival of the daily packet on the canal Connersville was
given daily mail service.

The first postoffice in the town was located in the store of Joshua Har-
lan, the storekeeper being the first incumbent of the office and serving as
such from 1818 to 1822. In the early history of the town there was not
much trouble in selecting a postmaster and it was not until the salary reached
such proportions that the postmaster was able to devote all of his attention
to the office that any difficulty was experienced in the selection of the i)ost-
master. For many years after the postoffice was established in 1818 the
postmaster was compelled to engage in some other business in order to make
enough for a living. The first postmaster to devote all of his time to the
office was James H. Fearis, and since that time the office has been sufficiently

57"

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

remunerative to enable the incumbent to make a comfortable living without
having to engage in any other business. Until the office was raised to the
second class in 1889 the salary was dependent upon the amount of business
transacted by the office, but since that year it has been on a definite salary
basis, the present salary of the postmaster being two thousand seven hundred
dollars. For many years the postmaster performed all the duties of the office,
but as the business increased it became necessary to provide assistants, the
first assistant appearing in 1861. At the present time there are twenty-six
employees in the office and seven city carriers. The city carrier service was
inaugurated on December i, 1889, the same year the office was raised from
the third to the second class. On December i, 1904, the first rural routes
were established in connection with the local office and others have been
added from time to time until in 191 7 there were ten rural carriers radiating
from the county seat.

The postoffice has been located at several different places during the
last ninety-nine years and has been at its present site since 191 1. In that
vear it was moved from 408 Central avenue to the newly completed stone
structure which stands at the corner of Eighth street and Central avenue.
This handsome building with the site cost sixty-five thousand dollars. In
the same year, August 21, 1911, the postal-savings department was estabhshed
in the local office.

The postmaster has usually, if not always, been of the same political
faith as the President. John Tate who served from 1829 to 1846, held the
office longer than anv other incumbent. The complete list of postmasters,
with the dates of their service follows: Joshua Harlan, 1818-22; John
Sample, 1822-29; John Tate, 1829-46; Elisha Vance, 1846-47; George Fry-
barger, April 5, 1847-December 30, 1847; Henry Goodlander, 1847-49;
Joseph Justice, 1849-53; Henry Goodlander, 1853-57; John B. Tate, 1857-61 ;
Joseph Justice, 1861-63; Romeo Lewis, 1863-64; Alexander R. Morrison,
1864-66; John Kensler, 1866-74; George M. Sinks, 1874-83; John W. Ross,
1883-84; J. M. Higgs, 1884-89; J. H. Fearis, 1889-94: J. M. Higgs, 1894-98:
John Payne, 1898-1902: Miles K. Moffit, 1902-10; S. E. Dehaven, 1910-14;
Simon Doenges, 1914- .

HISTORY OF THE CONNERSyiLLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
By .Katharine Heron.

The early pioneers in the village of Connersville were aware of the
advantages of a library and as early as 182D a circulating library was in
operation in the little hamlet. This little library was only to act as the

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 57I

forerunner of greater possibilities and to prepare the way for future activi-
ties in the ultimate establishment of a permanent library. In 1825 the f ayette
county library, containing one hundred and fifty-one volumes, was opened
to the public and was under the management of a board of trustees who were
very generous in providing that the library should be open every Saturday
afternoon from one to six o'clock. The secretary gave notice in the weekly
paper, the Observer, that there were volumes in the library to suit the taste
and inquiries of all. The librarian further said that she hoped that the citi-
zens would avail themselves of the advantages of the library and that all
citizens over sixteen years of age might draw books In- gi\ing bond and
security and the payment of fifty cents a \ear. The library was located in
the court house.

A free reading room was maintained by the manufacturers and other
business men during the later part of the year 1890, and continued as a read-
ing room until the latter part of October, 1893. ^^^^ R- Williams was the
custodian and after his death the vacancy was filled by Alexander James.

On October 2, 1893, '•• petition from Creighton \Vright and others for
the establishment of a jiublic library was presented to the city council, the
members of which were \V. J. Cain, D. V. Phillips, \\'. T. Cortleyou, Wil-
liam Merrill, Thomas Clark and Peter Lonmel. William F. Downs was the
mayor. The petition was referred to the committee on education, composed
of William Merrill, D. G. Phillips and Thomas Clark. On October 16 the
committee reported the adoption of the petition and I. B. Young was appointed
to appraise the contents of the reading room.

By a unanimous vote the council decided to make a special tax assess-
ment of one-half of one mill for the maintenance of the new librarw \\'. F.
L. Sanders, L. L. Broaddus and Creighton Wright were appointeil directors
until the regular meeting in June, 1894, At this meeting, held on June 4,
1894, Mazzie Maffett, librarian, and the trustees reported that the lihrarv
contained six hundred and thirty-five volumes, one hundred and tiiirty-nine
membership cards and a treasury deficit of twenty-five dollars and sixtv-
eight cents. On June 3, 1895, the amount for the maintenance of the library
was raised to five hundred and thirty-eight dollars and sixty-.seven cents a
year.

At the council meeting of April 26, 1907, resolutions were drafted on
the death of Creighton Wright and Charles Mount, and the removal from
the city of J. N, Huston, Herman Munk and Austin Ready, who had been
directors of the library. The following persons were appointed to fill the
vacancies: Mrs. Lillian Wilson Beck. Katharine Heron, Mrs. Kate Beeson,
J. H. Fearis and Andrew Rieman.

572 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

INCORPORATION OF THE LIBRARY.

The present library was incorporated under the laws of Indiana on
April 29, 1907, and the old library dissolved. The charter was surrendered
and the transfer of the library to the city of Connersville was made with the
understanding that the city should accept said property and assume the
management of the same. Thereupon the board of directors resigned. On
April 30 Mayor F. I. Barrows accepted the property on behalf of the city.

At that time a law was in force by which the school trustees, the circuit
judge and the city council could appoint library trustees. Accordingly, on
May 7, 1907, Judge Gray appointed Mrs. Lillian Beck and Katharine Heron;
the school trustees appointed W. F. L. Sandeis, Alfred H. McFarlan and
Mrs. Clara E. Carlos; the city council, L. L. Broaddus and R. G. Wait. Mr.
Wait shortly resigned and Mrs. Elizabeth Claypool Earl was appointed
to fill the vacancy.

When the decision of the court became known that the Con well sc|uare
had been divided into lots and was for sale at various prices, Mrs. John
Wilkin and Mrs. Flora R. Beeson, the latter a director in the old library,
conceived the idea of buying a site for a library. Up to this time the
libraries had been housed in rented property. At the invitation of Mrs.
Florea Beeson, six ladies representing the same number of literary clubs
of the city, met at the home of Mrs. Wilkin and formed the Library Site
Association. Katharine Heron was appointed to consult with P. L. Heeb,
trustee of the Conwell estate, in regard to the purchase of a site. As a result
an option was taken on the property now occupied by the library at a
total cost of six thousand two hundred and ten dollars. Much opposi-
tion was encountered and many discouraging things arose to hinder the
work in securing the needed funds. After a thorough campaign of the city
had been made the sum of two thousand eight hundred and sixty-six dollars
and sixty-four cents was collected and the sum of four thousand dollars sub-
scribed. While in dire distress Lafayette Conwell and wife came to the res-
cue and donated the sum of four hundred and fifty dollars, and the library
board loaned the site association the balance. As a result the site association
acquired the deed to lot No. 10, of the Conwell Homestead block on Novem-
ber 16, 1907.

THE CARNEGIE DONATION. - ■

On January 30, 1908, the city council appropriated the sum of one
thousand five hundred dollars for the purpose of purchasing additional

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

572,

ground for tlie library. The remainder of the necessar\- sum was l)or-
rowed from four of the Connersville banks. After all debts liad i)een
cancelled negotiations were opened with Andrew Carnegie for the pur-
pose of getting a donation with which to build a library building. Twent\-
thousand dollars was asked for but only seventeen thousand fi\e hundred
dollars was received at this time.

The plans of Dunlap & Glossup. of Indianapolis, were accepted and tiie
conducted with Masonic ceremonies. Chalmers Hadley, secretary of the
Indiana library commission, delivered the principal address. To Katharine
Heron, secretary of the board of trustees, was given the honor of laying the
tirst lirick of the building.

The furniture of the library is said to be the handsomest of any in the
state, and the first to be paid for by Andrew Carnegie.

On the afternoon of March 25, 1909, the library Iniilding was formally-
dedicated, the exercises consisting of a musical program, and addresses by
Professor Sanders and Jacob P. Dunn, of Indianapolis.

Instead of the usual title, "Carnegie Public Library," we have over the
main entrance "Public Library" and on the bronze tablets on each side of the
doorway one reads as follows :

This Building is the

Gift of Andrew Carnegie

to the

People of Connersville

A. D. 1908.

On the other tablet reads the following:

Library Board

MCMVII

L. L. Broaddus, Pres.

Elizabeth Claypool Earl. Vice Pres.

Katharine Fleron, Sec'v.
Lillian W. Beck, \V. F. L. Sanders,
Clara E. Carlos. A. H. AIcFarlan.

On Friday, March 26. 1909, the first books of our present public
hbrary were placed in circulation. For the month of January. 19 17, two
thousand nine hundred and two books passed over the desk of the librarian,
most of the books being read by children. What a contrast between the vears
1917 and 1825 when no one under sixteen years of age could "draw a
book."

574 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

The trustees of the present Hbrary board consist of the following:
L. L. Broaddus, president; Mrs. E. C. Earl, vice-president; W. F. L.
Sanders, secretary; Katharine Heron. Mrs. John Carlos, Alfred H. McFarlan
and Mrs. Huston D. Fearis. Isabell Ball is the present librarian, she having
held the position for many years.

COMMERCIAL CLUB.

The organization of the present Connersville Commercial Club
dates from June 13, 1906, but it is not the first organization of the citizens
of Connersville along similar lines. Nearly forty years ago there was an
organization known as the Board of Trade which was organized for the
same general purpose as prompted the organization of the present Com-
mercial Club. As early as 1880 the business men of the city felt the need
of some kind of an organization, and the Board of Trade came into e"xist-
ence as the result of this feeling.

While the records of the old Board of Trade have disappeared, along
with practically all of the members who were associated with it in its earlier
history, yet it is known that it labored valiantly for the best interests of
Connersville during the decade of its career. Such men as William Newkirk,
James N. Huston, William Beck, William Wherrett, F. M. Roots, J. B.
McFarlan, B. F. Claypool and A. B. Claypool were the prime movers in
this first organization. Within a year or two after it came into existence
E. V. Hawkins, then the superintendent of the old Indiana Furniture Com-
pany, first became identified with the organization, and it was due to the
encouragement of some of the members that he was enabled to organize
the Connersville Furniture Company in 1882. Mr. Hawkins is one of the
very few members of the first organization left in the city.

The Board of Trade evidently passed out of existence sometime before
1888; at least, a notice in the local papers of January, 1888, states that it
had just been reorganized. The meetings of the organization had been held
in the room in the Palace Hotel now occupied by the barber shop, but just
where the meetings were held after 1888 is not known. The Board of Trade
was followed sometime in the early nineties by an organization formed
along somewhat the same lines, the Manufacturers' Club. This club, as
the name indicates, was devoted primarily to the interests of those engaged
in manufacturing, and did not include the retail dealers of the city. Just
when the Manufacturers' Club ceased its active career is not known, but it

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

575

was prior to 1906 and very likely sometime previous to that year. Since
no official records are available to show what the club did, it is impossible
to determine when it lost its usefulness.

GOOD WORK OF FRANCIS

The present Commercial Club owes its origin largely to the inspiration
of Francis T. Roots. He had been endeavoring to effect an organization
of all the business men of the city for some time prior to the actual be-
ginning of the duh in 1906. To this end he planned a trip for fifty busi-
ness men of the city to Muncie, Indiana, where such an organization as
he hoped to establish in Connersville was ill successful operation. He chart-
ered a special train and the party spent two days and one night on • a
junketing trip, each member of the party contributing ten dollars to bear
the expense of the trip. They were welcomed by the Commercial Club of
Muncie and shown over the city. The result of the trip was the organiza-
tion of the present Commercial Club on June 13, 1906.

The first ofticers of the club were as follows : iM-ancis T. Roots, presi-
dent; W. L. Cortelyou, vice-president; R. N. Elliott, secretary; J. E. Huston,
treasurer. A permanent house committee composed of E. P. Hawkins, A.
E. Leiter and W. L. Cortelyou was appointed to equip the club rooms.
The first quarters were in the auditorium building, wliere the club continued
to live until the present quarters were occupied in November, 19 16. The
new club rooms, six in number, are in the Stewart building on East Fifth
street. They contain a billiard room, reception room, reading room, busi-
ness room and a large banquet hall, as well as rooms for other purposes.

It would take several pages to tell what the Commercial Club has done
for the city of Connersville, and only a brief survey of its lalx)rs can be
enumerated in this connection. Practically every business man of the city
is a member, while there are a large number of farmers from all parts
of the county who have atfiliated with the organization, tiie club now
having. a membership of about five hundred. The membership is open to
every honest, upright male citizen of the county who is interested in the
vital welfare of his city and county. The club rooms are open at all times
to every organization in Connersville, whether composed of men or women.
The rooms are also open to every member, days and evenings, Sunday
excepted, and a porter is always present to attend to the various wants of
all who mav visit the rooms.

576 FAVr.TTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

SOCIAL AIMS OF THE CLUB.

Entertainments of exceptional merit are often given and elaborate ban-
quets held, at which orators of national reputation discourse on subjects
of general interest. No less a personage than the late Elbert Hubbard was
once a speaker at one of these banquets and paid a glowing tribute to the
work of the organization. A part of the "Little Journey to Connersville,"
which appeared as a result of Hubbard's visit to the city is given as the
concluding part of this article. George Randolph Chester was also a speaker
on one occasion, and the particular feature of the evening of his appearance
was the fact that one of the local members. Earl Williams, a member of the
Nezi.'s staff, recited an original poem which is remembered as the best thing
of its kind ever produced in the county. Even the inimitable Chester rose
to his feet and announced that he had no chance to display his talents
against such a speaker. Nor is Williams the only member of the club who
is able to meet all foreign speakers in their own field. The first president,
Mr. Roots, was a recognized orator of high rank. E. V. Hawkins, another
of tiie club's presidents, is a very able speaker, and his son, E. P. Hawkins,
is a worthy follower of his father. E. W. Tatman is another local mem-
ber who can face an audience with something to say. And there are others
who are able to entertain in a most acceptable manner.

It is the aim of the Commercial Club to work in harmonioiis conjunction
with the city and county ofiticials, thus looking to the betterment of the civic,
industrial and commercial interests of Connersville and Fayette county. It
is also their earnest endeavor to be of assistance to the retail merchants
of the city in the improvement of local merchandizing conditions. There
is a close personal relationship between the city and farming interests, a
feeling which is largely the result of the mingling of the urban and rural
members in the regular meetings of the club.

There is probably no better expression which may be used to describe
the club than the one which has been so often applied to it — "live wire."
This apt expression is fully descriptive of the club and its members, each
one of whom is vitally interested in the present and future progress and
prosperity of Connersville and of the county of which that city is the county
seat. Its ofticers, directors, committees and members have worked to build
up an organization strong and forceful enough to make it a potent factor
in the welfare of the citv and countv. It has no selfish ends to serve and

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

S77

no pet schemes to foster. It is free from any alliances save and except
the development of all the resources of the city and county, and expects to
continue as in the past an active agency for the welfare, growth and happi-
ness of the communit}'.

PRESENT OFI'ICERS OF THE CLUB.

For the past two years the president of the club has been E. P. Haw-
kins, one of the younger business men of the city, a son of one of the oldest
manufacturers in the city, and himself active in the life of the club since it
started. Mr. Hawkins is one of those men who radiate enthusiasm all the
time, a man from whose boundless energy others derive inspiration. Under
his administration the centennial celebration was held and he is conceded to
have been the guiding genius behind the whole affair. He has been untiring
in his work in behalf of the interests of the Commercial Club, and he
deserves a credit for the fine showing it has made during the two years of
his presidency, though the same may be said of every president since the club
was founded. Mr. Hawkins was succeeded early in 191 7 by Arthur Dixon,
another young man of boundless energy, and as well a patient detail worker.

The officers of the club in January, 1917, are as follows : Arthur Dixon,
president; M. L. Hull, vice-president; E. P. Hawkins, treasurer; J. A. Rem-
ington, executive secretary. These officers with the addition of Judge Ray-
mond S. Springer, B. G. Powell, A. J. Roth, G. L. Brown. B. M. Barrows
and J. C. Mount, constitute the board of directors. The directors are sup-
plemented by thirteen committees who ha\e their various duties prescribed
by the by-laws of the club.

COMMERCIAL CLUB BOYS' BAND.

One of the achievements of the Commercial Club is the organization
of a boys band, a musical organization which, although but one year old,
has already made a name for itself. On January i, 1916, the club entered
into a contract with J. W. Young, of Bethel, Ohio, to come to the city
and organize a boys" band. Mr. Young and his wife are both accomplished
musicians, and the success which lias attended their efforts in the city is
astonishing. Within a year a band of thirty-six members has been organized
and the boys have been trained to the point where they can play all kinds
of classical and popular music. ^Ir. Young has arranged the orchestration
(37)

578 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of a large number of the selections the boys play. Three times each week
since January, 191 6, he has met with the band, and on very few occasions
has there been a single member absent from practice. He goes to the
homes of the members and gives them individual instruction, and in this
way has been able to build up a band in a remarkably short time. His
wife also assists in giving individual instruction and herself plays in the
band. Most of the members are under fifteen years of age, the youngest
member, Edward K. Hawkins, being only eight years of age. The
band gave a concert last year which was a pronounced success, and intends
to give one again in the early part of 1917. The members have been
fitted out with handsome uniforms by the Lexington-Howard Company,
while the caps were given by the Commercial Club.

The membership of the band is as follow: J. W. Young, director;
cornets, Carl Stoll, Harry Reeder, Lindley Clark, Burdette Walker, Howard
Schneider, Donald Schneider, Paul Davis, Bertwin Keller, James Nash,
William Snyder; trombones, Earl Reeder, Rupert Hubbard, Frank Hend-
rickson, William Cloud; baritone, Schubert Tate; basses, Basil Hubbard,
Russel Campbell, Theodore Rockwell; tenor, Talcot Keller; piccolo, Glen
Johnson; saxaphone, Ralph Riggs; altoes, Arthur Neal, Mrs. J. W. Young,
Luke Beeson, John McDonough, Dale Flint and Edward K. Hawkins;
clarinets, Thomas Clark, Keith Veatch, Marion Smith, James Fettig,
Arthur Deaton, Cecil Altenbach, Walter Bradford, Almon Hall, Joseph
Obrecht, John Weilman; drums, Roland DeVor, Edward Stone, Caswell
McNaughton. All the members of the band are now in the public schools
of the city with the exception of Mrs. Young, the wife of the leader. Earl
Reeder, Rupert and Basil Hubbard, Walter Bradford, Roland DeVor, Paul
Davis and Theodore Rockwell.

"k LITTLE JOURNEY TO CONNERSVILLE.-"

In the fall of 1914 the late Elbert Hubbard, one of America's gi-eatest
globetrotters and a man whose descriptions of places and things are known
wherever the English language is spoken, paid a visit to the city of Conners-
ville. He had written of "journeys" to famous cities all over the world,,
and it is said that no city as small as Connersville was ever included in the
long list of cities which he has chosen as fit subjects for his celebrated "Lit-
tle Journeys." Be that as it may, he came to Connersville in 1914, and as a
result of his brief sojourn here he gave to the world one of his inimitable

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 579

classics — "A Little Journey to Connersville." It seems particularly appro-
priate to insert that part of his brochure which relates to the city proper.
It follows:

Recently I attended a banquet of the Commercial Club at Connersville, Indiana.
In all, I attended about a hundred banquets, luncheons and "get-together" talkfests
during the year. A few of these I remember.

This Connersville bunch was a little different from any company that I have ever
met with. The men present looked like ball-players. They were a sober, slim, earnest
lot, who had cut out the booze and bromide, the foibles and the frills, and were there
to get ideas, if by chance any were dropped from the oratorical Zeppelin. Here was
a town of ten thousand people — the county seat of Fayette county.

A hundred of the members were farmers. When you get three hundred intelligent
men in a town of ten thousand people to get together at a luncheon, you are doing
something very unusual. And I s;iw I was in the presence of an unusual crowd —
happy, healthy, bronzed, good-natured, out-of-door men.

Oratory is a collaboration between the speaker and the listener. In fact, the
listeners key the caloric, and any audience that does not get much, probably receives
what it deserves.

At this banquet the waiters were members of the club. All members under twenty-
five years of age are liable to be conscripted. Any man in the Connersville Commer-
cial Club who is requested to do a thing is never asked twice. The rule is imperative.
And yet it is not a written rule, but the idea is abroad that any man who is re-
quested to do a certain thing for the Commercial Club, the town, the county or the state
is complimented, and shall obey without back-talk, criticism or questioning.

And in all my attendance at banquets I have never yet known of an instance
where the members acted as waiters and did the so-called "menial work". And yet
John Kuskiu said that menial work was the only work that was necessary — the rest
was superfluity.

This banquet was in charge of one of the members, and he had drafted into his
service anybody whose services he needed. The hall was beautifully festooned with
autumn foliage and wild flowers — goldenrod, wild asters of a dozen varieties, climb-
ing clematis, sumac, and rustling oak-leaves. The tables had pyramids of apples and
grapes. The whole thing was bounteous as a harvest festival. Many of the good things
were home-grown, and were provided by the farmers present, free of cost.

The big auditorium where the banquet was held is owned by a stock company,
all of whom are enthusiastic members of the Commercial Club. Thi.s company also
owns the theatre underneath, aud in the building enough offices are rented to cover
the "overhead". Do not feel sorry for Connersville.

Connersville has the look of prosperity. It is the proud boast of the town that
it has more miles of good pavement per capita than any other town in America. I
would rather accept the proposition than dispute it, and it looks to me as if the state-
ment were well within the limit. This thriving little city is situated amidst a wealth
of foliage. Beeches, sycamores and maples give it a freshness and a beauty that are
delightful.

On taking a little run out into the country I discovered that the multiplicity of
peaches, pears, melons and sweet potatoes with which the tables were burdened the
night before, were so cheap and plentiful that they could be had almost for the asking.

Connersville is beautifully lighted with cluster lamps and a multiplicity of electric
signs. The show windows along the streets reveal a degree of art which one does not

58o- lAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

look for in a country county seat. Prosperity without affluence was evident on every
hand. In Connersville you will look in vain for slums. Here is neither poverty nor
riches. And there is work for everybody who wants to work. You can always tell
a house that is owned by the man who lives in it. Renters are a careless lot.

Backyards reveal character. And my guide, I noticed, was rather proud of sending
his automobile up alleys, which were paved with brick. And these rides through the
alleys revealed to me the backyards, which were free from lumber, g.-irbage, trash —
many of them devoted to flowers, others to vegetables, some with delightful stretches
of soft, smooth lawn.

In a bird's-eye view of the town in a run of an hour we counted twenty-two dis-
tinct factories. Most of these factories were one-story — some of them with sawtooth
roof — built of concrete or brick. Some of the factories were situated in little parks, with
a forest of catalpa trees, foliage plants, and well-kept hedges surrounding them.

And usually there were concrete roadways. The railroad folks, even, had caught
it, for the station, I noticed, was built of art brick, with warm, red-tile roof.

BUSINESS men's CREDIT EXCHANGE.

The Connersville Business Men's Exchange was organized by A-. Bogue
of Rushville in February, 19 16. The purposes of the exchange, as defined
in the prospectus, are to assist members in the collection of accounts; to
assist debtors in paying them; to protect members against spurious advertis-
ing schemes, and to strengthen the community by unity of action.

The offices are located in the Jemison building, Central avenue. A. E.
Leiter is president; John G. Powell, vice-president; Ellen Tressler, treasurer,
and A. Bogue, secretary. The board of directors includes the foregoing
officers and Frank Hassler, F. B. Holter, H. L. Rouse, William Luking,
Fred Heeb and Vernon Henry. In February, 191 7, the membership was
seventy.

SOME HISTORIC LANDMARKS.

In the history of every city there are certain landmarks marking the
progress of its growth and Connersville is no exception to this rule. The
appended list of dates and events sums up very briefly some important
landmarks in the history of the city. The list might be extended indefinitely,
but the facts enumerated will give at a glance most of the important events
of the city.

1808 — John Conner, the first white man, located in Connersville.

1813 — The first plat recorded.
' 1818— Postoffice established.

1 81 9 — County seat established at Connersville.

1 82 1— A. B. Conwell and George Frybarger located in Connersville.

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. gSl

1824 — The first newspaper issued in the city.

1827 — David Hankins located in Connersville.

1828 — The county seminary opened with Samuel W^. Parker as principal.

1833 — The "Indiana Gazetteer" credited the village with a ijopulation
of five hundred.

1845 — The AMiite \\^ater canal reached Connersville.

1849 — A combined court house and jail was erected; also tlie present
town hall.

185 1 — The first telegraph line reached the city.

1852 — The Bank of Connersville was established.

1857 — County erected its first infirmary.

1859 — The present firm of P. H. & F. JM. Roots was established.

1862 — The first railroad, now the Cincinnati, Indianapolis «S: Western,
reached the city.

1865 — The First National Bank was established.

1866 — The names of the streets were changed and in the same year
the streets were first lighted by coal-oil lamps.

1868 — Fifty-two dwellings were erected this year at a total cost of
$150,152.

1869 — Connersville became a city as a result of the election held on
June 16, 1869, when three hundred votes out of three hundred sixty-five
voted in favor of making the change.

1870 — The city was first supplied with waterworks plant; the same
year a permanent fire department was established.

1875 — The city was lighted by gas for the first time.

1880 — Present jail erected.

1882 — The first telephone system was installed in the city.

1887 — First daily newspaper appeared.

1889 — The ix)stoffice advanced to second class and city carrier service
established.

1890 — The court house was remodeled and given its present appear-
ance; the first electric-light plant commenced operation.

1891 — E. W. Ansted established the first one of his series of factories.

1903 — The free fair was established: the present high school building
was erected.

1904 — Rural tree delivery was estal)lished : tlie first interurl)an railway
reached the city.

1909 — The public lilirary was opened.

582 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1 9 10 — The present waterworks plant was erected.

191 1 — Hydro-Electric Light & Power Company commenced operations;
new postoffice occupied for the first time.

19 1 2 — The city began concrete street paving.

19 1 6 — New county infirmary opened.

19 1 7 — Fayette Count)' Memorial Hospital started.

1917 — Consolidation of two electric light companies under the name of
the Hydro-Electric Light and Power Company.

CHAPTER XXI.

Fayette County Men of a Past Generation.

During the ninety-seven years of Fayette county history there have
appeared a number of men in the county who have achieved more than local
fame. It is one of the curious things of our American life that the fame of
politicians should be more widely extended than that of men in any other
calling. While it is true that men in other professions than the law reach
just as high positions, yet their names have not received the notice that has
been accorded those who have engaged in politics. The men from Fayette
county who served in Congress, or held other official positions in the state
and nation are better remembered than those who rose to eminence as
result of their efforts in other directions.

Since the county was organized in 1819, it is not to be expected that
any native-born citizens should become widely known to the outside world
before the Civil War period, but several of the early settlers have left their
names high on the scroll of our state and national history. From this
county have gone forth United States senators, members of Presidential
cabinets, congressmen, United States treasurers, United States district
attorneys, attorney generals of the state, state geologists and a number of
judges who made more than a local reputation. As will be noticed, all of
these men held official positions of one kind or another, but there are others
who are equally entitled to recognition as being representative citizens of
the county. Such men as John Conner, A. B. Conwell, W. W. Frybarger,
M. R. Hull, Philip Mason, the Roots brothers, Samuel J. Shipley, and scores
of others have contributed of their respective abilities to the advancement
of the different phases of growth' of Fayette county.

In this chapter there may be found brief sketches of a number of Fay-
ette county's eminent citizens of a past generation. In other chapters men-
tion has been made of many others. Lawyers, physicians, newspaper edi-
tors and business men are mentioned in their respective chapters. It must
not be understood that every worthy citizen of the county has been included,
but it is believed that all the men who have been mentioned have contributed
in one way or another to the progress of the county. Every good citizen

584 FAYETTE COTJNTY, INDIANA.

of the county has helped to make its history, but it is not possible to chronicle
the deeds of everyone, and no attempt has been made in this chapter to set
forth the achievements of those now living. A large number of these are

fully represented in tlie biographical section of this volume.

OLIVER HAMPTON SMITH.

Oliver H. Smith, a resident of Connersville from 1820 to 1839, will go
down in history as one of Indiana's great men. He was a member of the
state Legislature, a member of Congress, a member of the United States
Senate and always a statesman of the highest rank. His talents were diver-
sified; as a lawyer he ranks with the best in the state; as a financier and
practical business man he attained a position among the leaders in the state;
as an author he left one volume which throws the best light on many phases
of early Indiana history that has ever appeared in the state. This volume,
entitled "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches," appeared in 1857. It would
be easy to write a volume upon the life of OHver H. Smith, but it is not
possible to cover his life in detail in this connection.

Oliver H. Smith was born on October 23, 1794, on a small island near
Trenton, New Jersey, and came to Indiana in 181 7. He first located at
Rising Sun, but a short time afterward moved to Lawrenceburg, where he
commenced the study of law. In INfarch, 18 19, he was admitted to the bar
and then located in Versailles, in Riplej' county. He remained there only a
short time, removing to Connersville in May, 1820.

Two years later Smith was elected to the Legislature from Fayette
county.- He was appointed prosecutor of the third judicial circuit in 1824,
but resigned on August i, 1826, to become a candidate for Congress and
was elected by over fifteen hundred majority. After the close of his first
term in Congress he returned to Connersville and devoted all of his time and
attention to the practice of his profession until 1836, when he was elected
to the United States Senate. He served with distinction for six years in
the Senate, but was defeated for re-election in 1842 by E. A. Hannegan and
never again asked for political preferment.

The last sixteen years of his life (1843-59) were largely devoted to
railroad matters, and Indianapolis and the state of Indiana are mainly
indebted to him for building the railroad, now known as the Big Four, to
Indianapolis. At different times he was president of two railroads and he
exercised the same ability in railroad matters that characterized his work
as a lawyer.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 585

Smith died in Indianapolis on March 19. 1859, and the Indiaiiaf^olis
Journal two days later, in commenting upon his death, said: "There is not
a corner in the state in which the melancholy announcement of the death of
Hon. Oliver H. Smith, which we make this morning, will not wake feelings
of deep and sincere sorrow. He died as he lived, a sincere Christian. His
eminent career, his great service to the cause of internal improvements, and
his unspotted private life, make him a place in the public regard that few
have filled more worthily."

CALEB BLOOD SMITH.

Caleb B. Smith, a resident of Connersville from 1827 to 1851, a mem-
ber of Congress for three terms and secretary of the interior under Lincoln,
was one of the most distinguished men Indiana has ever produced. He
served his state in the Legislature and the nation in Congress and as a
member of President Lincoln's Civil War cabinet. At the opening of the
Civil War an enumeration of a dozen of the nation's greatest men would
have found the name of Caleb B. Smith one of the number.

Caleb B. Smith was born in Boston, April 16. 1808. and when si.K \ears
of age located with his parents in Cincinnati. After completing the course
of studies given in the University of Cincinnati he entered Miami Univer-
sity at Oxford, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1827. He had read law
while in college and continued his study during the summer of 1827, and in
the fall of that year located in Connersville, where he resumed his legal
studies under the tutelage of Oliver H. Smith.

No better description of Caleb B. Smith has ever been written than that
prepared by his mentor, Oliver H. Smith. It is here given as it appeared in
his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches."

One day I was sitting in my office at Connersville. wlieii there entered a sniiill
youth about five feet, eight inches high, large head, thin lnown hair, li^-ht blue eyes,
high, capacious forehead, and good features, and introduced himself as Caleb B. Smith,
of Cincinnati. He stated his business in a li.sping tone. He had come to read law
with me if I would receive him. I as.sented to his wishes, and he remained with me
until he was admitted to practice, and commenced his professional, as well as his
political, career at Connersville. He rose rapidly at the bar. was remarkably fluent,
rapid and eloquent before a jury, never at a loss for ideas or words to e.xpress them:
if he had a fault as an advocate, it was that he suffered his nature to press forward
his ideas for utterance faster than the minds of the .iurors were prepared to receive
them. Still, he was very successful before the court .md .I'liry.

Caleb B. Smith completed his studies under O. H. Smith and was admit-
ted to the bar in 1828, although he was not yet of age. In 1831. being only

586 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

twenty-three years of age at the time, he made the race for the Legislature,
but was defeated by a narrow margin. In June of the following year he
associated himself with M. R. Hull in the establishment of a newspaper
known as the Indiana Sentinel. He made a second race for the Legislature
in 1833, was elected and was re-elected for the three following sessions,
serving as speaker of the House in the sessions of 1835 and 1836. In 1840
he was elected to the Legislature for the fifth time and in that same year
was chosen as one of the Presidential electors on the Harrison ticket.

Mr. Smith was first elected to Congress in 1843 and was re-elected in
1845 and again in 1847, serving six years in all. During his three terms in
Congress he was the leader of the Indiana delegation and at the close of his
last term was probably not only the most prominent man in national affairs
from Indiana, but also one of the most prominent men who has ever repre-
sented the state in either branch of Congress.

In the early fifties Caleb B. Smith became interested in railroads and
in 1 85 1 was made president of the Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad Com-
pany, with headquarters at Cincinnati. The railroad proved a losing ven-
ture and the company soon became bankrupt. Smith himself losing a con-
siderable portion of his fortune. In 1856 he was a presidential elector from
Ohio on the Fremont ticket. He had been a resident of Cincinnati since
1 85 1, and made his home in that city for eight years.

In 1859 Mr. Smith removed from Cincinnati to Indianapolis in order
to devote all his time to his law practice. He was chairman of the Indiana
delegation at the Republican national convention at Chicago in i860 and was
no small factor in bringing about the nomination of Lincoln. Such were
his services in the campaign of i860 in behalf of Lincoln that the President
recognized him by making him a member of his cabinet. He served as
secretary of the interior from the beginning of the administration, March
4, 1861, until December 25, 1862, when he resigned to accept the judgeship
of the United States court for the district of Indiana. He took this office
on the first of the following year, and died about a year later, January 17,
1864. He died in the court building at Indianapolis as a result of a
hemorrhage.

As an orator, Caleb B. Smith had few equals, particularly excelling in
"stump" speaking. He had a singularly clear, sonorous and penetrating
voice, which made it easy for him to address large crowds. His language
was copious and musical, often striking and always clear. At his death
President Lincoln sent a telegram to Indianapolis ordering that- the post-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 587

office be draped in mourning for fourteen days in honor of him "as a pru-
dent and loyal counselor and faithful and effective coadjutor of the admin-
istration in an hour of public difficulty and peril."

Smith was married July 8, 1831, to Elizabeth B. Watton, of Conners-
ville. They had several children, all of whom are now deceased. His
widow survived him several years.

SAMUEL W. PARKER.

Samuel W. Parker, a member of Congress from 185 1 to 1855 and a
resident of Connersville from 1828 until his death in 1859, was born on
September 9, 1805, in Watertown, New York. When ten years of age he
removed with his family to Cincinnati, and three years later the family
located at Oxford, where young Parker completed his education at Miami
University, graduating at the head of his class in 1828.

Shortly after his graduation, Samuel W. Parker located in Conners-
ville, and in November, 1828, opened a private school in the village, which
he taught for several terms. He was principal of the county seminary when
it opened, and maintained his connection with that institution until April,
1830, when he resigned to engage in newspaper work in the village. The
newspaper chapter elsewhere in this volume sets forth his connection with
the press at Connersville.

While teaching and later while engaged in newspaper work, Mr. Parker
devoted his spare moments to the study of law in the office of O. H. Smith.
He was admitted to the bar in August, 1831, and from that time until his
death he was engaged in the active practice of his profession, with the
exception of the time he spent in Congress. He served in both branches of
the General Assembly of the state and also served by appointment as prose-
cuting attorney. His first election to Congress was in 1850 and by re-elec-
tion he served from March 4, 1851, to March 4, 1855. He could easily have
been elected for the third term had he so chosen, but he declined to accept
the renomination. As soon as he had left the halls of Congress he returned
to his home in Connersville and from that time until his death divided his
attention between the practice of law and the direction of the various rail-
road interests with which he was identified. He was president of the Junction
Railroad Company at the time of his death, February i, 1859, and had for
several years previous been president of the White Water Canal Company.

Parker was the leader of the Whig party in Indiana for twenty years
and his services as a campaign speaker were in constant demand throughout

588 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the country. He was married on July i6, 1834, to Susannah Watton, of
Connersville, who survived him many years.

WILLIAM WATSON WICK.

\\'iIHam W. ^^'ick, the first lawyer in Connersville and a resident of
Fayette county until 1822, was born at Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, Febru-
ary 2^, 1796. When he was four years of age he removed with his parents
to the Western Reserve of Ohio, where he grew to manhood. During the
two years following 18 14 he taught school in Washington county, Pennsyl-
vania, and in the spring of 18 16 went to Cincinnati. There he taught school
and began the study of medicine, but later decided to forsake the medical
profession and engage in the practice of law. About 18 18 he began the
study of law at Lebanon, Ohio, and sometime during the following year
was admitted to the bar in that state. Having been admitted to the bar, the
next cjuestion was where to locate. He heard of the newly-organized county
of Fayette in Indiana and finally decided to cast his lot with its county seat.
Accordingly in December, 1819, he located in Connersville, the first lawyer
to settle in the county. In December, 1820, he was chosen clerk of the
Indiana House oi Representatives and served through two sessions in that
capacity. The Legislature elected him president judge of the fifth judicial
circuit, February 7, 1822, and with his election to that office he severed his
connection with Connersville forever, and located in Indianapolis.

There is probably not a man in Indiana who filled more official posi-
tions than William W. Wick. The different official positions he held covered
practically the whole period from 1822 to 1857, his ofificial positions follow-
ing: President judge, 1822-25; secretary of state, 1825-29; quartermaster
general, 1826; prosecuting attorney, 1829-33; president judge, 1834-39;
congress, 1839-41 and 1845-49; president and circuit judge, 1849-53; post-
master of Indianapolis, 1853-57.

Wick was first married in 1821 to Laura Finch, a sister of Fabius M.
Finch, one of Indiana's best lawyers. After the death of his first wife in
1832, Wick was married, in 1839, to Isabella Barbee, who died in 1875.
He spent his declining years at the home of his daughter at Franklin,
Indiana, where he died on May 19, 1868.

JONATHAN m'CARTY.

Jonathan AlcCarty, one of the famous distinguished residents of Fay-
ette county, although not born in the county, was nevertheless prominently

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 589

identitkd with its early history. He was born in \'irginia, .\ugust 3, 1795;
removed with his parents to Franklin county, Indiana, in 1804, was reared
in sight of Brookville, and lived in that county until Fayette county was
organized in 1819. He served as deputy clerk of Franklin county under his
brother, Enoch, spent his spare moments reading law and was eventually
admitted to the bar. He early began to interest himself in politics, was
elected to the Legislature from Franklin county and introduced the bill which
provided for the organization of Fayette county. Upon the organization of
the county on January 1,1819, he removed to Connersville and was elected
as the first clerk of the circuit court, serving also as recorder.

Mr. jMcCarty filled the office until 1828, when he resigned, having been
notified of his impending appointment as receiver of the land office to be
established at Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He took charge of the land office in
1829 and the following year made the race for Congress against John Test.
In the course of the campaign he made the following statement in one of his
speeches :

I have resided for more than twenty-five years in the territorial limits of what
now forms this congressional district; first In the county of Dearborn [this was before
Franklin was organized in 1811], then In Franklin, then in Fayette, my present resi-
dence. ****** Having been resired and educated in the western country, accustomed
to its policy and laws, I necessarily Imbibed, at an early period, those republican
principles so repeatedly and practically illustrated in the We.stern states— and have
always been proud of the name and title of a Republican.

While McCarty called himself a Republican, it must be understood that
it was not the party that it is today ; in fact he was a follower of Jackson,
really a Democrat. His opponent, John Test, was a National Republican.
Though McCarty was defeated in his race for Congress in 1828, he was
successful two years later, defeating his former competitor. Test, and Oliver
H. Smith. In the course of the campaign, Samuel W. Parker, then editor of
the Political Clarion at Connersville, and a violent fighter against McCarty,
referred to the latter in the following manner;

General McCarty for four or five years had particular notoriety as a heated parti-
Siin of President Jaclvson. As a man he is possessed of natural abilities which rate
considerable above mediocrity : abilities which could not but have rendered him truly
and ,1ustly conspicuous, had they been jiroperly disciplined and directed. From village
to national polities, he is shrewd, calculating, .nlfiil .iiul inili'f.itigalile. ;nid in his
demeanor he is affable, courteous and interesting.

This statement from a political adversary, as will be noticed, recognized
the ability of the man. Another, and probably a truer estimate of the man.

590 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

is recorded by O. H. Smith in his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches." In
speaking of McCarty, Smith said :

He was one of the most talented men in the state. He was defective in education,
but had great native powers; represented his district in Congress for several years [he
served from 1831 to 1837] with ability. As a stump speaker he was ardent and
effective; his person was above the medium size; his head and face of fine mould;
his voice strong and clear, and his actions good.

In 1848 or 1849 McCarty left Indiana and located in Keokuk, Iowa,
for the practice of law, but had only fairly established himself in that city
when his death occurred. He died in Keokuk in 1852 and his remains
rest there.

MINOR MEEKER.

Minor Meeker, a farmer of Harrison township, was a man of unusual
ability. Born in Orange county, New York, July 5, 1795, he was left an
orphan at the age of two years, fought in the War of 1812 in a New York
regiment, and then learned the tanner's trade in Steuben county, in his native
state. In 18 19 he started for the West in company with Minor Thomas and
others, the party going down the Ohio river and stopping off at a point about
five miles above Cincinnati. From that point they made their way overland
to Fayette county, Indiana. Meeker settled in Connersville and at once
engaged in the tanning business.

In January, of the following year, he married Rachel Thomas, the
daughter of Minor Thomas, the leader of the party to this county. After
his marriage he moved onto his father-in-law's farm and subsequently bought
a farm in Harrison township. He built a log cabin on his farm, moved into
it before it was completed, began clearing his land, and there on that farm
he lived the remainder of his days. Before his death he was one of the
largest landowners of the township.

Minor Meeker divided his attention between farming, tanning and
shoe- and boot-making, distilling and the pork-packing business. He was
also one of the directors in the White Water Canal Company and always
took an active part in urging public improvements of all kinds. Successful
as he was as a farmer and business man, it is his record as a public official
which insures him a place in the hall of Fayette county's distinguished men.
It is said of him that so popular was he in the county that he was never
defeated for any office to which he aspired. He was first elected as repre-
sentative to the Legislature in 1841, serving in the twenty-sixth and twenty-
seventh sessions, and again in 1845, serving in the thirtieth and thirty-first

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 59I

sessions. In 1852 he was elected to the state Senate and served in the thirty-
seventh and thirty-eighth sessions. An examination of the House and
Senate journals shows that he was a prominent figure in both houses of the
Legislature, and active in shaping legislation.

Meeker died on May 10, 1865, and his widow died on March i, 1885.
They had two children, Marcella. born on October 23, 1823, and Chester
C, July 27, 1828.

JAMES COTTINGHAM m'iNTOSH.

James C. Mcintosh, one of the leading lawyers of Connersville for
many years, was born on January 13, 1827, in Connersville. His parents,
Joshua and Nancy Mcintosh, natives of Virginia and Maryland, respect-
ively, settled in Connersville in 1824. The elder Mcintosh was a local
preacher in the Methodist church and for many years one of the associate
judges of Fayette county. The son was educated in the schools of Conners-
ville and then entered Asbury (now DePauw) University, at Greencastle,
Indiana, and graduated at the head of his class in 1849, completing the reg-
ular four-year course in three years.

For a short time after graduating Mr. Mcintosh taught school in
Lagrange, Indiana, but in 1850 he commenced the study of law, his pre-
ceptor being Samuel W. Parker, of Connersville. In 1851 he was admitted
to the bar, and from that date until his death, August 27, 1878, he devoted
himself to the practice of his profession. He never cared to mingle in
politics and frequently declined to make the race for office. In commenting
on the life of this distinguished lawyer, a local biographer thus character-
ized his life :

From the beginning he worlied his way upward in his profesision until he ni.Tile
a reputation as a lawyer surpassed by a very few. And be it noted that the pul)lic
prominence he attained was as a lawyer — polities had nothing to do with it. He never
asked for otflce; in fact, he refused to allow his name to be used in that connection,
and while many of his associates in the state have left their names to be tossed about
on the billows of polities, he quietly toiled on in his profession, leaving a work that
will last as long as jurisprudence has a place in the state he loved.

His devotion to his legal studies and duties, however, had no effect in diminishing
his religious interest, nor did it then, or ever, interfere in the slightest degree with
his faithful performance of his church duties. Always calm and dignified, never
demonstrative, his entire Christian life was a steady, per.sistent, elevated plea for the
truth of Christian doctrines, and the purity and elevation of Christian character. He
did not flash with the fitful and momentiiry glare of the brilliant meteor, but glowed
with the steady light of the planet that keeps the track of its orbit.

502

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

James C. Mcintosh was mar-ried April 28, 1851, to Elizabeth W. Mar-
tindale, and at his death left his widow and five children.

COL. JAMES C. REA.

Col. James C. Rea, a veteran of the War of 181 2, a resident of Fayette
county from 1818 until his death in 1876, a successful farmer, school teacher,
justice of peace for nearly a quarter of a century and holder of other public
offices, was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, June 16, 1789. He served
in the War of 1812 with a company of Virginia militia, and in 1818 was
appointed lieutenant of the Thirteenth Brigade, Thirteenth Regiment Vir-
ginia Militia.

Colonel Rea's connection with Fayette county, Indiana, began in the
summer of 18 18, in which year he and his brother Daniel came to the
county and settled in Harrison township. He took a prominent part in the
militia of the county and before the system was abolished in 1846 he had
reached the rank of colonel. He lived on the farm in Harrison township,
where he first settled, until his death, September 25, 1876.

Colonel Rea was married, April 20, 1823, to Mary Stockdale. They
were the parents of a large family of children, nine of whom became suc-
cessful teachers in the county, a record which has never been approached
(luring the whole liistory of the county. The names of the children follow :
Elizabeth M., Hetty J., Rheuamy, John, Robert, James C, Joseph B., Nancy
H., Sarah A., and India B. The mother of these children died on Novem-
ber 10, 1846.

Colonel Rea was looked upon as one of the leaders in the county for
half a century. He taught school for a number of years, even being found
in the school room when he reached the age of seventy-eight years. He
served on the board of tax commissioners in 1833, filled the office of justice
of ])eace in his township from 1834 until 1857, ^"f' ^'^^ appointed in 185 1
to appraise the real estate of Waterloo, Harrison and Posey townships. He
was a Jackson Democrat, an "old school" Presbyterian, and a man of firm
and resolute character in every respect; a fine type of the sterling pioneers
of the county, who reared large families to lives of usefulness and honor,
took an active part in the life of their respective communities, and in every
way worked for the ^ood of the county honored by their residence.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 593

ABRAM B. CONWELL.

Abram B. Conwell, for years the most prominent merchant of Con-
nersville, and ictentified with the history of the city from 1819 until 1886,
was born in Lewiston, Delaware, August 15, 1796. He was apprenticed to
a tanner at the age of fifteen and served an apprenticeship of five years.
In 1818 he and his brother, James, left their native town for the West, and
on arriving at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, James secured a ^xisition in a ship-
yard, leaving Abram to continue his journey westward alone. He went on
down the Ohio river and stopped in Kentucky, but a year later he left that
state and came to Fayette county, Indiana, and located at Connersville,
where he lived until the day of his death, November i, 1886, being in his
ninetieth year.

In the fall of 181 8 three of the Conwell brothers, James, William and
Isaac, made a prospecting- trip throughout the Northwest looking for a
suitable location. James, a Methodist preacher, located at Laurel, Franklin
county; William settled at Cambridge City, Wayne county; Isaac chose Lib-
erty, Union county; while Abram finally decided to cast his lot with Conners-
ville. All of the brothers became successful merchants in their respective
communities, Abram achieving the most pronounced financial success.

Having learned the trade of a tanner it was but natural that Conwell
should start a tannery as soon as he got located in Connersville. He lx)ught
one acre from John Conner, the founder of the town, and proceeded to build
a fine residence on the same, the building still being in an excellent state of
preservation. He was married February 22, 1821, to Elizabeth Sparks, a
daughter of Matthew Sparks, one of the earliest settlers of Franklin county.
They were the parents of three children, Lafayette, who was associated with
his father in business until his death; Anna K., who became the wife of
William Merrell, a banker and merchant of Connersville. and Charles K.,
who died in 1876.

To tell the business career of Abram B. Conwell, extending as it did
over three-quarters of a century, would transcend the limits of this article.
He was financially interested in a large number of projects in the city and
county, and nearly all of them were successful. Primarily he was a merch-
ant— a store keeper, he called himself — and it was in trading that he made
his greatest success. He gradually branched out into other lines of activity
and such was his versatilitv that he was capable of handling his manv diverse
(38)

59'4 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

interests in a way to make them successful. He bought a mill in the village
and later built a new one., installing the latest and most improved machinery.
Still later he became interested in the pork-packing business and it is said
that during some years he sold more than six hundred, thousand dollars'
worth. of pork. In the meantime he was buying up land in the county and
at one time he owned about fifteen hundred acres. Thus he had four enter-
prises in hand at the same time- — his store, flourmill, pork-packing estab-
lishment and finally his hundreds of acres of farming land.

When the question of completing the White Water canal through Con-
nersville was being agitated in 1839 and 1840, Mr. Conwell became one of
the leading promoters of the new company, which finally secured the right to
complete the canal, and he was one of the heaviest stockholders. Likewise,
when the proposition of building the present Cincinnati, Indianapolis &
Western Railroad was broached, he took a prominent part in raising the
money to build the branch, connecting Dayton and RushviUe. He invested
sixty thousand dollars in the project and got no other returns except such
as came indirectly through the improvement of the city. , ,

Mr. Conwell was one of the charter members of the first Masonic lodge
established in Connersville. In politics he was a Hfe-long Democrat, but
never during his long career would he consent to become a candidate for a
public office. His life work was in the business world, and with an indom-
itable will, ceaseless energy, unquestioned integrity and well-directed effort
he built up a truly remarkable business for his day and generation. During
all of his life he took a hearty interest in the welfare of the community and
contributed generously of his means to all worthy causes. His life spanned
four score and ten years and with his death in 1886 there passed away the
greatest merchant Fayette county has ever produced.

FRANCIS M. ROOTS.

Francis M. Roots, for many years one of the leading business men of
Connersville, was born at Oxford, Ohio, October 28, 1824. His parents,
natives of Vermont, had located at that place in 1816, his father, Alanson
Roots, at once establishing a woolen factory at Oxford. Alanson Roots'
three elder sons assisted in the factory and in this way learned all the details
of the business. Francis M. entered Miami University, located in Oxford,
when he was sixteen years of age, and was graduated from the scientific
course.

When he was twenty-one years of age, Francis M. Roots and his brother,

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 595

Philander H., decided to come to Connersville and establish a woolen-niill.
At that time (1845) the White Water canal was just being opened through
the town and this fact, together with the opportunity of utilizing water power
for their factory, offered such an attractive inducement to the two brothers
that they decided to establish a large woolen-mill here.

The Roots brothers at once erected a five-story building, one hundred
by forty feet, and when operated at full capacity, as they did during the
Civil War period, employed at least one hundred men. This building was
in constant operation from the time it was opened for manufacturing until
it was destroyed by fire in 1875.

Before the woolen factory burned the Roots brothers had become inter-
ested in another manufacturing enterprise of even greater magnitude. In
i860 they succeeded in getting patented what became known as Roots'
rotary blower. This machine was awarded first premiums at three inter-
national expositions: Paris, 1867; Vienna, 1873; Philadelphia, 1875. ^^
sold extensively not only in this country, but in Europe as well. By 1885
no fewer than five thousand had been sold in England alone, while as many
more had been sold on the continent.

Francis M. Roots became interested in banking in Connersville in 1873,
and was president of the First National Bank from 1879 until his death,
October 25, 1889. An extended sketch of his life, which covers his business
career in detail, is given in the biographical section of this volume.

LIEUT. SAMUEL J. SHIPLEY.

Samuel J. Shipley, a resident of Fayette county from 1819 until his
death in 1897, a member of the first class to graduate from the United
States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, a participant in the Civil War and
one of the best beloved men of a past generation in the county, was born
in Wilmington, Delaware, December 24, 181 3, the son of Joseph and Mary
H. (Test) Shipley. He came with his mother to Fayette county when he
was six years of age, his father having died leaving his wife with four small
children.

It was the childish ambition of Shipley to become a sailor, and when
he was nineteen years of age Jonathan McCarty, then congressman from
this district, secured an appointment for him as midshipman in the navy.
This was before there was a naval academy and it was not until 1839 that
Congress established such an institution, the first one being located at Phila-
delphia. Shipley was enrolled as a student at the time of its inception and

596 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

when the academy was removed to Annapohs the following year, he became
a member of the first class, graduating in the spring of 1840.

Shipley continued his career at sea year after year, being advanced to
a lieutenancy in 1847 ^^ the close of the Mexican War. At the opening of
the Civil War he was stationed at Fortress Monroe as commander of the
"Brandy wine," but his health became impaired and he was compelled to
retire from his command in 1863. He at once returned to his home in
Fayette county and settled down on his farm in Harrison township, which
he had purchased in 1837. There he continued to reside with his daughter
until a few years before his death, when he moved to Connersville where
he died on July 11, 1897.

Lieutenant Shipley was married on November 14, 1841, to Martha
Holden, but his wife died two years later, leaving a daughter, Jennie, who
is still living in Connersville.

LOUIS THEODORE MICHENER.

Louis T. Michener, attorney-general of Indiana from 1886 to 1890, was
born near Connersville, Indiana, December 21, 1848, a son of William and
Mary Michener. After receiving a common-school education he spent one
year in Brookville College and then began the study of law with James C.
Mcintosh, at Connersville. He was admitted to the bar in 1871 and located
in Brookville for the practice of his profession. The same year he was
appointed deputy common pleas attorney for his district and served in that
capacity for two years. In 1873 he moved to Winfield, Kansas, but a year
later returned to Indiana and located at Shelbyville, where he formed a
partnership with Thomas B. Adams. He continued to practice in Shelby-
ville until he was elected attorney-general of Indiana, serving by re-election
from 1886 to 1890. After retiring from the ofifice he went to Washington,
D. C, where he has been practicing several years.

Mr. Michener took an active part in politics in former years. He was
a delegate to the Republican national convention at Chicago in 1884, and
was political manager for Gen. Benjamin Harrison from 1884 to 1892.
From 1884 to 1886 he was secretary of the Republican state committee of
Indiana, and during 1889-90 was chairman of the state committee. He was
married on May 30, 1872, to Mary E. Adams, of Brookville, Indiana.

CHAPTER XXII.

GLIMPSES OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

The most voluminous writer on early Fayette county history was Oliver
H. Smith, who issued a volume entitled "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches,"
in 1858. While a considerable portion of his volume of more than six hun-
dred pages is devoted to a discussion of lawyers and courts in the state, yet
there are a large number of brief sketches pertaining particularly to Fayette
county. It seems appropriate to present a few of these sketches of Fayette
county to the readers of this . history. Smith located in the county in 1820,
the year after it was organized, and was in continuous residence there until
he permanently located in Indianapolis in 1839.

Smith had a style peculiarly his own, and his pithy sketches abound
in witty situations which he portrays in a most humorous manner. He had
a vivid sense of the ridiculous, and, along with this, the ability to e.xpress his
ideas in a picturesque style. All of the sketches which are found in this
volume were first printed in the Indianapolis Journal, and were so well
received by the public at large that he was induced to collect them and issue
them in book form. A few of his sketches pertaining to Fayette county are
here reproduced.

.\RRIV.\L IN CONNEKSVILLK.

In the si)riiig of 1820 I left Versailles, and settled in Connersville, in tile beautiful
White Water valley. John Conner, the proprietor, lived there at that time, and as he
had been many years in his youth among the Indians, at their homes, Connersville was
daily filled with his first forest friends. The only hotel was kept by my distinguished
friend, Newton Claypool ; the only attorney in the place was my friend, William W.
Wiclv, who was soon after elected judge of the "new purchase circuit," including the
seat of government. Court was in session when I arrived. The great case of Isaac
Jones against Edward Harper was on trial.

When I arrived in Connersville in May of the year 1820, I stopped at the hotel of
Newton Claypool. He was about my age. I had been licensed to practice in March
before, and was looking for a location. My la.st dollar had escaped fi-om the top of my
pocket. Breakfast over. I met Mr. Claypool in the bar-room ; as we met I remarked :

"Look at me and see whether you will risk me for my board a year."

"Who are you? Where did you come from? What is your trade, and how do you
expect to pay for your board?"

"My name is Smith; I am from Lawrenceliiirg ; I am a young lawyer, and I expect
to pay you from my practice."

"Rather a bad chance, but I will risk you."

598 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Tliiit diiy my acquaintance with Mr. Claypool commeuced, and I found liiiu uiy
friend in need, as well as in deed. An intimacy grev/ up between us, wliieli lias lasted
tbirty-seven years, without the slightest interruption, and which I have no doubt will
continue while we live. He never was a candidate for office that I did not sui)port him,
nor was I ever before the people or. the Legislature, that he was not my fast friend.
Mr. Claypool represented the county of Fayette many years, in both branches of the
General Assembly, with signal ability. He voted for me for United States Senator when
I was elected. His greatest -foric was in his iiractical knowledge applied to the subject
l)y his strong common-sense. He was one of the most efficient men of the Legislature
for many .vears. The boarding was paid, anil in after years I bad both the honor and
pleasure of receiving bis son, Benjamin ¥., into my office as a student.

A "POLITICAL rsEACHER" IN A "FIX."

I was early initiated into the mysteries of electioneering, by several of the most
adroit men of the county. . Among them I name Marks Crume, who afterward held
.several high offices and was one of the commissioners who concluded the treaty with the
Pottawatamies of the Wabash. He was a warm supporter of General Jackson, while 1
sustained Henry Clay. He bad represented Fayette county several times in the Legisla-
ture, and in 1836 was again a ctindidate. I was anxious for his success, as I was about
to become a candidate before the next Legislature for the United States Senate, and I
knew him to be my fast friend. His competitor was a nameless newlight preacher —
long, lank and stoop-shouldered, wearing a blue muslin gown, a queue hanging down to
his waist, and his bead covered with one of these old-fashioned corn-shuck hats, with
a rim extending to his shoulders. He was a fair electioneerer, in open day. This,
Crume could meet. But he also preached at night. Here Crume entirely failed, although
he was the son of Rev. Moses Crume, of Ohio, who was said to have borne a striking
resemblance to General Washington.

There' remained but a week before the election. Crume became alarmed. It was
evidently to be a close contest. The next week the battalion muster, at Squire Con-
ner's, four miles below Connersville, on Whitewater, was to come off. This was looked
to by the candidates with much interest, as the closing of the calnpaigu before the
election. The preacher lived a few miles west of town, and having no horse walked
down early in the morning, expecting to get one there. Crume and his friends kindly
offered to procure one, and borrowed of Robert Griffls a very small jackass. The
preacher mounted, when it was found that his feet would drag upon the ground. This
they immediately remedied by taking up the stirrups, drawing up the legs of the preacher
like the letter K, his gown covering, the whole jack but his head and ears, and off
they started for the muster.

Arriving at the field, the horsemen rode in at the bars, but the jack of the preach-
er "took the studs," and in spite of all the kicking, pounding and whipping, refused to
budge an inch. The eyes , of the battalion were soon directed to the preacher and his
jackass, when suddenly the stubborn animal was seen to spring forward, and forcing
his head through the rails, the hat of the preacher towei-ing over the top of the fence,
commenced braying at the top of his musical voice, while shout followed shout from the
field. This was too much for the nerves of the candidate. With a great effort he forced
back the head of the jack from the fence- and turned his countenance , toward town.
A traveler met him slowly jogging up the road, evidently ruminating on the vicissitudes
of political life. The morning paper gave us notice that he had declined. Crume was
elected without further opposition, and, best of all, he gave me his vote for United
States Senator.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 599

A POLITICAL JURY.

. The Fayette circuit coiu't wns beld soon after tlie great contest for president had
rterminated in favor of General Jackson against Henry Clay. There was perhaps never
'a more exciting election in the country. Gabriel Ginn was the. Jackspn candidate for
sheriff, and Kobert D. Helin tlje Clay candidate.

A few days before the election John ilurphy, a very respectable citizen, and others,
put in circulation a handbill against Helm, making charges against his integrity. Helm
was defeated, and employed myself and Samuel C. Sample to bring suit for libel. The
action wns brought and eanie on for trial at the next court. Both the sheriff and his
deputies were warm Jackson men, and it so happened that ten of the regular panel of
jurors were of the same politics. James Rariden, John T. McKinney and Gen. James
.Noble appeared for the .defendant. The regular panel were called and all answered.

The Court — "Does the plaintiff take the jury?"

"We are content."

General Xoble at once challenged, peremptorily, the two Clay men ; the sheriff imiue-
■diately tilled their places with two leading Jacksonians.

"We take the jury," says Rariden.

"So do we; let them be sworn."

My client ran forward and whispered in my ear, "All is gone, they are all Jackson
men."

We jiroved the publication beyond question. Mr. Sample opened very briefly for
the plaintiff, and was followed by the defendant's attorneys with their usual force, upon
the question of law and fact. Each closed with a strong appeal to the iwlitics of the
jury, and the fact that the defendant was a Jacksonian and the plaintiff a Clayite, was
pressed with all their power. My client whispered to me to give up the case and suffer
a non-suit. • .

A.S General Noble closed his speech, about half past eleven in the forenoon, Judge

■ Egglestpn inquired, "Shall we adjourn now?" ,;,.,

"I prefer closing before dinner." . ,-,

"You certainly cannot do that."

"I'll try."

"Gentlemen of the jury, we are trying one of the most important questions that
has ever been tried in the county. I hold the affirmative of the issue, the counsel
opposed to me the negative, and you are to decide it by your verdict. It is, whether
a Jackson man will regard his oath, and find according to the law and evidence. You
were selected because the counsel for the defendant supposed that you would perjure
yom-selves to acquit their client. I believe that a Jackson iua,n is just as honest as a
Olay inaP,'-aBd will be no more likely to perjure himself to acquit a Jackson man,
.than would a Clay man to convict him. Your names are on the record; the eyes of
the people are upon you; my client will not take a cent of your verdict; I only ask you
to give him his counsel fees, one hundred dollars."

I occupied about fifteen minutes. The jury retired, and before court adjourned
returned a verdict for the plaintiff of one bundled dollars damages. Judgment accord-

■ ingly.

: • -•,,■. THE STORY OF BETTY FRAZIER.

!- In early times, before the first land sales of the beautiful White Water valley.
'where Conliersville; Liberty; Cambridge City,. Centerville and Richmond now stand,
ithere lived upon the east bank of White Water, a mile above Connersville, a most
remarkable woman by the name of Betty Fraizier. She was a small, tougb-loolclng,
-Either swarthy wbman; her husband, George Frazier, was a poor ci-ipple, and with their
children were supiiorteil entirely by Betty. They had settled upon a small fraction of

6gO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

government liuul. iuleiiiling to pnrcliase at the sales. The landofHce was at Cincinnati,
and Geu. James Fiudlay was the receiver. The spring of the year, after a severe winter,
had come; the sales were to take place the next winter, and Betty had the season before
her to raise the money to pay for her land. She commenced with a young .stock of
hogs, caring for them daily, driving them to the best mast, and preparing a good patch
of corn for the fattening process. She had cue hor«e only to tend her crop, and to ride
•to Cincinnati when she drove her hogs down to sell, and buy her land.

One day about midsummer she saw a horseman ride up to her cabin in full uni-
form. She met him at the bars: "Well, General Hanna, how do you do?"

"Very well, Mrs. Frazier."

"What on earth has brought you all the way from Brookvllle to my poor cabin?"

"I am very sorry to tell youi Mrs. Frazier, that I am the sheriff, and have an execu-
tion against your property."

"Well, General, I always submit to the law; come with me to the stable and I will
give you my only horse as the best I can do."

There were no "exemption laws" then. Betty and the General proceeded to the
stable. It was a strong log building with a single door, no window, overlaid with a
solid platform of logs, and filled with hay for the horse. The door fastened outside
with a large wooden pin In a log.

"There, General, is the horse — take him."

The General stepped In and commenced untying the horse. Betty Immediately
fastened the door outside, driving the pin into the hole to its full length, and left the
General to his reflections while she attended to her household alfains. Time passed
away; night came on; but no relief to the captured general. Morning came, and with
It came Betty.

"Well, General, how did you sleep last night?"

"Not very well. I am ready to compromise this matter; If you will let me out and
show me the ford over White Water (the river was muddy and high), I will leave
you and the horse and return the execution 'no property found.'

"Upon honor?"

"Yes, upon honor."

Betty opened the door. The General mounted his horse and silently followed Betty
down to the river side.

"There, General, you will go in just above the big sycamore, and come out at that
haw-bush you see."

The General started; at the second step both horse and rider were under water
out of sight, and the chapeau of the General was seen floating down the river. Still,
he being one of the pioneers, and his horse a trained swimmer.- gallantly stemmed the
current, and exactly struck the haw-bush, his horse swimming to the very shore, while
Betty stood on the bank screaming — "I gue.ss the Brookvllle oflicers will let me alone
now till I have sold my pigri and bought my land."

The General rode on dripping wet to his brigade that mustered that day. But the
end was not yet. Time rolled on ; the pigs grew to be well-fatted hogs. Betty mounted
her pony ; the little boys started the hogs for Cincinnati ; they had ten days to get there
before the land sales; the distance was about seventy miles. Nothing unusual occurred
on the road until they arrived at New Trenton, at Squire Rockafellow's. The night
was stormy; the snow fell deep; next morning found Betty at the usual hour on the
pony, well wrapped, with an infant a few hours old in her losom. She arrived with
her hogs at Cincinnati the day before the sale, sold them for, cash, and the late General
Findlay told me that .she stood by his side on the box and hid ofC her land, with her
Infant in her arms. Surely, "truth is stranger than fiction."

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 60I

A •'DIVINELY COMMISSKINKU" TIIIKK CATCHI K.

One iii^'lit ill the siiring of 1S23, John Williams had his horse stolen from his sl.ilile
iu Conueisville. Tlie woods for miles around was scoured by the citizens, and the horse
was found in a thicliet fastened to a tree. A watch was set, and William Boice was
taken iu the act of feeding the animal. Boice was tried, convicted and sentenced to
two years jit hard labor in the penitentiary, at the next term of the Fayette circuit
court. I was attorney for the state at that time. Boice was taken to the state's prison
by the sheriff. Tlie word soon came from the keeper of the peniteutiai'j' that Boice
had broken .lail and escaped, and offering a reward of one hundred dollars for his cap-
ture and return to prison. The above common occurrence is merely introductory of
what follows. It so happened that iu this very period of time there lived not far from
Connersville. a man I call .To.»eph Abrams. who was laboring under a peculiar delusion.
He believed in "siiecial providences" — that all men were created equal for special pur-
poses, and set apart for the particular work liy the Almighty; that they had no power
to resist, nor could any harm come to them while engaged in this particular calling.
In this particular case he believed that he was specially created and commissioned to
take horse thieves: that he was required to be diligent in his calling. He had no doubt
whatever, that he could take with his single ann any number of liorse thieves, however
armed, without any power on their part to do him harm. He never went armed him-
self, but always carried with him his pockets full of ropes to tie the horse thieves as he
caught them. He was a large, young, powerful man, as active as a cat and fearless
as a rifle. He believed, that as a part of his mission, he had the power given him of
recognizing a horse thief the moment he saw him.

The news that Boice had escaped prison reached Abrams about sunset in the even-
ing: he said nothing to anyone, but left town about ten o'clock that night. Squire Ross
was traveling the road leading by the cabin of Boice, when all at once he heard loud
screams ahead. Spurring his horse he soon arrived at the cabin. "As 1 rode up to the
fence," he said, "I saw Abrams dragging Boice out of the door of the cabin, tied fast
with ropes, and Boice's wife beating Abrams over the head and shoulders with a clap-
board." It appears that Al)rams had demanded of Boice to open the door, that Boice
had refused and armed himself with a butcher knife: that Abrams broke down the
door, seized Boice and wrested the knife from him, threw him upon the floor and tied
him, while the wife of Boice was belaboring Abrams all the time. Abrams placed Boice
upon his horse, tied his feet together and immediately started with him to the peniten-
tiary, and actually delivered him up to the keeper, and received his reward. Boice was
a powerful man. weighing not less than two hundred pounds and courageous as a lion.

Soon after this occurrence, Abrams met .lohn Willey, sheriff of the county, took
him off his horse, tied him and carried him to a .iustice of peace. I was sent for and
had him discharged late at night. The fact that I appeared for Willey caused Abrams
to suspect me of being an accomplice, and the next day on my way to the Franklin
circuit court. I met him in the road. I saw his pockets full of rope. "Ton are a horse
thief: get down and I will tie you." I smiled In his face. "Can't you wait until I come
back and then tie me?" "Will you say upon honor, that you will meet me at Conners-
ville next Saturday?" "Tes, I will." "Oo then, but fail not at your peril." We parted.
I returned home on Saturday morning: Abrams was there. As we met in front of the
old court house, he gave me his hand with a fixed look, "Tou are discharged, you are
no horse thief, you have kept your promise." "Thank you. Mr. Abrams. I knew that
you would learn from the spirit of your mission that I was not one of them." He
smiled and we parted.

6o^ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

JOHN m'CORMICK CONNERSVILLE AND INDIANAPOLIS.

According to the best authorities the first settler on the present site of
Indianapohs was John McCormick, who was one of the fi.rst settlers in Con-
nersville. O. H. Smith states that McCormick was the first man to build a
house outside of the stockade in Connersville and that he continued to reside
there until February, 1820. In view of the fact that Connersville furnished
the first permanent resident of Indianapolis it seems fitting to give in this
connection some facts Of McCormick's career. It is planned to erect a monu-
ment of some kind at Indianapolis on the site of McCormick's cabin, which
was located near the east end of the Washington street bridge over White
river.

John McCormick, Sr., the founder of the McCormick family, so far as
accurate records are obtainable,, was born near Winchester, Virginia, August
30, 1754. He enlisted three times in the War of the Revolution, twice from
Virginia and once from Pennsylvania. His last enlistment was in 1780.
His place of residence at that time was Bedford, Pennsylvania. The facts
just stated are taken from the records on file in the office of the secretary
of war at Washington.

On Ma,rch 24, 1785, he was united in marriage with Catherine Drennen
.of Pennsylvania. Miss Drennen was born on January 25, 1769.

■ ■ ■ HAD FOURTEEN CHILDREN.

To them was born a family of fourteen children, nearly all of whom
•lived to be three-score and ten, and some of more than four-score and ten
years. John McCormick, Jr., the fourth child of John and Catherine McCor-
mick, was born in Pennsylvania, September 15, 1791. Later he came to
Ohio with his parents and was married, to Bethiali Case of Hamilton, Ohio,
in the year 181 1. A short time after their marriage the second war with
Great Britain was declared, and like the father he took up arrns in defense of
his country. ■ ,

The war records show that John McCormick served as a private in
Capt. Allen Scrogg's company. First Andrews Regiment, Ohio Militia, vvar
of 1812; tha:t his service began on September 21, 1812, and that he was trans-
.ferred on December 9, 18 12, to Captain Allan's company. The records also
show that he was transferred again on February 28, 1813, regirhent or com-
pany not given. . , _ ^ . , . ^!

FAVETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 603

SETTLED NEAR CONNERSVILLE.

After peace had been declared he and his wife came to Indiana and
settled near Connersville, Fayette county, where his father was then Hving,
having moved there in i8og.

They continued to reside at Connersville for a few years, when the
spirit of adventure led him to seek a residence in the tract of land known
as the "New Purchase," where he became the first settler of the proud capi-
tal of Indiana.

John McCormick was accompanied by his brothers, James and Samuel,
also nine other men who assisted in cutting the trail. They literally "hewed"
their way through the wilderness, landing on the banks of Wliite river on
February 26, 1820. Indians were the only human inhabitants of the locality,
and there was an Indian's camp at that time on the banks of the creek
where the Union railway station now stands.

MEN BEGAN WORK ON CABIN.

Immediately after they arrived the men set to work felling trees, which
were to be used in building a cabin. The wagons were used for shelter
and protection until the cabin was completed and ready to be occupied.

Huge log heaps were kept burning to make it as comfortable for Mrs.
McCormick and the children as possible. There were seven children in
the McCormick family at the time of their removal to their new home in
the wilderness. After the cabin was completed the brothers of John McCor-
mick with the nine men returned to Connersville, leaving the family with
no other neighbors except the Indians, and they frequently made the state-
ment in later years. that they did not see the face of a single white person,
except the members of the family, until the return of James McCormick
sometime during the month of March.

The Harding, Wilson and Pogue families came in a short time, which
gave a feeling of security to the first arrivals.

OPERATED FERRY BOAT.

John McCormick built and operated a ferry across the river, near where
the new bridge spans the stream on West Washington street. The old book
in which he kept a record of his business is still in possession of a member
of the McCormick family.

604 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

He later built a mill on the river near the present site of Crown Hill
cemetery and operated the same until his death, which occurred in 1825.

Mrs. McCormick, wife of the "first settler," is remembered by the
younger members of the family as the champion story teller of the McCor-
micks. She used to sit by the hour and tell of the incidents of the pioneer
days. The early annals of the country abound in incidents and anecdotes
illustrating fortitude under suffering, and heroism in scenes of peril among
the wives and mothers of the early pioneers.

INDIANS OFTEN DANGEROUS.

On one occasion a well-known and desperate Delaware called "Big
Bottle" had come to the opposite bank of the river and demanded to be
brought over. Mr. McCormick not being at home, his wife refused to take
the canoe over for him, knowing he wanted whisky, and when drinking was
very dangerous. He placed his gun against a tree and swam across. The
cries of Mrs. McCormick brought the neighbors, as the Indian was preparing
to cut his way through the door with his tomahawk. He was taken across
the river and told not to return. He became very angry and flourished his
scalping knife, intimating that he would take her scalp, but he never did.

After the death of John McCormick the widow married John King in
1828 and moved near the bluffs of White river, near Waverly, where she
continued to reside until the death of Mr. King. She then took up her resi-
dence with her daughters, living at Arcadia, Indiana, where her death occur-
red January 28, 1874, in her eightieth year.

REMINISCENCES.

A writer, styling himself "Rambler", published at intervals the follow-
ing reminiscences in the county press during 1870, a series of recollections
of other days that will no doubt prove interesting to students of Fayette
county history :

While standing in the rear of the school building, taking a view of the landscape
there presented, the past comes in view to the memory, and many Incidents of schoolboy
days that occurred forty years ago, come fresh to my mind, and changes are visible
at every turn.

The road leading east from town was then on the high ground north of Conwell's
mill, then down by the old saw-mill directly east, crossing the rivor a short distance
below the railroad bridge, and intersecting the present road at the old McCaun homestead.

FAYETTE COUXTY. INDIANA. 603

The tii'st grist-iiiill in Uie county was erected by John Conner. Iiclow tlic house
uauieil. and about three hundred yards east of the present mill, tvmner sold the mill
to DeCamp, and he to C«n\vell, who ran the same until it was worn out. T'hat old mill
was familiar to all the pioneers for many miles around. Goin^ to mill was a task in
those days, and often a trip of forty or fifty miles on horsebaclj. Each sri-st was num-
bered, and fre<iuently ^yas several days awaiting its turn, while a number of the cu.s-
tomers would be in camp close by. The Saturdays of our boyhooil days were sjient In
rambliugs. and as a jjuest of I^ife Conwell, our schoolmate at that time, that old mill
was examined with boyish curiosity, and its mysteries solved. In after years, wlien
there with grist.s, we were more interested in seeing the miller manipulate the toll dish.
The honesty of the miller is proverbial, but they were sometimes absent-minded, and
would repeat the operation of taking toll, and have been known to forget that important
proceeding, .-is I have received, as the product of a grist, a range of from twenty-eight
jiounds to forty-six pounds of flour to each bushel of wheat at that same old mill.

BRUIN BOOSTS BUSINESS.

Mr. (-(anvell had a tanyard not f;,r from the grist-mill, :md for a while fnrnlslieil
(luite an object of interest to the boys, as well as to the "children of larger growth" who
frequented the place. A pet bear was utilized and labored faithfully by working a tread-
mill, thereby pumping water to fill the vats. These incidents may not interest youths of
the present day, or the stranger who may be taking a view of the surroundings, .-is all
traces of the old grist-mill, the saw-mill, the tanyard, the bri<lge across the ra<e and the
ford are gone, but there are some i)er,sons left in the vicinity [in 1ST<I| to whom the
statement will call up pleasant memories.

The incidents of early days, as related by the original pioneers, always created a
lively interest and often a hap]»y thought, I remember of hearing old Alex Hamilton tell
about a sneaking, thieving Indian who was regarded as a nuisance, and while ont hunting
on the hill northwest of town one day, he got sight of the fellow and tracked him into
a pond in the vicinity of Cal Burton's. But he never could find any tracks whither the
Indian came out, and from the comical expression as he finished his story, we inferred
that he helped the Indian to make those tracks as last .seen.

Colonel Frybarger can tell about having witnes,sed a sava.u'e enccunitor with a wolf
by several men and dogs, and the wolf was killed on the street, about o|iimisIii' Frank
Dale's property. That happened about the year 1S2S,

I have heard Jonathan John. Sr., tell about when he came to this couiily. (liscnnr.igod
and heart-sick; they remained in camp for three weeks without unloading their mov-
ables, intending day after day to start back to old Kentucky. Fin:illy they became more
reconciled and settleil on the hill northwest of town, and never had cause to regret
the choice. The excellent spring at the foot of the hill, below John's house, was the induce-
ment to create the famous camping ground in the vioinit.v, and one of the principal Indian
trails leading to the northwest passed by there and in the direction of Hsirrisburg.
The principal trail from Cincinnati and Brookville came up the east fork from Brook-
ville to Fairfield, then up Ellis Creek, through by Everton, and crossed the river at the
ford south of town, and on as stated. Those Indian trails were used by the early
settlers, and improved for wagon roads until the lands were surve.ved and enclosed.
The present generation can form but little idea of the unbroken forest, especially in
the low lands, where it was almost impenetrable, so thick were the timber, bushes
and vines. There was an imixtrtant frail up the valley with a camping ground on the
Larkin Sims place, near the excellent spring of water there.

6o6; FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

THE STAGE COACH ARRIVES.

I remember when we boys watched dowu street for the stage coach coming as evening
approached, and listened for the notes of the bugle horn. Sometimes we would go down
and meet the coach at the ford of the river opposite where Koofs foundry now stands,
and persuade tlie driver to let us get up with him to ride into town. He was a good
fellow, and how we envied him, and wished we were big enough to drive stage, as he
sat so proudly on his seat. The driver prepared for a sensation after he pulled up
out of the river and rested his team, then let them up lively as he came across the
commons, turned into the main street where Jimmie Mount's corner is, then dashed
up sti-eet and halted at the postoffice, delivered the mail to Major Tate, at the recorder's
office, which served a double purpose, as it stood ou the soutlieast corner of the court
house yard and fronted close on the street. It cost twenty-five cents postage on a letter
then. The next point was across to the old tavern kept by Tom Hamilton, which was
burned down about twenty years ago, and is now the Huston block.

The stage route passed Cinciimati, then left the main road at the cross roads, over
by Swift's and Orr's, and came in by old Sol Clayiiool's, then across the strip of woods
in the river bottom to the ford. The bridge across the river being built where it now
stands, caused the short route by ClaypooTs to be abandoned. That was about 1840.
.\las! What changes in many ways since that date. There was a woolen factory and
a saw-mill on the edge of the river, east side, just across from Andy Turner's residence.
The power was supplied by a mill-dam and feeder race. The mill burned down, and
the floods have reiuoved every vestige or sight of this once important improvement — the
pride of the owner — and, except, perhaps, a few timbers or brushwood that show where-
the dam was located. The jiroperty was owned by Asher Cox, who is yet alive [1870]
and lives with his son-in-law near Indianapolis. He can tell many incidents in connection
with the old mill, which eventually broke him up financially, and caused him to ''go
West and grow up" again. The old nian is remarkably lively and full of vim; is rather
small in stature, quite grey, and expects to meet some of his old friends at the next
Fayette county fair.

I remember what a strife it was to locate the site for the bridge across the river.
Colonel Hankins and others wanted it placed at the end of Third street, that faces out
from Rushville road. Uncle Abe Couwell offered extra inducements for the present
location. The strife was intense and bitter feeling was engendered. Silas Woodcock,
that good and venerable old gentleman we all remember so well, built the bridge, which
was a marvel of immensity to us boys, and we wondered how the old man could get the
timbers so straight, with his head to one side as caused by affliction.

PIONEER DAYS IN FAYETTE COUNTY.
Written by Samuel Little in 1S79. -

To recount the toils of the past, enumerate the privations and note the
pleasures of pioneer life in Fayette county, and contrast the "then" of the
past with the "now" of the present, must produce a glow of honest pride in
the breasts, of the aged few who yet remain to recount the past and survey
the present.

Each of you for yourself can look at the present as it lies before you,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. C:;^

and I will not attempt to picture it, hut hope to recall somewhat of the con-
ditions of the count},' in 1833, when I located among you.

That portion of the county lying east of the old boundary line i)eing
settled ten years earlier than the west side, had nearly passed the stage of
the log cabins. Every farm had its occupant, many had comfortable frame
or brick dwellings, and some had barns and fruit-bearing orchards; but
nearly all of the improvements on our western border were of a primitive
character, and it is mainly of this part of the county, in which I li\ed far
forty-three years, I would speak.

Fanns ranged in size from a forty-acre tract to a quarter section and
nearly all of them had some improvement. The log cabin was the prevail-
ing dwelling, and it was almost always surrounded by a cleared patch, or
deadening, ripening for the fire, by whose agency it was cleared for the plow.
So dense was the forest that the only evidences of other occupied farms
near by was the sOund of the ax, the crowing fowls or barking watch dog.

Paths leading from cabin ta cabin passed around large trees or logs and
over stfeamlets, led us through the tangle of spicewood or pawpaw in our
neighborly visits, and highways were marked out and corduroy bridges bore
us over streams on our way to market, public worship, or to mill in our
wagons, up hill and down the same, and through streams, which were all
without bridges. The stumps, roots and logs gave the beaten track a ser-
pentine direction, which required great skill in the teamster. If Levi Con-
well were here he could tell you all about it, or if you ask L'ncle Billy Simp-
son how he used to freight A. B. Conwell's whiskey and flour to Cincinnati
and return with a load of store goods, he can describe it better than I can.
Pork and the articles named were our staple productions. Cincinnati was
our only market. Our pork was driven on foot, requiring an average of
eight days to reach our destination, three to close out the sale, and two more
to return.

The entire trip consumed about two weeks' time. Wheat sold in Cin-
cinnati in 1834 at fifty cents per bushel, flour for two dollars and se\-enty-
five cents per barrel, and I 'ucle Abe can gi\'e you the price of whiskey ; as
I did not handle it, my memory is at fault. We got but little money, and
we spent but little. Our food grew on our farms, and our clothing was
mostly home-made, growing in the flax patch or on the sheep's back, and in
manufacture was mostly domestic. The flax-pulling and wool-picking were
frequently done by combination or neighborhood frolics, and were occasions
of great social pleasure. There are mothers present who could tell how

6o8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

they raced with their sweethearts at the flax-pulhngs, and some of them
recollect how the points of their fingers ached after pulling the bnrs and stick-
tights out of the wool. Yes, and how they enjoyed their trip on foot to
the spelling-match or singing-school with their beaux by their side, just to
help them oyer the. fences and mud holes. Or, perchance they rode behind
on the same horse, so that if the horse stumbled they could both hold on.
I can answer for the other sex that a girl behind me on a stumbling horse
was rather awkward, but not at all unpleasant.

Don't you grandames recollect how the flyers of the flax wheel hummed
whilst your gent sat by you, or how your bare feet tripped over the puncheon
floor to the sound of the big wheel as you drew out those long threads of
yarn which were to be converted into the winter's wear. I assure you it
was a ])leasure to sit by whilst the shuttle flew from hand to hand as that
yarn grew into cloth. The wheel and loom did not sound so refined as the
organ and the piano, but their product was more useful. Most families were
thus clothed. We used but little tea or cofifee, and the sugar camp furnished
our sweets. Our log-rollings, house-raisings and harvesting cultivated a
social spirit and placed us all on an equality, as we were mutually dependent.
Men and women did their own work with but little hired help. Wages
were low (from ten to twelve dollars per month), but money was scarce.
I reaped with a reaping hook, in the harvest of 1834 for sixty-two and a
half cents a day, and cradled the following harvest for a dollar per day.
Our farm tools were quite simple, but cost but little money. We used the
"bull" plow with wooden mould-board and iron share for turning the soil,
and the single-shovel plow for cultivating the crop. This, with a swingle-
tree and harness, trace-chains and back-band, furnished out our rig. We
had no cultivators, single or double, nor riding plows. We had never seen
a reaper, or mower, nor could we have used them among the stumps. Nor
had we any threshing machines. Oiu^ small grain was threshed by flail or
tramped out by horses on an earthen floor prepared for the purpose, and
cleaned by a fanning-mill with wooden cogs. The fall season was mostly
occupied in burning- off the rubbish of our deadenings, and keeping our
"niggers" busy in preparing the logs for rolling in the spring. Our logs
were rolled into heaps and burned in. the spring, the rails or fencing having
been made during the intervening winter. Stormy days and winter nights
were used to make and repair the family shoes from leather tanned in our
country, and largely made by the farmers at their own firesides, which were
wide and warmed by a bountiful supply of fuel. If some of you old folks

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 609

will mentally take an inventory of an axerat^e dwelling of those days, you
would find as a part of those appendages a shoe-hench, with needed tools;
spinning-wheels for flax and wool; the hand loom and warping-bars : the
washtub, in which the clothes w^ere cleansed without even a washboard ; the
Dutch oven, in which the coni-pone and chicken-pie were baked, and by its
side, a dinnerpot, skillet and teakettle, but no cook stove. A Bible and some
school books, added to some furniture of home make, almost complete the
picture. The actixe men and women here todav were born and reared in
just this kind of a place. Our streams were bridgeless ; our commerce bad
neither turnpikes nor railroads; our Imsiness was done without telegraph,
and we talked without telephones, and when you take a sur\ey of your sur-
roundings, the present generation, your ofifspring. your rich and beautiful
farms, villages, cities and their manufactories, together with all your moral,
social and religious advantages, don't you think that we did well, and don't
you join me in the wish that our children may do better?

EARLY CONNERSVILLE BUSINESS MEN.

In a letter to the Conucrsvillc Times and Xcics, dated Muncie, Indiana,
Alarch 2y, 1905, C. C. Meeker, a member of one of Fayette county's pioneer
families, contributes the following valuable addition to pioneer reminiscences :

"I feel very much interested in the work your school superintendent, Mr.
W. S. Rowe, has undertaken and I feel willing to aid him in the work if I can.
I think he has struck the right key and if he can get his scholars interested in
the struggles, trials and sacrifices that the pioneers of Fayette county met with,
in making it what it is today, he will have accomplished a great work for his
scholars and for future generations. I often wonder that the children of today
don't take more interest in the early history of their own state and county,
where they were born, which give them every convenience and luxury that
heart could wish for, and esi>ecially in matters of education. I well remember
when I was a boy I would leave my young comrades at play to hear old men
and women talk about old times and the troubles and trials they had in getting
a home started, in what was then a dense wilderness.

"I presume that most of the readers of your paper know that Conuersville
was laid out by John Conner, in 181 7, and that he had the first store. Before
he came to Connersville he had an Indian wife, but when he came to settle in
Connersville he married a white woman. This Indian wife used to come to his
store once or twice a year and he used to give her what goods she wanted. In
(39)

6lO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

1833 Connersville had five hundred people. I think about the next general
store was owned by Clark & Lewis. It was on th*e southwest corner of Fourth
street and Central avenue.

"I think about the next general store, after Clark & Lewis, was started
by Meredith Helm, who came with his father, Judge Helm, in an early day,
and settled in Fayette county. They came from Kentucky. Philip Mason, I
think, had the first drug store. He came from New York state. All the people
I shall name in this article came to Connersville over seventy years ago. John
McCormick was among the first settlers. He came from Preble county, Ohio.
I think the first term of court held in Fayette county was held at his home.
He was the father of Lewis McCormick, who was sheriff of the county and
whose children still reside there. John Willey was another early settler and
sheriff of the county. The house he lived in is still standing and is used by
the Connersville Buggy Company for an office. When it was built, it was out
of the town limits. Samuel W. Parker edited a paper there over seventy years
ago. It was called the Political Clarion. George L. Fearis probably came there
nearly eighty years ago.

"In the year 1830, Matthew R. Hull edited the Indiana Sentinel and at
that time there were but thirty papers published in the state, and two of them
in Fayette county. One at Philometh, in Waterloo township, called The Star
and Sentinel, published by S. Tizzard. These persons are a few of the first
settlers of Connersville. There are many more I could name who came only
six or eight years later and who could be classed as early pioneers and who
aided in laying the foundation and building up of Connersville to take a place
second to no city of its size in the state.

"For some of my information, and especially as to dates, I am under
obligation to my old friend, William Tyner, who has not lived in Connersville
for a great many years, but who was born about two and a half miles north-
west of the city, six months before Indiana was admitted to statehood. He
learned his trade of harness-making with George L. Fearis, about seventy
years ago, and worked at it until about one year ago. He has always lived in
this state; and I doubt if there are many born in the state who never lived in
any other besides him."

THE OLD SINGING SCHOOL.

In these days when vocal music is taught in every school in Fayette
county the opportunity to learn the rudiments of the subject is within the
reach of every child who attends the school. There was a time, however,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 6ll

when music was not taught in the pubhc schools of the county, and it was
in those days that a unique school for the teaching of music alone was in
vogue in some parts of the county. It is not known how many of these
old singing schools were in operation in the early history of the county, but
there was one which attained a reputation which extended far beyond the
limits of the county.

This famous singing school was located at Lyons Station, now Lyons-
ville, in the northern part of Jennings township. In this neighborhood there
lived in the latter part of the sixties and the forepart of the seventies a Luthe-
ran minister of the name of Keller, who was very much interested in music
and whose daughter was quite a musician. To these people is given the
credit of starting the singing school at Lyons Station that was eventually to
become the most noted in the county. A man of the name of Smith, or,
as he was commonly known, "Old Smith, the singing teacher," was secured
as the instructor. He brought with him a little melodeon, a novelty to the
people at that time. He was a very successful leader and during his stay
in the community accomplished well his purpose. Subsequently came another
music teacher, Frank Boylen, who taught several terms. The rudiments of
music were drilled into the pupils until they were able to read "by sight"
and the wayfarer who might have passed the old church on any night the
class was Ijeing conducted would have been met with a medley of sounds in
which he cou.ld have discerned do. ra, iiu\ fa, etc. Two sisters, Phoebe and
Sallie McMullen, who lived north of Lyons Station in the Dodridge neigh-
borhood, taught vocal music in the latter seventies and early eighties and were
very successful.

Sometime after the singing school was started in the early seventies, it
began giving concerts not only in the local church, but in other parts of the
county. The "old singing-school class" attended school celebrations far and
near and sang at "musical congresses" at Milton and at College Comer for
many years. Thus it is impossible to estimate the value of the old singing
school to the community where it held forth during the early seventies and
extending into the eighties.

Many of the singers of the old school kept up their interest in the musical
field and one in particular, B. F. Miller, now of Rushville, Indiana, who has
made a national reputation as a tenor singer. The interest in music was
responsible for many an organ being sold in the community and for many
years Lyons Station had the deserved reputation of being the musical center
of the county. Rosella Riggs, of Connersville, Elias Scholl (deceased) and
others received their first inspiration in music as a result of this old singing

6l2 FAYETTE COUNTi', INDIANA.

school. An organ was early installed in the Lutheran church at Lj-onsville.
The first organist was Nancy Simpson, now Mrs. F. M. Riggs, of Lyonsville,
The institution, for such it may be called, gradually died down and by
the early eighties the meetings became infrequent and eventually were dis-
continued altogether. Many of the singers are still living in the country and
they still recall with pleasant memories the days of the old singing school.
It has passed away ; its history has been told ; but it was one of those features
of Hfe in other days which always stood for brighter and better things.

INDEPENDENCE DAY, 183I.

The citizens of Connersville and of Fayette county observed the Fourth
of July, 1831, by a celebration at a grove about one-half mile below the village.

The day was ushered in by the firing of cannon. A procession was
formed in front of the court house, led by the military, and marched to the
grove, where about three thousand persons had assembled. The marshals
of the day were Colonel Caldwell and N. McClure, and the officers in charge
of the exercises were John Hubbell, president; Allen Crisler, vice-president;
Rev. William Miller, chaplain; S. W. Parker, orator; James Ross, reader.
Prayer was offered by the chaplain, which was followed by the reading of the
Declaration of Independence. Next came a volley from the artillery; then
music, which was followed by an oration, and music and firing of the artil-
lery followed, which closed the exercises of the morning. An excellent dinner
was servecj at the grove by Newton Claypool, and some fourteen toasts were
drunk. The dav was fine, though a shower fell just as the exercises were
closing. In the evening a ball was held at the Claypool tavern.

INDUSTRIES OF FAYETTE COUNTY IN EARLY DAYS.

From an early industrial review of Fayette county, not including the
early industries of the county seat, it is noted that during the forties there
were in this county thirty still-houses, twenty-nine saw-mills, twenty-four
grist-mills, six tanyards, one tile and brick yard, one oil mill, four carding and
fulling plants, one wooden-bowl factory, one hominy-mill, one woolen-mill,
one looking-glass factory, one hemp-mill and one shingle-mill. Of these Con-
nersville township had four saw-mills, seven grist-mills and ten still-houses ;
Harrison township had seven saw-mills, four grist-mills and three still-
houses ; Jackson township, four saw-mills, four grist-mills and four still-
houses ; Posey township, one saw-mill and one grist-mill ; Jennings, one saw-

'FAYETTE CdU.NTY, INDIANA. 6l,^

mill, one grist-mill and seven still-hduses; Waterloo, one saw-mill; I'airview,
two saw-mills; Orange, three saw-mills and two grist-mills, and Columl)ia, six
saw-mills, five grist-mills and five still-honses. Harrison township had one
tanyard; Jackson, two; Posey, one; Fairview, one, and Orange, one. The
only brick yard was in Harrison township and Jackson and Posey each had
a woolen mill. Harrison had a shingle factory and a wooden-bowl factory,
while Jackson had the only hominy mill. The oil-mill was in Connersville
township.

THE WA\V.\SS.\ PAPER-MILL.

More than forty years ago there existed a flourishing industry along
the banks of the old White Water canal about one mile south of the present
village of Alpine, an industry which was' established a year or two after the
Civil W'ar and continued uninterruptedly until it was destroyed l)y fire in
1875. This industry, t!ie first and only paper-mill ever established in b'ay-
ette county, employed from seventy-fi\'e to one hundred and fifty emjilox-ees,
many of whom were women, when it was running at full capacity, and dis-
tributed hundreds of thousands of dollars during its career of a decade.
Important as was this industry for the decade that it existed there are few
people of the county now living who have any idea of its magnitude ; that it
it was an extensive plant covering at least fifteen acres ; that raw material
was shipped in from South America and Europe; that the manufactured
product was shipped out in carload lots to the four corners of the earth.

The Wawassa paper-mills, the name "Wawassa" being a curious cor-
ruption of the initials of W. A. Smith, the principal owner of the mill, was
established as a branch of the paper-mills of Bremmaker, Moore & Com-
pany, of Louisville, Kentucky. The mill was operated by water power exclu-
sively, the company utilizing the old canal bed, diverting the water from the
river b}' a dam across the river just above Alpine. There were times, it is
true, when the mill had to shut down on account of low water; other times
when men bad to be sent up to the diversion dam to break the ice in order
to get the water turned into the canal; liut these shut-down intervals were
few, and for the most part of the ten years the mills were in operation tliey
were run day and night, and seven days in the week.

The main building was about two hundred feet long and eighty feet
wide, while attached to this were numerous other smaller buildings, all of
which were connected to the main structure. There were large warehouses
for the storing of raw supplies, the manufactured product, and for offices.
The company also built two large boarding houses for the use of its

6l4 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

employees, one for the women and the other for the men. A cluster of about
a dozen houses sprang up around the mill : a sciiool house was built ; a physi-
cian located there.; a shoe cobbler found plenty of work among the employees ;
church services were held, although no house of worship was erected; but,
strange to say, there was never a store established at the place. The
employees traded at Laurel, two miles to the south ; at Alpine, one mile
north ; or at Connersville, seven miles up the river.

When the mills were opened they began to manufacture paper out of
poplar, at first using the tops and branches of the trees, but later putting in
machinery to handle the boles of the trees. They sometimes bought a tract
of wooded land, cut out the poplar, sold the remainder of the marketable
timber, and then disposed of the land. After the poplar began to get scarce,
they began to make paper out of straw. They even went so far as to install
a threshing machine adjoining their plant, and farmers in the community
hauled their grain to the company's plant to be threshed, the farmer receiv-
ing a good price for his straw as well as getting his threshing done for him.
Straw was also shipped in from the northern part of the state, this being
the first baled straw seen in the neighborhood. This threshing machine,
probably the first in the county, was installed about 1870.

Still later the company successfully manufactured paper out of corn-
stalks, and the farmers in the community hauled the stalks in by the thousands
of tons. This, however, was not profitable for the farmer, and the com-
pany soon found that they could not depend on the cornstalk output. They
next turned to South America for raw material, and the Fayette county
cornstalk was replaced by jute from Argentina, but the problem of trans-
portation was too expensive to allow any extensive use of jute. Of. course,
during all the years the mills were in operation rags had been used for the
highest grade of paper. What the future of the mills would have been, if
they had not been destroyed by fire, can only be conjectured, but it seems
from the best evidence at hand that they were fast becoming, if not already,
a losing proposition for their owners. In fact, it was believed at the time
of the fire that it was not altogether a matter of accident. Certainl)^ the
owners had the plant fully insured, and they expressed no disappointment
when it burned to the ground.

The establishment was never rebuilt and this first paper-mill in the
county was also the last one. Several years later Stephen Limpus bought
eleven thousand pounds of scrap iron which was picked up around the plant,
and a few vears later several more thousands were found in the bottoms of

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 615

decayed vats or covered over with refuse. The wayfarer wlio tochiy tries
to find any evidence of the location of the once flourishing industry will
look in vain. « Every vestige of it has disappeared ; only the memory of it
is left.

RELICS OF FAYETTE COUNTY IN INDIANA UNIVERSITY.

During the past few years, and especially during 1916, efforts have been
made to collect all kinds of Indian relics as well as the various tools, imple-
ments, utensils and the like, used by the pioneers in the early period of the
state's settlement. Indiana University has been very active in building up a
museum of these relics of an early day and has been fortunate in securing a
number of donations of this character.

One of the most valuable of these collections came from Fayette county
and represented the painstaking work of a lifetime on the part of the late
Milton Trusler. At his death his collection passed into the hands of his
daughter, Mrs. Anna Brumfiel, and she in turn left it to her son, Milton
Brumfiel, who presented it to the University. The collection numbered
several hundred pieces, representing almost every phase of Indian labor
and achievement, some of the pieces even dating back to tlie days of the
Mound Builders. A short time before his death Mr. Trusler was offered
six hundred dollars for the collection, but he refused to consider any kind
of a financial offer, the collection to him not being a thing whose value was
to be considered from a financial standpoint.

It is indeed fortunate that the collection is to be kept in the state and
certainly no more appropriate place for it could have been found than in
the State University. The university has made it a part of the large col-
lection which it has succeeded in securing during the past few years, and
there it may be found in tlie future, the uni\-ersity receiving it with the
understanding that it be kept intact.

A TRIO OF CATASTROPHES IN CONNER.SVII.LE.

The first catastrophe resulting in the loss of more than one life in Con-
nersville occurred in the evening of March 21, 1866. On the afternoon of
that day a terrible cyclone swept over the northern part of the town and in
addition to unroofing a number of houses, as well as completely destroying
some, it seriously damaged the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad
bridge across White Water. Whether the amount of damage done to the

6l6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

bridge was known or not, it is evident that the evening train was not aware
of its weakened condition. The train plunged into the river just after getting
on the bridge and three people lost their lives.

The second disaster, while resulting in no lives being lost, yet was one
of the most serious railroad wrecks that has ever occurred in the county.
On July 15, 1892, two freight trains met at the end of the Cincinnati, Hamil-
ton & Dayton bridge and came together with such force that one was driven
back across the bridge, while at the same time the end span of the bridge on
either side was torn out, leaving the center span intact, and with a few of
the cars still standing on it. A picture of the wreck in the possession of
Theodore Heinemann gives a good xiew of the wreck and leaves the
impression that the "buckling- up" of the trains as actually happened would
be an impossibility. But it did happen; the picture tells the story. Fortu-
nately no one was killed.

The third catastrophe, and one resulting in the loss of four lives, was
the result of a natural-gas explosion on December 12, 1898, in the Perry
block on Fifth street, on the site now occupied by the Commercial Club.
The proprietor of the store in which the explosion took place was Henry
Luking. On the afternoon of the day when the accident occurred, he com-
plained of feeling ill and sent for Dr. G. W. McNutt, his intimate friend.
While waiting for the physician, J, D. McNaughton, a plumber, came into
the store to locate the leak which was presumably the cause of the illness of
Luking. About the same time Patrick Ready came into the store, followed
shortly afterwards by Doctor McNutt. The physician had scarcely entered
the door when the explosion occurred. It completely demolished the build-
ing, killed the four men and shook the entire city. School had been dis-
missed just a few minutes before the accident happened and scores of school
children had passed along in front of the building just before the explosion
took place. Had it occurred a few minutes sooner undoubtedly a number
of the children would have been killed.

A MONUMENT OF TEETH.

It takes all kinds of men to make this world. One of the many varieties
of men who have made Connersville their home in past generations was a
dentist by the name of John Doughty. This dentist was nothing if not
peculiar, as is evidenced by the unique monument which he designed for him-
self before his death. In the course of a long and eventful tooth-pulling
career he had amassed thousands of teeth, all of which he very religiously

FAYETTE COUNTY^ INDIANA. 617

saved, but it was not until his death that it was known why he saved them.
It appears that he wanted to use them to make a moniunent to place over
his remains that future generations might know the vocation he followed
while on earth. To this end he cemented together his accumulated teeth
of many years into a pyramid and left directions that this unique monument
be incased in a glass case and placed over his graxe. The glass case is still
there, but the teeth have disapjieared, but when or wh)' they were removed
is one of the many things which the historian has not disco\-ered.

MRS. NANCY HAWKINS IIACKLEMAN.

It is not definitely known who has the honor of being the oldest person
who has ever lived in Fayette county, but there can be little doubt that Mrs.
Nancy Hawkins Hackleman is the oldest native-born person now living in
the county.

Airs. Hackleman is a daughter of John and Susan Hawkins and was
born in the western part of Harrison township, December 7, 1821, being
now in her ninety-sixth year. She was the youngest of eleven children born
to her parents. After her mother's death her father married a second time,
and to this marriage were born two sons and two daughters, the sons, Elisha
and Pleasant, now living in Illinois.

When Nancy Hawkins was sixteen years of age she married \\'illiam
Hackleman, their marriage occurring on October 22, 1837. They were the
parents of six sons, one of whom died in infancy. Three, now deceased,
served in the Civil War, one of them dying in the ser\ice and the other two
from disease contracted while at the front. Two sons, John and Edmund.
are still living, the mother making her home with the latter in Harrison
township. The husband of Mrs. Hackleman died on Julv 23, iS^f), and she
has remained a widow for the sixty-one years which have elapsed since the
death of her husband.

In spite of her age, Mrs. Hackleman is very active and is able to read
without the use of glasses. At the last election she assisted at a pole-raising
by running up the flag after the pole had been set. When asked as to what
incident in her long life had remained the most xivid in her recollection.
she said that it was a Christmas dinner which was given when she was about
fourteen years of age. On the day before her father had gone out into
the woods with his gun to get some fresh meat of some kind — hoping to
shoot a deer or bear. Late in the afternoon, while the children were sitting"

6l8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

around the old fireplace, their father came in dragging a large bear and the
family feasted on roast bear meat the following day.

Many things have been advanced as essentials toward a long life. Mrs.
Hackleman attributes her long life to the fact that she has always eaten
meat three times a day and has never worried about things she could not
help. She has never been ill and still manifests a cheery disposition towards
those around her. She expects to be in good health four years from now,
and be in shape to make a good start on the second century of her life. May
she have her wish.

CONNERSVILLE AS A SHOW TOWN.

Every person who was living in Connersville in the latter part of the
sixties and during the seventies will recall the interest that was taken in the
old time circus. For at least a decade there was nothing quite so exciting
in the city as the annual coming in and going out of the circus which made
its winter headquarters here. In those days the ambition of nearly every
young man in the city was to be identified with the show as a performer
or as a member of the executive staff of the show. At least one young man
succeeded in making a name for himself as a performer, while there were
several who held some official position' with the show.

The performer was William Conwell, who is credited with being the
first acrobat in the world to be able to turn a triple sommersault. As may
be well imagined he excited so much envy in the hearts of the other young
men of the city that large numbers of them tried, but in vain, to emulate
him. It is said by those who recall those days that there was scarcely a boy
in the city who did not imperil his life in an endeavor to turn a flipflop or
perform some other feat of acrobatic skill. But Conwell was the only one
who ever became famous in this line. While with his show in Russia he
met and married a Russian girl. His widow is still living in Connersville
and their son, Fritz, is now a well known artist of Chicago. Connersville
has also produced one circus clown, who at one time was a feature of John
Robinson's shows. His show name was Bartine, but to his Connersville
friends he was plain Charles Bassore. After retiring from Robinson's shows
he made a few ineffectual attempts to start a show of his own.

The show which made Connersville its headquarters for several years
was the Van Amburg-Golden show, probably the best-known of the wagon
shows of its day. At one time the animals were kept in the large brick
building which still stands near the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western Rail-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 619

road station. It was in this building that the largest elephant then in cap-
tivity in this country died. This elephant, known as "Tip-Po," was an
unruly beast, particularly after having to remain in inactivity for a time,
and it is supposed that a dose of poison hastened his retirement from circus
life. After his death the question of the disposition of his huge body was
of a size commensurate with his bulk. It was finally decided to draw and
quarter the body and haul it off in sections to a large hill about a mile north-
west of the city for interment. This was finally done and the hill was at
once christened Elephant Hill, a name it bears to this day, though the osseous
remains of the huge pachyderm have long since been disinterred and now
occupy a prominent place in the museum of Earlham College at Richmond,
Indiana, where the visitor may see "Tip-Po's" articulated ossified structure
in all its bony grandeur.

Probably the best known of the showmen of those days was Frank
Hiatt, a native of New York, and now a resident of Connersville, who was
for many years manager of Barnum's show. He became identified with
Connersville because of his marriage to a girl of the city. Another of the
well-remembered citizens of Connersville in the show business was the uncle
of Hyatt L. Frost, who was ticket agent with Van Amberg-Goldens for
several years. Other local men who figured in the circus life forty years
ago were Samuel and Charles Beck and Manford E. Dale.

The shows wintering in Connersville had many of their wagons made
by local shops and all of them were annually redecorated by the scenic artists
of the city. The two biggest days of the year for Connersville were the
days in the spring when the shows took the road for the summer and the
days when they returned in the fall to go into winter quarters. But the
wagon show, like the canal, is a thing of the past as far as Connersville is
concerned ; no more will the youth of the city indulge in the festive flipflop ;
no more will the gaily painted chariots be seen unloading here for the winter;
but the county will have one thing left for all time to come which shall be
as a reminder of those days that are no more — Elephant Hill will continue
to cast its huge shadow over the surrounding territory and stand as a monu-
ment to the circus days of Connersville.

BUNKER HILL.

To the historian, Bunker Hill is one of the most interesting spots in
Fayette county. Surrounding the place in the northwestern part of Con-
nersville township are many traditions all of which have more or less his-

620 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

toric value. But it can be truthfully said that at one time Bunker Hill was
the chief industrial center of the county. It was during the construction
of the old national road and later the White Water canal that the vicinity
of Bunker Hill was a seat of great activity. Stone was quarried out of
the hills for all of the canal locks and the contractors, Capt. James Vance
and Gen. William Caldwell, employed as high as two to three hundred men
at one time in the quarries. Not only was stone furnished for the canal,
but it was also used for the foundations of many business houses in Conners-
ville, and for the abutments of bridges on the national road between Center-
ville and Lewisville. The lumber industry was also one of importance in
the immediate vicinity.

No tradition in connection with this locality is more interesting than
that surrounding the origin of the name. Bunker Hill, as applied to this
particular spot. During the time that the old stone quarries were running
full blast, and the hill region was distinctly a center of activity, there were
two local citizens, who, for some reason lost in the pages of history, had had
trouble with each other of a serious nature. Their friends, seeing the
thickening of bad blood between them, urged upon them that there was only
one way to settle the matter, namely, to tight a duel. At a point on the
top of a commanding hill selected by mutual friends, on a certain day and
hour and in the presence of judges and a crowd of spectators, the enemies
faced each other with the weapons characteristic of a duel. They advanced
toward each other at the command to fire, but instead of discharging their
pistols, they shook hands — and the duel was over. The crowd, feeling that
they had been outrageously deceived, then and there dubbed the hill Bunker
Hill, in honor of the eminence of that name which was the scene of a
sanguinary fight in the Revolution. Thus the name comes down to the
present, a kind of embalmed reminder that there was a time when so-called
affairs of honor were not unknown in this vicinity.

ORIGIN OF RURAL FREE DELIVERY.

Few people living in Fayette county are aware of the fact that the
present rural free delivery as it exists in the United States originated in the
fertile brain of a farmer of this county ; that in a two-story grange hall in
the, southeastern corner of Jackson township was born the idea which was
ultimatelv to result in bringing the daily mail of the farmer to his doorstep ;
that a plain, unpretentious farmer in a regular meeting of the grange one

FAYETTE COUNTV, INDIANA. 62 1

evening- in this same liall first promulgated tlie idea that the farmer was as
mucii entitled ti) daily mail serx'ice as his Ijrother in the citv.

Such is the case however. The hall still stands just across the road
from the Ireland I'niversalist church; the night in question was in the vear
1880; the farmer with the idea was the late Alilton Trusler. On this par-
ticular night some of the state ofificials of the grange were present, and after
hearing Mr. Trusler, the master of the grange, set forth his ideas along- this
line, they became as enthusiastic in its favor as the speaker. In fact, they
prevailed upon Mr. Trusler to travel oxer the state and agitate the cjuestion
of rural free mail delixery. In a short time the name of Trusler was known
throughout the length and breadth of the state as the father of the system,
and his name and idea were associated in the papers throughout the nation.
The Indiana Farmer devoted one page in its issue to him, publishing a pic-
ture of the grange hall and of Mr. Trusler, calling him the "Author of
Rural Free Delivery." The .\ssociated Press featured him as the originator
of the idea, and the papers from Maine to California carried articles to this
effect.

As a result of his speeches 1)efore the granges of the state. Mr. Trusler
becan-ie master of the state grange and retained this positioi-i for nine suc-
cessive years. As head of the state grange he attended the national con-
ventions of the order and there he always spoke on the cpiestion nearest his
heart. This constant agitation on his part, alily seconded 1)\- the ])ai)ers of
the country, finally resulted in the establishment of the rural free delivery
service. Before Mr. Trusler died he had the satisfaction of getting his mail
delivered to his door each day — and thus was realized the idea born in the
fertile brain of a plain farmer of Fayette county.

AGENTS FOR LOANING OF SURPLUS REVENUE FL'ND.

It is not generally known that the United States at one time was entirely
out of debt and had more money in the treasury than it could use for any
immediate or even prospective need. This happened in 1836, during the
administration of Andrew Jackson. Congress decided after much discus-
sion to deposit all of this surplus fund with the various states with the
exception of five million dollars, proportioning it among them on the basis
of the representation in Congress. The total amount to be thus distributed,
in four equal installments, was $37,468,859, and the act of June 23, 1836,
was hailed throughout the Union as the most popular act that Congress had

622 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ever enacted. Three installments had been paid to the states before the panic
of 1837 swept over the country, and the fourth installment was never paid.

Of the amount actually distributed Indiana received $806,254.44. It is
very interesting to note what the various states did with the money thus
received. Some prorated their share among the whole population; others
devoted it to the construction of roads, canals and railroads; others kept the
entire amount intact in the state treasury and used the income for state pur-
poses. Indiana was one of the states which made a wise use of their share.
The state Legislature in 1837 divided the fund into two equal parts: one-half
to be distributed to the counties in proportion to the number of citizens of
twenty-one years of age and over, to be loaned out in amounts not to exceed
four hundred dollars to any one individual, at eight per cent, interest; the
other half was to be invested in stock of the state bank which had been organ-
ized in 1834. The interest on loans and the dividends on the bank stock
were to be placed in the common-school fund.

The act of 1837 had provided that the first two installments should go
to the counties, and the bank therefore shared only in the third installment.
Of the total amount received the counties received $537,502.96 and the bank
only $268,751.48, and of the latter amount the state took $40,000 to pay
interest on internal improvement bonds. Of the amount turned over to the
counties a large amount was lost through bad loans, carelessness in enforcing
collection and the depression in values following the panic of 1837. The por-
tion recovered of the county distribution was turned over to the bank in
1 84 1, and this sum, added to the returns on the bank investment, was
sufficient to create a fund actually larger than the amount received from
the federal government. When the state bank was discontinued in 1859, the
entire fund was placed at the disposal of the common schools, where it still
remains.

The legislative act of 1837 providing for the disposition of the fund,
created an official for each county to handle the fund distributed to the coun-
ties, his title being "agent for loaning of surplus revenue fund." The agents
were appointed by the Legislature for a term of one year from March i. The
names of the first two agents for Fayette county have not been found, but
the third was Robert D. Helm and the fourth, and last, was Samuel Reese,
who served from March i, 1840, until the fund was taken from the counties
and invested in state-bank stock.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 623

FAYETTE COUNTY S VOTE ON CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.

The 1816 Constitution provided for a vote every ten years on tiie ques-
tion of a constitutional convention, and pursuant to this provision five elec-
tions were held. ' The vote of Fayette county at the first election, August 23,
1823, was 23 for the proposition and 685 against it. At the second elec-
tion, August 4, 1828, there were 123 voters for the proposition. At the
third election, August 3, 1840, 130 votes were recorded in favor of a con-
stitutional convention and 1,520 against the proposition. On August 4, 1846,
484 votes were cast in favor of the convention and 778 against, while at the
decisive election on August 6, 1849, 1,280 votes were cast in favor of the con-
vention and 552 against it. At the election of 1912 the voters of Fayette
county cast 1,285 votes in favor of the question of calling a constitutional
convention and 2,700 votes against the proposition.

AN ADVERTISEMENT OF 1 839.

It has often been said that the Hoosiers are possessed of real poetical
ability, and a perusal of the newspapers of ante-bellum days shows that
poetry then was frequently used as a medium of advertising. In a Con-
nersville paper of 1839 some genius attempted a poetical advertisement for
the firm of Tully & Tate, the same being an appeal to the public to purchase
their hats from the firm. The effusion follows :

Hats ! Hats ! and Caps of every hue,
By wholesale and retail too;
The latest fashions, and the best
That ever graced a Hoosier's uest.

Both brush and silk, and beaver fine,
The otter, seal, rich and sublime,
The nuter and the Russia cat.
And our domestic musky rat,

And wool, both red and black and white,
As fine as silk — (almost, not quite,)
But good enough for you and I,
And General Jackson, if he'd try;

Or Davy Wallace, and the rest
That sit in our big Hoosier's nest.
Unless, by some wild speculation,
The silk-worm met their contemplation.

624 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Whose skill, arranged on natnre"s plan,

Defies the vulgar arts of man,

And partial to a man of state.

Should weave a silk cap around his pate;

And we poor wretches left to squirm,
Because we were not born a worm.
But hats and caps of every size.
The best that Hoosierlaud supplied.

Of every touch that you can find,
To suit the gay or solemn mind.
We have to sell, for cash in hand ;
Or corn, or beans, or bacon, ham.

And furs and trimmings, every size.
For hatters that may want supplies.
Whose orders we'll attend with every care,
And send their plunder anywhere.

And merchants that our hats would sell,
Just call and see — We'll use you well.
And fill with care the largest bill
With good hats made in Oonnersville.

And if the science that ordains
That wisdom is a pile of brains
Should want the biggest hat — why then
We'll block one on the chicken pen ;

For hats and caps, both small and great.
Are made and sold by TULLY & TATE.

N. B. — Shop at the establishment formerly occupied by

J & J. Miller.
Conuersville, Indiana, Dec. 6, 1839.

THE FIRST GERMAN FAMILY.

The first German family in Connersville lived in a log cabin which was
built on a plat of ground near Sixth street. The women wore turbans and
wooden shoes, short dress skirts and blue calico aprons. Everything that
they carried was placed on their heads. The children of the town were
afraid and would keep at long range from them. The family used iron-
bound chests for a double purpose — as a piece of furniture in which to keep
their clothes and as a dining table. Wooden forks and pocket knives were
the eating utensils.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 625

FIRST MARRIAGE LICENSE IN COUNTY.

The first marriage license recorded after the organization of Fayette
county was issued to Stephen Philpott and Rebecca Hawkins on February g,
1819. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Adam Banks.

THE FIRST DEED RECORDED IN COUNTY.

The first deed recorded in the county was that of Paul Davis and wife,
Margaret, of Connersville township, January 31, 1819, to James Davis. The
deed called for the south half of the northeast quarter of section 21, town-
ship 14, range 12, east.

FIRST WILL RECORDED.

The first will recorded in Fayette county was that of George Kirschman,
August 26, 1819.

STRICTLY HAND-MADE SHOES.

During the days of early settlement in Fayette county the people wore
home-made shoes. A cobbler would go from house to house and make shoes
for the entire family. When a beef was killed the hide was taken to the
tannery, where it was kept for nearly two years in order that it might be
a perfect hide. The hide was then taken home and each member of the
family was measured for a pair of shoes which were "strictly hand made."
The making of the shoes was usually paid for with butter and eggs and
other farm produce.

THE FIRST HORSELESS VEHICLE.

The first horseless vehicle ever made was a steam wagon designed and
devised by Harvin Tryon, of Connersville, and antedates the automobile of
Haynes. While Tryon was making the wagon everyone thought him of
unsound mind. The machine was built in the early seventies for the pur-
pose of taking a trip to his old home in Georgia. On his journey he attempted
to cross a stream in soutliern Kentucky and upon getting into quicksand
the wagon sank. When the water reached the boiler an explosion occurred
and the first horseless vehicle suddenly passed into oblivion.
(40)

626 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

STRIFE OVER FIFTH STREET BRIDGE.

Locating the site for a bridge across the river at Connersville gave rise
to a bitter strife. Colonel Hankins and others whose business interests
were in the south part of the town wanted the bridge at the end of Third
street. Abraham Conwell and those whose property and business were two
squares up the street Avanted it leading from Fifth street. On the day that
the question was to be decided George Frybarger, with a hammer in his hand,
stepped to the center of the street, at the intersection of Central avenue and
Fifth street and drove a large nail into the earth, at the same time saying,
"Gentlemen, for years to come these four corners will be the center of the
town," a prediction that has come true, and a decision which meant the ulti-
mate selection of a site for the bridge.

FIRST WHITE CHILD BORN IN COUNTY.

Elmer Edwards, father of William T. Edwards, was the first child born
in Fayette county. The house in which he was born stood on Main street in
Connersville, north of the Heeb rink. The father and mother made the Ohio
river trip from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati by flatboat, thence to Connersville
by wagon. It was a fond dream of the son to be married in a suit of broad-
cloth and in order that this ambition might be accomplished he peeled, cut
and dried many bushels of apples which he sold and with the money thus
earned bought the suit. Mr. Edwards was the first farmer in the county to
use tile in draining land.

FIRST MAP OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

To no other man other than Daniel Morrison should credit be given for
drawing the first map of Fayette county. It was Mr. Morrison who assisted
the engineers in surveying the route of the canal and it was this training that
qualified him to draw the map, a task that required two years to accomplish.

CORN FAIR AND MUSICAL CONGRESS.

A corn fair and a musical congress was held in September, 1890, under
the management of L. J. Edwards. A table seventy-five feet long was con-
ered with all kinds of corn. A grand musical was the closing feature, the
talent being some of the best in the states of Indiana and Ohio.

FAYETTK COUNTY,

MANIFESTATIONS OF LIBERAL SPIRIT.

'Tis not wlint we irive. but \vli:it \vt> sh;i
For the gift without the giver is liai

627

Many years before the above lines were written the city of Conncrsville
was made the beneficiary of gifts at the hands of its pubhc spirited citizens.
In fact, history records that at the time the question of the location of the
county seat was being discussed that a number of the citizens of the village
came forward with gifts of money, land or lots, offering them to the county
in return for the privilege of having the seat of justice located in the village.
Just who these public spirited men were, and just how much they donated
is not on record, but it is known that their joint donations were sufBcient
to pay for the building of the first court house and jail. This initial generos-
ity on the part of the founders of the city has been emulated by many citi-
zens during the nearly one hundred years which have elapsed since this first
outburst of generosity on the part of the founders of the city.

It is well understood that every church in the city has been built as the
result of the donations of citizens, and often many others than the members
have contributed of their means to their erection. Private gifts frequently
made it possible to maintain schools in the period before the days of free
public schools. Thus religion and education, the handmaidens of civiliza-
tion, were fostered in the early days by the munificence of the citizens of
the village, and if private means had not been forthcoming these two agen-
cies would have been sorely tried in their efforts to maintain themselves.
The first public library also belongs to that class of public institutions which
was made possible only by the voluntary contributions of patriotic, if not
always literate, citizens.

In recent years there have been a number of public benefactions made
for the general welfare of the city and county. The most valuable of such
gifts was made in 1902 by Col. James E. Roberts, now a resident of Indian-
apolis, his generosity consisting of the presenting of a tract of eighty acres
in the northern part of the city to the county seat, the same to be known
as Roberts Park. This park was made the home of a free county fair, the
first and only one of its kind in the country, the dedication of the park to
such a purpose taking place on September 9. 1903. Further reference to
this fair is given in the agricultural chapter.

Since the generous gift of Mr. Roberts a number of citizens of Conners-
ville have made various kinds of donations to the citv. Manford E. Dale

628 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

has given "Daleview," one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the state;
Daniel Hankins left the city Hankins Chapel in honor of his father and
mother, while his brother, William E. Hankins, provided all of the interior
furnishings; E. V. Hawkins and wife presented the city a tract for a
playground for the children of the city, the city later building a suitable
house on the grounds and equipping the same with the latest and most improved
playground apparatus; Roy Williams and wife have given eight drinking
fountains which may be found in various parts of the city; the Clio Club
presented the fountain to the city which stands at the corner of Virginia,
Central and Ohio streets. B. F. Thiebaud and wife have established a schol-
arship to Earlham College for the benefit of graduates of the local high school,
the gift being in memory of their daughter, Marguerite, a graduate of the
college; in June, 1916, E. W. Ansted presented the city with the buildings
and the ground at the corner of Virginia and Fourteenth street, which have
been used by the Fayette Sanitarium for several years, the gift being con-
tingent upon the citizens of the county to raise the sum of thirty-six thou-
sand dollars.

One public spirited citizen of the United States, who has generously
given of his millions to thousands of cities throughout the country, has
included Connersville in the Hst of those which have been recipients of his
benefactions. This man is Andrew Carnegie and it is to him that the city owes
its present beautiful library building, his donation of twenty thousand dol-
lars having made its construction possible.

THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF I916.

The state of Indiana celebrated its centennial in 19 16 with a series of
county celebrations and one state celebration at Indianapolis, during October.
Fayette county had one of the best county celebrations in the state, but only
those actually engaged in getting ready for the three-days performance had
any idea of the enormous amount of labor involved in making it the splendid
spectacle that it proved to be. When it is considered that a pageant of nearly
five hours duration, covering as it did, a hundred years of the county's history,
was presented by a body of five hundred performers, it may be seen that the
task of getting such a spectacle ready entailed a heavy burden on someone.

Early in the year it was decided to hold the celebration from July 3 to
July 5, inclusive, and plans were laid in February, 1916, to that end. In
order to handle the celebration it was necessary to build up a large organi-
zation. The general officers consisted of the following: E. P. Hawkins,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

629

chairman; J. L. Kennedy, secretary; T. C. Bryson, treasurer; O. M.
Hempleman, superintendent of amusements and concessions ; Gilbert Hannah,
grand marshal; Arthur Dixon, assistant marshal. These officers were
supplemented by ^L Holberg and M. Hassett to form an executive com-
mittee. The executive committee appointed twenty-five other committees
composed of from three to thirty-five members each. Besides there was a com-
mittee of three from each township. Another one of the committees had
charge of the pageant proper. E. P. Hawkins gave practicallv all of five
months of his time to the centennial and during much of this time employed
a number of stenographers to handle the multitude of details which had to
be looked after. The pageant itself was written and directed bv Harriett E.
Williams. It was printed in a brochure containing the dialogue, all of the
various committees, the banquet toasts in full and the official program of the
three-days' celebration — the whole making a booklet of si.xty pages.

CENTENNIAL FEATURE OF CELEBRATION.

The pageant, the central feature of the celebration, was given on Wed-
nesday evening, July 5, on the ground south of the plant of the Connersville
Furniture Company. The pageant was divided into ten episodes which may
be briefly summarized as follows :

Episode I. Capture of John Conner by Indians in 1788; escape of
Jonas Williams' family.

Episode II. John Conner's post in 1813; a plat of the post, arrival of
Indian traders; coming of new emigrants.

Episode III. Pioneer life in 1820 — Claypool's Inn : a member of the new
capital committee; the pioneer preacher arrives; the Masonic lodge; Indian
captures; the murder of Ben Davis; fiddlers' contest.

Episode IV. Wedding scene in 1834: an Indianapolis-Connersville
wedding; twin McCormick sisters married twin Mart brothers.

Episode V. A school of the forties.

Episode VI. The singing school.

Episode VII. Life in the forties and fifties: apple peeling; husking
bees; a Harrison-Tyler parade.

Episode VIII. Civil War period : band drill ; boys' drill ; girls' drill.

Episode IX. A centennial committee meeting in 1916.

Episode X. A memorial party: pageant of old fashioned games; a
Commercial Club banquet; song — "Indiana."

630 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

FORMAL OPENING OF CELEBRATION.

The program opened on Sunday evening, July 2, 1916, with an address
by Rev. I.. E. Brown, of tlie local Christian church. On the following morn-
ing the formal opening of the celebration took place at the corner of Ninth
street and Central avenue, where a handsome arch, sixty-two feet high, had
been thrown across the street. The arch represented the gates of the city
and when Mayor Braun presented the keys of the arch to E. P. Hawkins,
the chairman of the centennial committee, the formal opening may be said
to have taken place. Following this performance the queen of the centennial,
Irene Smith, was crowned with all the regal formality befitting her Hoosier
dignity. The parade which followed was by all odds the most spectacular
the county has ever witnessed. There were floats representing every industry
in the county, all the fraternal orders, the churches, schools and other phases
of the county's history, while hundreds of marching children added to the
beauty of the parade. It took two hours and forty minutes for the parade
to pass a given point.

The speakers of the centennial celebration included Senator James E.
Watson, Gov. Samuel R. Ralston and Judge Marshall Williams. Besides
these orators there were a number of addresses made by local citizens, and
others by former residents of the county. Music during the three days
was furnished by the children's chorus, the Connersville Commercial Club
boys' band, Carl Smith's orchestra and the Indianapolis News newsboys
band.

A feature of the centennial was the exhibition of old relics and curios
in the windows of the business houses of the city. Many old buildings were
suitably labeled, telling the passerby what part they had once played in the
history of the county. Not the least important phase of the whole celebra-
tion was the Isringing together of a large number of former residents of the
city, many of whom had not been back for years. It was estimated that there
were at least twenty thousand visitors in the city each day, while probably
thirty thousand were in the city on Wednesday night when the pageant
was given. The pageant was the climax of the three-days performance,
and it is not too much to say that the credit for this particular part of the
centennial was due to the efforts of Miss Harriett Williams, who not only
wrote the dialogue but also directed its staging and actual presentation.

Future generations maiv wonder what kind of a centennial celebration

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 63 1

Fayette county had and for this reason it seems fitting- to inchulc at this
point the full program. The county will give another celebration in 2016
and while few of this generation will be here to participate in it, yet those
who have it in charge will be sure to examine with a great deal of interest
this program of 1916. It follows:

JULY 2 — CENTKNNIAL SUNDAY.

7:30-8:00 — Sncred Concert In charge of Music Comniittoe

5 :00— Address — One Hundred Years of Hoosier History Uev. L. E. Urowu

At the Central Christian Church.

MONDAY, JULY 3 — CORNER NINTH AND CENTRAL.

10 :00 — Formal Opening of Centennial and Crowning of the Queen.
10:30 — Historical, Fraternal, Civic, Industrial and Automobile Parade.

AFTERNOON — COURT HOUSE.

1:30-2:00 — Band Concert Connersville Commercial Boys' Band

2 :00-2 :30— Children's Chorus—

1. The Call to Arms Veazie

2. O Columbia the Gem of the Ocean Shaw

3. A Merry Life Denza

4. America Carey

5. My Own United States Edwai"ds

6. Indiana : Meissner

7. Home, Home, Sweet Home Payne

ruder the Direction of A. A. Glockzin, Supervisor of Music

in the Public Schools.

2 :30-3 :30— Address Judge Marshall Williams

•i :30-4 :40— Indianapolis News Boys' Band.

EVENING.

6 :30 — Connersville High School Alumni Banquet, Auditorium Hall.

7 :15-7 :45 — Connersville Commercial Club Boys' Band, Court House.
7 :45 — Address — Hon. James E. Watson, Court House.

DAILY' PARK PROGRAM.

White Water Base Ball Park.
2:30 — Base Ball Games between Professional Teams.

Followed by Balloon Ascensions and Parachute Leaps.

AUDITORIUM THEATRE.

The Historical Indiana Moving Picture.

Every Afternoon and Evening.

Clean Amusement Features at Various I'laces on

Main Streets of Business Districts.

AMUSEMENTS EXHIBITS.

Exhibits of Relics and Curios Were Displayed in the Windows of the Stores Daily.

632 FAYKTJE COUNTY, INDIANA.

TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1916 HOME-COMING BAY COUKT HOUSE.

10:30 — Band Concert, Indianapolis News Boys' Band.

11 :00^-Keception to Visitors and Reunion of Former Residents.

AFTERNOON HAWKINS PLAYGBOUND.

1:30-2:00 — Band Concert, Connersville Commercial Club Boys' Band.
2:00-2:45 — Home Coming Addresses— L. J. Edwards, James Mcintosh, E. V. Hawkins,
Rev. E. E. Lines, O. K. Jones, Bernel Tatman, James Roberts,
Nat Wright, and others
2 :45— Athletic Events and Drills.

EVENING HAWKINS BLAYGROUND.

7 :30— Band Concert, Indianapolis News Boys' Band.
8:30 — Grand Display of Pyrotechnics.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 5.

At Intersection of Virginia and Central Avenue.
10:00 — Baud Concert, Conuer.sville Commercial Club Boys' Band.

10:30 — Formal Presentation of Fountain to the City of Connersville by the Clio Club,

Accepted by E. P. Hawkins.

Presentation and Dedication of the Centennial Memorial Hospital,

Accepted by E. P. Hawkins.

COURT HOUSE.

2 :00 — Band Concert, Indianapolis News Boys' Band.

2:30 — Centennial Address Hon. Samuel M. Ralston, Governor of Indiana

Reception to Governor and Other Distinguished Visitors.

EVENING — CENTENNIAL PAGEANT.

Grounds South of Connersville Furniture Company.
7 :30 — ^Band Concert, Connersville Commercial Club Boys' Band.
7 :50— Overture, Carl Smith's Orchestra.

S :00 — Centennial Pageant of Connersville and Fayette County.
Miss Harriett Williams, Director.

It should be said in conclusion that the centennial was a financial suc-
cess. It was so well managed that it not only paid all of its expenses, but
even had nearly one thousand dollars to turn over to the hospital fund.
None of the actual performers or members of the various committees received
any compensation. Even Miss Williams, who wrote, staged and directed
the pageant, contributed her services. The Pathe Film Company had a
representative on the ground during the three days and took several thou-
sand feet of film. This preserves for future generations the main spectacular
features of the centennial.

C7^ A^ f /iT^^-ry^

BIOGRAPHICAL

FRANCIS M. ROOTS.

The life of Francis M. Roots meant much to the development of Con-
nersville and of Fayette county and was full of inspiration to lofty aims
and diligent effort. Although Francis M. Roots has been dead for more than
a quarter of a century, his influence still lives, a continuing and potent factor
hereabout, and no history of the time would be complete without the pres-
entation in that connection of a fitting memorial to the man whose industry
and upright walk before men exerted so large an influence on the life of the
past generation in this community.

A hundred-page volume has been written concerning tlie life and the
works of Francis M. Roots and it is all so fascinating and instructive that
strangers, as well as those who knew him well in life, lay down the book
reluctantly, wishing there were more of it. The ancestors of Francis M.
Roots, thought to have been of French Huguenot descent, came from Balby,
near London, and were among the earliest settlers of the colony of Massa-
chusetts. The subject of this memorial sketch was of the sixth generation in
direct male descent from Josiah Rootes, who emigrated from England and
settled in the Massachusetts colony in 1634. Among the descendants of this
Josiah who were the direct antecedents of Francis M. Roots, native ability,
the desire for education, tireless industry, with a deep religious conviction
controlling all, have been dominant characteristics.

Francis M. Roots was born at Oxford, Ohio, October 28, 1824, a son of
Alanson and Sylvia (Yale) Roots (the latter a member of that family of
Yales from which sprang Eli Yale, the founder of Yale University), who
had emigrated from Charlotte, Vermont, in 1824 and had settled at Oxford,
where Alanson Roots set up a woolen-mill, which became a big institution
for that time and place. At an early age Francis M. Roots became thoroughly
familiar with every department of the mill and even from boyhood his
mechanical bent of mind was finding an outlet in constant efforts to improve
the processes of milling. His local schooling was supplemented by a short
course in Miami University. At the age of nineteen he received a religious
awakening that proved a dominating factor in all his later life and he united

634 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

with the Presbyterian church. When he was twenty-one years of age he was
sent out by his father with a wagon to visit the sparsely settled districts of
Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, selling goods and. making collections, and thus
enlarged his experience. In the summer of 1846 Alanson Roots and his son,
Francis M. and Philander H., secured the right to the water power carried
in that portion of the canal from Connersville to Cambridge City and in
Connersville, on Sixth street, at the west side of the canal, erected a large,
four-story .frame building for a woolen-mill and equipped the same with the
best machinery obtainable for that purpose at that time. In the meantime,
Francis M. Roots continued to make his headquarters at Oxford, though
most of his time was spent on the road with his goods wagon. Letters
written to his sister at various times during that period of travel are filled
with expressions of love and thoughtfulness for those at home, his love of
nature and his constant striving to live the true, earnest life of a Christian.

After locating at Connersville Francis M. Roots became engaged to
marry Esther E. Pumphrey and being thus filled with a laudable ambition to
have something more of a competency before asking her to share his lot,
made the long overland journey to the newly-discovered gold fields of Cali-
fornia. It has been noted that upon starting on this venturesome quest
Mr. Root's greatest misgiving was not of the physical perils he should
encounter, though they were real and many, but he was most concerned lest
he should be spiritually and morally injured by the unavoidably close asso-
ciation with the lawless characters that also were flocking to the g'old fields.
Space here will not permit the recounting of his experiences, his sadness at
parting from home friends, his adventures and how he won the respect and
friendship of his associates and his influence over them, although the incidents
of that trip alone would furnish material for a good book. Mr. Roots was
more fortunate than many in his quest for gold and found a claim that paid.
Having worked that claim to his satisfaction he started home, by way of
Panama, in May, 1850, and on October 8 of that same year was united in
marriage to the lady for whose welfare he had undertaken the long trip
across the continent. It may be mentioned in passing that on going on their
wedding trip to Mammoth Cave, Mr. Roots and his bride were all night
going by through stage from Cambridge City to Indianapolis, with horses
changed every ten miles, for at that time even the best roads in the state
were full of quagmires.

Following his marriage Francis M. Roots lived at the old home in
Oxford until his father died on October 16, 185 1. After that the mill at
Oxford was discontinued and he moved to Connersville, where his brother,
Philander H. Roots, had been living for several years, in active management

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 635

of the milling interests of the family at that point. In 1853 a New School
Presbyterian church was organized at Connersville and in 1856 the brick
building at Seventh street and Central avenue was erected. It has been said
that the physical and spiritual history of that church is largely a biography
of Francis M. Roots. He and his brother, Philander, worked on it with
their own hands, and although it has since l>een remodeled and modernized,
some of their work is still to be seen there. From that time forward Francis
M. Roots held one or more positions of responsibility and activity in the
church and Sunday school. When he was elected an elder he remarked with
deep feeling that he consideretl it more honor to be an elder in the Presby-
terian church than to be President of the United States. After the removal
of F. M. Roots to Connersville the business of the two brothers at the
woolen-mill was carried on energetically and with success. Mr. Roots was
of a mechanical and inventive turn of mind and his improvements of the
looms and other machinery of the mill from time to time had been productive
of the most gratifying results, both in the way of greater production and in
the saving of labor. About 1859 the two brothers became engaged in
devising an improved form of water-wheel to take the place of the old one
which was providing the motive power for the mill. After years of effort
and experiment they found their device was not practicable as a water-
wheel, but was an excellent device for a positive-pressure blower. They took
out their first patent on this blower in 1866 and calling the same the Roots
positive-pressure blower.

In 1869 the Roots brothers took a trip to the leading industrial capitals
of Europe in the interest of their blower patents and by much effort and
the exercise of constant tact succeeded in introducing their invention in
England and on the continent. In 1872 F. M. Roots and his wife, together
with a small party, went by railroad to California, visiting in comfort the
places Mr. Roots had reached in the days of his young manhood only by
slow, toilsome travel and through many perils. By this time Mr. Roots had
severed his connection with the woolen-mills and was giving his undivided
attention to the upbuilding of the blower factory. In 1874 the two brothers
again went to England, France, Germany, Austria, Saxony, Wurtemburg,
Alsace and Belgium. While in Ghent, on his fiftieth birthday, F. M. Roots
wrote a letter to his wife in which he reviewed his life's unremitting strug-
gle, the many high hopes of youth that were unfulfilled and the resolute
determinations that had been blocked by undreamed-of obstacles. In that
letter he so w^ell expressed himself in simple words of deep feeling and gi^eat
longing, the sincere outpouring of an honest and ardent heart, that the letter
is worthy to be preserved as a classic. In 1876 the Roots brothers were

636 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

foremost among the exhibitors in the machinery section at the Centennial
Exposition at Philadelphia and received a gold medal for excellence of
workmanship and adaptation of invention to mechanical uses. Philander H.
Roots died in 1879. In 1881 F. M. Roots so impoved the blower that the
improvement amounted to a new invention and in August of that year he took
another trip to Europe in that behalf. In 1882 business necessities and a
new patent for a rotary pump induced him to take another trip to Europe.

It was in 1873 that, in connection with his brothers. Philander H. and
Guernsey Roots, and his friends, Charles Mount and William Huston, F. M.
Roots bought up the capital stock of the First National Bank of Connersville.
Philander H. Roots was then made president of the bank and continued in
that position until his death, a period of six years, after which F. M. Roots
was made president and so continued until his death, the affairs of the bank
being uniformly prosperous under his wise administration. In 1888 the pres-
ent handsome bank building was erected at the corner of Central avenue and.
Fifth street. Mr. Roots also was for seven years president of the Con-
nersville Furniture Company, organized in March, 1882, for the manufac-
ture of bedroom furniture. There, as at the bank, the meetings of the direc-
tors during his administration were always opened with prayer, and if a
peculiarly difficult problem arose Mr. Roots would say, "Well, gentlemen, let
us take this matter home with us and lay it before the Lord for His guidance.
We shall then know better how to manage it." As is well known, the Roots
business enterprises were successful, and the furniture factory became one
of the largest in Indiana.

Francis M. Roots was called to his eternal home on October 25, 1889,
just three days before his sixty-fifth birthday. Although it is customary to
say, "He is dead," yet his influence still lives in Connersville. His widow
survived him for nearly thirteen years, her death occurring on August 22,
1902.

JAMES HERON.

In the memorial annals of Fayette county no name is entitled to better
remembrance than that of James Heron, who died at his home in Conners-
ville in 1876 and whose widow is still living in that city, one of the honored
and most highly respected old settlers of this county. James Heron was a
native of Maryland, but had been a resident of this county since the days
of his boyhood and had consequently been a witness to and a participant in
much of the more substantial development of Connersville during the period

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 637

which marked the beginning of that city's permanent industrial expansion.
Though he lived only to middle age, being taken from the community by
death just in the prime of his busy and active life, he had done much for
the development of the community in which he took so earnest an interest,
and his memory is cherished by all who hold the history and traditions of
this county closely to heart.

James Heron was born in the city of Baltimore in June, 18.24, and
was but twelve or thirteen years of age when he came to Indiana with his
parents and settled in the vicinity of Connersville in the year 1837. His
parents, James and Barbara (Kevan) Heron, were natives of Scotland and
upon coming to this country located at Baltimore, where the elder Heron
engaged in the dry-goods business and was thus engaged for years, becom-
ing a very successful merchant and being regarded as a quite well-to-do
man for that period. His health failing, he was advised to seek relief in
the free, open life of what, by Easterners, was then regarded as the "wilds"
of the West. With this object in view he disposed of his mercantile inter-
ests in Baltimore and with his family made the long trip by stage out to
Indiana. When the stop was made at the old Claypool tavern at the south-
ern edge of what is now the expanding city of Connersville both Mr. Heron
and his wife were so charmed with the location and the possibilities of the
same for carrying out the purpose of their journey Westward that they
made inquiries as to whether the place was for sale. Upon being advised
that it was, James Heron offered the owner ten thousand dollars, cash "in
hand," for the farm and straightway entered upon the ownership of tlie
same and there established his home. With the city man's notions of farm-
ing he introduced some innovations in his methods of managing his place
and became known in the pioneer community as "the gentleman farmer."
James Heron was just beginning to see his way clear to the successful
fruition of his plans as a farmer when death overtook hiin, his decease
occurring about two years after his settlement in this county, as a result of
injuries received while loading hay. He was a native of Wigtonshire,
Scotland, and had been an extensive traveler, having crossed the ocean
seven times. His widow continued to manage the farm, reared her children
there and there spent the rest of her life, living to the great age of eighty-
six years, one of the most honored pioneer residents of this county. The
elder James Heron and his wife were the parents of six children, five sons
and one daughter, James, Alexander, Samuel, Nathan and William and
Helen, who married George Hibben, of Chicago.

As noted above, the junior James Heron was about twelve or thirteen

630 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

years of age when he came to this county with his parents and upon the
death of his father about two years later, as the eldest son, much of the
responsibility of helping his mother continue the management of the home
place fell upon his youthful shoulders, a trust which he faithfully performed
until presently his brother, Alexander, relieved him of that responsibility,
becoming the farmer, while he engaged in mercantile pursuits in the then
rapidly developing city of Connersville. James Heron seemed to have
inherited his father's native ability as a merchant and business man and
for years was actively identified with several of the leading business con-
cerns of Connersville. In connection with the Caldwells he became heavily
interested in the pork-packing business and helped to build up a large indus-
try in that line in his home town, the -firm doing business under the name
of the White Water Caldwell Pork-Packing Company. The packing house
was situated at what is now the intersection of Fifth street and the Big
Four railroad, a site now occupied by the Andrea theater, and the slaughter
pens were located on the river bank in East Connersville, at the point now
occupied by the bathing beach. James Heron was but fifty-one years of
age at the time of his death on June 17, 1876, but he had performed a
great service to the community by reason of his activity in helping to
develop Connersville's industrial life, and his memory is not forgotten. He
was a Democrat and was a member of the Masonic fraternity.

On May 8, 1855, James Heron was united in marriage to Caroline
McCarty, who was born on a pioneer farm three miles south of Brookville,
in the neighboring county of Franklin, on the grounds where the first land
entry in that county was made, a daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth (Logan)
McCarty, who were among the most influential pioneers of that community.
Enoch McCarty was a son of Benjamin and Sarah, or "Sallie" (Conner)
McCarty, natives of North Carolina, who settled in Culpeper county, Vir-
ginia, and later came to Indiana, settling in Franklin county during Terri-
torial days. Benjamin McCarty was appointed first judge of Franklin
countv, under the territorial administration, and made the first land entry
in that county, May 25, 1803, and built the first log cabin in Franklin
county. His first act as a judge was to appoint commissioners to take
charge of the school lands of the county and to dispose of them for the
public good. Judge McCarty and his wife spent their last days on theiE
pioneer farm in the vicinity of Brookville and it was there that Enoch
McCarty grew to manhood and later established his home. Enoch McCarty
became one of the most active and influential men in Franklin county.
He was a member of the Territorial Legislature, was a member of the first

FAYETTE COITNTY, INDIANA. 639

State constitutional convention and continued his legislative scrxice aflcr the
state was erected. He also sensed the public in a local way and was, at
one time and another, elected to nearly every office in the gift of the people
of Franklin county, including that of judge of the court. He became a
large landowner and both he and his wife lived to ripe old age. In their
later years they moved to Brook\ille and there their last days were spent.
Enoch McCarty's wife, who before her marriage was Elizabeth Logan, was
a daughter of William and Jane (Buchanan) Logan, natives of Pennsyl-
vania, and the latter a full cousin of President James Buchanan, and who
became pioneers of Franklin county, this state, and there spent the remain-
der of their lives. William Logan was a soldier of the patriot army during
the Revolutionary War and became one of Franklin county's substantial
and influential citizens. To Enoch McCarty and wife thirteen children
were born. Sarah, Jane. Franklin, Monroe, Jonathan. ,\lfred. Mar\-. Desde-
mona, Caroline and Catherine (twins), Milton, Helen and Thomas J. Jona-
than McCarty, a brother of Enoch AlcCarty, was a soldier during the War
of 1812, and Monroe McCarty, a brother of Mrs. Heron, received a com-
mission as a colonel during the Mexican War and commanded a regiment
in General Scott's army.

To James and Caroline (McCarty) Heron three children were born,
Katharine, James M., a well-known manufacturer of Connersville and a
biographical sketch of ^\hom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and
Noreh. Katharine Heron completed the course in the Conners\-ille public
schools and later attended the Wesleyan University at Cincinnati. She has
been an extensive traveler, has visited nearly all points of interest in this
countrv and in 1890 made a comprehensive tour through Europe, including
all points of chief interest on the continent, as well as in the British Isles
and the Scandinavian peninsula. Miss Heron has written quite exten-
sively concerning her travels, her articles for publication having attracted
much attention, and she has for years given her most earnest attention to
all movements having to do with the cultural activities of her home town.
She was secretary and treasurer of the local library board at the time the
Connersville public library was erected and continues as a trustee of that
institution. Miss Heron was the organizer of "The Merrj'-go-round," Con-
nersville's leading social club; is a member of the Wednesday Club and
was a charter member of the "A. D. O. U." She also organized the Con-
nersville Humane Society and has been of large influence in this community
in the way of securing to orphaned or neglected children proper home
influences. Noreh Heron married Samuel M. Johnson, of Portsmouth,

640 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Ohio, and has five children, Heron M., Emma K., Sherrard Mc, Kanyon
M. and Karleene.

Mrs. CaroHne Heron is a member of the Presbyterian church, as was
her husband, and has since the days of her girlhood taken an earnest inter-
est in church work. Despite the fact that she is now well past eighty-seven
years of age, Mrs. Heron retains her mental and physical vigor to an
extraordinary degree and continues to take the liveliest interest in current
affairs. Her long residence in Connersville and her earlier residence in the
neighboring county of Franklin make her life a veritable epitome of the
history of this section of the state and there are few matters of importance
relating to the earlier history- of this section on which she does not retain a
clear and most informative recollection.

DANIEL T. ROOTS.

Daniel T. Roots, of Connersville, capitalist and landowner, was born
in Connersville and has lived there all his life, for many years one of the
most active factors in the industrial and commercial development of that
city. He was born on October 22, 1859, son of Francis M. and Esther
E. (Pumphrey) Roots, both now deceased, who were for years accounted
among the most prominent and influential residents of Connersville. In
a memorial sketch relating to Francis M. Roots, presented elsewhere in
this volume, there is set out at some length something of the distinguished
service rendered by that gentleman during the days of his active career in
Connersville, together with interesting details of his busy and useful life,
and it is not necessary here to go into those details or to repeat the genea-
logical information relating to the Roots family, the reader's attention being
respectfully invited to that memorial sketch in this connection.

Upon completing the course in the public schools of his native city
Daniel T. Roots entered Chickering Institute, a private school, at Cincin-
nati, and after a course of four or five years there became practically con-
nected with the large affairs of the P. H. & F. M. Roots Company, a his-
tory of which concern is set out in the memorial sketch above referred to,
and early learned the details of the management of that concern, one of
the greatest industrial establishments in Connersville. He presently was
made manager of the company's extensive plant and after the death of his
father became president of the company, a position he retained for ten

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 64I

years or more. Mr. Roots formerly was a lieavy stockholder in the Roots
Company and still holds some of the stock. He also was a stockholder and
a member of the board of directors of the Connersville Furniture Company,
of which his father for years was the president, and is a stockholder in the
First National Bank of Connersville and was a member of the board of
directors of that institution until recently, when he retired from activity in
that regard. About ten years ago Mr. Roots sold most of his stock in the
P. H. & F. M. Roots Company, the concern created by his father and his
uncle for the manufacture of positive-pressure blowers, and invested in farm
land, being now the owner of about four hundred acres of fine land just
north of Connersville, extending north from the railroad bridge. Farm land
adjoining that tract has sold for two hundred and twenty-one dollars an acre.
Mr. Roots has ever been interested in the upbuilding of his home city and
one of his most notable contributions to the same is the large office building,
the D. T. Roots building, he erected on Central avenue.

On February 6, 1892, Daniel T. Roots was united in marriage to Irene
Ellis, who was lx)rn in Harrison township, this county, daughter of Melvin
and Harriet (King) Ellis, who moved from the farm into Connersville when
she was about six years of age. For some time Melvin Ellis was engaged
in the hardware and agricultural-implement business at Connersville and
there he spent his last days. Mr. and Mrs. Roots are members of the Presby-
terian church.

HON. MILTON TRUSLER.

It is probably not too much to say that no more enduring reputation
ever was built up in Fayette county than that established by the late Milton
Trusler, w-ho for many years was regarded as one of the leading and most
influential citizens of Indiana. For many years the head of the Grange in
this state, Hon. Milton Trusler was one of the most useful pioneers in the
movement for the improvement of rural conditions not only in Indiana but
throughout the country at large, and he is generally recognized as having
been the "father'' of the present well-established system of rural mail deliv-
ery in the United States. As a representative from this district to the state
legislature and as state senator he for years occupied a responsible and
useful position in the public life of Indiana, and his influence in behalf of
the common welfare in that connection was fruitful of much good to the
(41)

642 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

people of the state at large. A pioneer of the Everton neighborhood, he
was the owner of a fine bit of farm property in Jackson township and made
that his home until his retirement from the farm in 1894 and removal to
East Connersville, where he spent his last days.

The Hon. Milton Trusler was a native Hoosier, a fact of which he
was always proud. He was born on a pioneer farm in the neighboring
county of Franklin on October 31, 1825. a son of Samuel W. and Martha
(Curry) Trusler, the former of whom was a son of James Trusler, a Vir-
ginian, who came to Indiana territory with his family about the year 181 2
and settled near the Fairfield settlement in Franklin county, where he de-
veloped a good farm and where he spent the rest of his life, his death
occurring about 1840, he then being eighty-two 3'ears of age. James Trus-
ler was a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War and
was a man of strong individuality, influential in his community and suc-
cessful in his operations. He and his wife were earnest Methodists and
their children were reared in that faith. There were seven of these chil-
dren, fi\'e sons and two daughters, and the descendants of this active pio-
neer now form a numerous famil}^ in this part of the state.

Samuel Wilson Trusler, son of James Trusler and father of Milton
Trusler, was born in Virginia on July 9, 1795, and was about seventeen
vears of age when his parents came out here into what then was the "wilds"
of Indiana Territory and settled in Franklin county. There he presently
married and made his home until in 1830, when he moved up into Fayette
county and settled on a farm in Jackson township, where he spent the
remainder of his life, a substantial farmer, the owner of a well-developed
farm of one hundred and twent}' acres, and an active and useful citizen,
who, as township officer and as school officer, did much for the develop-
ment .of Jackson township in the early days. Samuel W. Trusler died at
his home in Jackson township on August 4, 1846, and the homestead place
passed to his son Milton.

Milton Trusler was five years of age when his parents moved from
Franklin county to Fayette county, and he grew to manhood on the home
place in Jackson township, continuing to make that place his home until
his retirement in old age. His schooling was completed in the high school
at Libertv and after his marriage in 1848 he established his home on the
old home place that had come to him after the death of his father, and con-
tinued developing that place, at the same time gradually enlarging his hold-
ings until he became the owner of a half section of land, all well improved
and profitably cultivated. During the time of the Ci\il \Var Milton Trus-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 643

ler was appointed enrolling oflker for Fayette county and in tluit capacity
performed a notable service in behalf of the cause of the Union. Two of
his brothers, Nelson and Gilbert Trusler, were officers in the Union army
during the long struggle between the states. Milton Trusler was an ardent
Republican and for many years was regarded as one of the leaders of that
party in tliis part of the state. He rendered excellent service in behalf of
his local community in township offices and was holding the office of town-
ship trustee when, in 1872, he was elected to the state Legislature as the
representative from tliis district. Mr. Trusler ser\ed two temis in the
lower house of the General Assembly and then, in 1876, was elected to the
state Senate, in which he served for a term with equal faithfulness. In the
campaign of 1892 he was the nominee of his party for the office of secre-
tary of state, and although he ran two thousand votes ahead of his ticket,
went down to defeat in the Democratic "landslide" of that year. It was
perhaps in his long and unselfish service in behalf of the Indiana State Grange
that Mr. Trusler achieved his most distinctive fame, and it was during that
period of service that he did much for tlie promotion of the best interests
of the farmers of Indiana as well as of tlie farmers of the country at large.
For seven years Mr. Trusler was master of the state Grange and in that
capacity rendered a notable service in behalf of that then powerful organi-
zation. It was he who con.ceived the idea of a free mail-delivery service
for the rural patrons of the postoffice and his indefatigable labors in that
behalf undoubtedly advanced the establishment of the present system of
rural mail delivery in the United States, a fact so universally recognized
that Milton Trusler will ever be known as the "father" of rural mail deliv-
ery in this country. Mr. Trusler was a charter member <^f the P'.verton
lodge of the Indeiiendent Order of Odd Fellows and for more than fifty
years, or as long as he lived, took an active jiart in the affairs of Odd Fel-
lowship in this state, for }ears one of the most influential figures in the
grand lodge of the state. On April 17, 1894, he left the old home place
and moved to East Conners\ille, where he passed his last days in f|uiet and
comfortable retirement.

It was on March 0, 1848. that Milton Trusler was united in marriage
to Isabelle Thompson, who was born in I"a}-ette county, a member of one
of the pioneer families in this part of the state, daughter of Joseph D.
Thompson, who settled in Jackson township, this county, about the year
1820. Joseph D. Thompson was descended from Maurice Thom])son, of
Hampshire, England, who at one time was g(i\ernor of the Fast India
Company. To Milton and Isabelle (Thompson) Trusler eight children

644 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

were born, namely: Anna, who married Daniel Brumfield; Laura J., who
married James M. Backhouse; Samuel F., a farmer, of Jackson township;
N. Henry, also a Fayette county farmer; Sidney E., of Anderson, this
state; Nina C, who married J. B. Rose, of Miami county, this state; Ira
T., a lawyer at Connersville, now deceased, and Juanita, who married Will-
iam S. Stewart, of Idaho, and who. as well as her husband, is also deceased.

JEFFERSON H. CLAYPOOL.

Though for nearly twenty-five years past, Jefferson H. Claypool, lawyer,
publicist and banker, has been a resident of the city of Indianapolis, his
extensive real-estate and other interests having taken him to the capital
city of Indiana in 1893, he has ever retained the most earnest interest in the
affairs of the city and county of liis l)irth and no review of the times in
Connersville or Fayette county would be complete without passing mention
of this, one of the best-known and most influential of the sons of old Fay-
ette. Indeed, so closely interwoven with the history of Fayette county is the
history of the Claypool family during the past four or five generations that
reference to the one hardly could be made without touching in a general
way the history of the other, and the reader of this volume will find through-
out this general review of the history of Fayette county frequent reference
to the part taken by the Claypools in the general social, political and indus-
trial life of this community, even from the days of the beginning of a social
order hereabout, for the Claypool family has been represented in this county
since territorial days, the founder of the family in Indiana having settled
here in 1813, among the very earliest of the pioneers of this section of the
state.

Jefferson Helm Claypool was born in Connersville on August 15, 1856,
son of Benjamin F. and Alice (Helm) Claypool, prominent and influential
residents of that city, whose last days were spent there. Benjamin F. Clay-
pool, for many years one of Indiana's most distinguished citizens, also was
a native son of Connersville and spent all his life there, an influential lawyer,
statesman, banker and landowner. He was born on December 12, 1825,
son of Newton and Mary (Kerns) Clayix)ol, pioneers of Fayette county and
potent influences for good during the formative period of this now well-
established and flourishing community and further and fitting reference to
whom is made elsewhere in this volume of history and biography. Newton

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 645

Claypool was a \^irginian who came over into Indiana from Ross county,
Ohio, in 1813 and estabHshed his home in this county, becoming a consider-
able landowner at the very edge of what after awhile came to be the thriving
city of Connersville. He was a man of education, of great native force of
character and naturally Ijecame one of the leaders in the new community,
it being undoubted that his int^uence had very much to do with the estab-
lishment of the firm foundation upon which this community now rests. In
his day he represented this district in both the Senate and the House of
Representatives of the Indiana General Assembly and in other ways con-
tributed of his time and his talents to the piibHc service.

Benjamin F. Claypool was reared in Connersville and supplemented his
course in the public schools of that city by a valuable course of private instruc-
tion under the efficient tutelage of Professor Nutting, a prominent local edu-
cator of that period, who had come to this state from Massachusetts, acquir-
ing under that tutelage a knowledge of the various branches taugiit in the
seminaries of that day, together with an acquaintance with the Latin and
French languages. In the fall of 1843 he entered old Asbury (now DePauw)
University and remained there until the spring of 1845, when he entered the
law office of the Hon. O. H. Smith at Indianapolis and after a thorough
course of reading under that able preceptor was admitted to the bar in March,
1847. Shortly thereafter he opened an office for the practice of his profes-
sion in his home city and it was not long until he was occupying a fore-
most position at the bar of Fayette county. Mr. Clayiwol's practice was
not confined to the local bar and for many years he was found engaged on
one side or another of most of the important cases tried in the courts of this
part of the state. Reared a Whig, Mr. Claypool took an active part in
political affairs even before he had reached his majority and when the Repub-
lican party was organized he was one of the most active men in Indiana in
that behalf. In 1856 he was a delegate to the convention at Philadelphia
that nominated John C. Fremont for the Presidency; in 1864 was presidential
elector for the fifth congressional district and in 1868 one of the electors for
the state at large. In i860 Mr. Claypool was elected state senator from the
counties of Fayette and Union and in that capacity took a prominent part
in the legislation of Indiana during the period of the Civil War, being
regarded as one of the leaders in the various patriotic movements l)ased upon
the emergencies of that trying time. In 187.). he was the nominee <>f his
party for Congress from this district. Intt went down to defeat in the memo-
rable Democratic "landslide" of that year. In addition to his extensive legal
practice, Mr. Claypool gave considerable attention to his banking and real

646 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

estate interests and became one of Connersville's well-to-do men, owner of
a large farm and for some years president of the First National Bank of
Gonnersville, having also been president of that concern's predecessor, the
Connersville branch of the Bank of the State of Indiana.

On August 4, 1853, Benjamin F. Claypool was united in marriage to
Alice Helm, who was born at Rushville, this state, a daughter of Dr. Jeffer-
son and Eliza (Arnold) Helm, the former a native of Kentucky and the
latter of the Isle of Wight, England. Dr. Jefferson Helm for years was
one of the best-known medical practitioners in Rush county and his daughter
was a highly cultivated woman, who contributed much toward the successful
career of her husband. She died in August, 1882, and her husband survived
her for six years, his death occurring on December 11, 1888. Of the children
born to Benjamin F. Claypool and wife, Jefferson Helm Claypool, the sub-
ject of this biographical sketch, is the only survivor. Benjamin F. Claypool
was the second in order of birth of the four sons born to his parents, New-
ton Claypool and wife, the others being Austin B., Abraham J. and Edward
F. The latter years ago published a very interesting volume of autobiography
in which much valuable material relating to the history of the Claypool family
in this county was preserved.

Reared in Connersville, the city of his birth, Jefferson Helm Claypool
was prepared for college in the public schools and by private tutors and in
the fall of 1870, he then being but fourteen years of age, he entered Miami
University and after a course of three years in that institution entered the
University of Virginia, class of 1875. Meanwhile he had been giving close
attention to the study of law, under the able preceptorship of his father, and
in 1877 was admitted to the bar, beginning the practice of his profession in
partnership with his father at Connersville and continued thus connected until
the latter's death, the firm having an extensive clientage in this and adjoin-
ing counties. During this time Mr. Claypool was gradually enlarging his
real-estate interests in Indianapolis and in 1893 ^''^ moved to that city, where
he since has made his home, giving most of his time to his private business,
which includes banking, farming and real-estate development. Mr. Clay-
pciol has been an active Republican from childhood, receiving inspiration from
his father, who was one of the founders of the party, and in the sessions of
1889 and 1891 represented this district in the Indiana General Assembly,
thus being the third in direct descent of the Claypool family to represent
the district in the Legislature. For fourteen years Mr. Claypool served as a
memljer of the Indiana state board of election commissioners and during the
memorable campaign of 1896 was a member of the advisory committee of

- FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 647'

the Republican state central committee. For many years he has jjeen a fre-
quent contributor to magazines and newspapers, many of his articles on
public questions being- widely copied on account of their force and clear-
ness of expression.

In 1893 Jefferson H. Claypnol was united in marriage to Mary Buckner
Ross, who also was born in Connersville, daughter of the late Major John
W. Ross, a memorial sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume,
and to this union one child has been born, a son, Benjamin F. Claypool, who
was graduated from Miami University in 19 16 and is now a student in the
agricultural department of Purdue University. In 19 12 Jefferson H. Clay-
pool received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Miami University.
He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa (honorary) and the Delta Kappa
E])silnn college fraternities.

MILTON HENRY TRl'SLER.

Milton Henry Trusler, a \vell-known retired farmer of Jackson town-
ship, former trustee of Jackson township and present truant ofificer for Fay-
ette, county, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life.
He was bom on a pioneer farm in the Bentley neighborhood (the old Ireland
settlement) in Jackson township, December 7, 1857, son of Milton and Isa-
belle (Thompson) Trusler. The father was bom in the neighboring county
of Franklin, in the vicinit}' of Blooming Grove, a son of Samuel Trusler and
wife, pioneers of this section of the state, further and extended mention of
whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

Milton Trusler was born about 1824 and was but a child when his par-
ents moved up from l-'ranklin county and settled in the Bentley neighljorhood
in Jackson township, this county, where he grew to manhood and where he
continued to make his home after his marriage until about twenty years before
his death, when he retired from the farm and moved to Connersville, where
he died in August, 1906, he then being in the eighty-second year of his age.
As a youth, Milton Trusler studied with a view to becoming a physician, but
before he had qualified for practice his parents died and he was compelled to
return home to look after the farm and the interests of the younger children.
He then abandoned the i)lan of becoming a physician, later bought the inter-
ests of the other heirs in the home place and there remained engaged in farm-
ing until his retirement. When twenty-two years of age he married Isabelle
Thompson and to that union nine children were born, one of whom died in

648 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

infancy and eight of whom, four sons and four daughters, grew to maturity.
Of these, four are now deceased, Mrs. Anna Brumfield, Mrs. Juanita Stewart
Nichols, Sidney E. and Ira Thompson Trusler. The survivors, besides the
subject of this sketcii. are Fred, Mrs. Laura Backhouse and Mrs. Nina Rose.

Milton H. Trusler was reared on the home farm in Jackson township,
receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and from early boy-*
hood was a valued assistant to his father and brothers in the labors of
developing and improving the farm. When twenty-six years of age he mar-
ried and after the death of his wife, about four years later, again made his
home with his parents until his second marriage, three years later, after
which he made his home at Bentley, his second wife having been postmistress
at Bentley at that time, though for another year he continued to help his
father on the home farm. He then moved onto the Myers farm, in that
same neighborhood, continuing, at the same time, to farm the home place,
and when his father mo\ed to C'onnersville moved onto the old home place,
which he continued farming for thirteen years. At the end of that time he
bought a place of eighty acres a short distance east of the home place, and
there made his home until in March, 1915, when he moved to Everton, where
he is now living. Mr. Trusler has for years given close attention to local
political affairs and in tqoo, while living on the farm, was elected trustee of
Jackson townshij), a position he held for four years. In May, 1916, he was
elected count}' truant officer and is now serving in that important public
capacity, giving his best attention to the duties of his office.

As noted above, Mr. Trusler has been twice married. He was first
united in marriage to Angie Smith, who died about four years after her mar-
riage, leaxing a son, Alton G., then about three years of age. About three
years later, in 1891, he married Agnes Kingery, who also was born in the
old Bentley neighborhood, and who, as noted above, was serving as post-
mistress of Bentley at the time of her marriage. To this union two children
have been born, Ava, who married Dempsey Britton, who is farming the
Trusler farm, and has a daughter. Marjorie, and Lelia, who for the past five
or six years has been teaching school in this county, two years in the Bentley
neighborhood and three years in the schools at Harrisonbiu^g. Mrs. Trusler
is a daughter of Michael and Lucy (^VeI)b) Kingery, who came to this
county from Ohio and settled in Jackson township, where Michael Kingery
engaged in blacksmithing and where he died when his daughter, Agnes, was
three months of age. The widow kept the children together until they were
grown and after the marriage of her daughter, .\gnes, made her home with

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 649

the Truslers tlie most of tlie time until her death, which occurred in fuly.
1913, she then being eighty-six years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Trusler are
members of the Universahst churcli and take a proper interest in churcli
affairs, as well as in the general good works of the community in which they
live. Mr. Trusler is a member of the Everton lodge of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organ-
ization.

MAJOR JOHK WESLEY ROSS.

The late Major John Wesley Ross, an honored veteran of the Civil
War, former ix)stmaster of Connersville, former auditor of Fayette county,
former revenue collector for the si.xth Indiana district, United States internal
revenue bureau, and for many years one of Connersville's best-known and
most representative merchants, was born in the neighboring county of F>ank-
Hn, but had been a resident of Fayette county and of Connersville since the
days of his youth. He was born on September 30, 1837, and was but a boy
when his parents moved from Franklin county up into I-'ayette county and
here established their home. Here he received his schooling and here he was
living when the Civil War broke out. In 1861 he enlisted for service in the
Union army as a member of the Third Indiana Battery of field artillery and
went to the front, serving with that command for two years, at the end of
which time he was transferred to the Twenty-third Battery, as a second lieu-
tenant. His promotion to the rank of captain soon followed and during the
Atlanta campaign he served with the rank of major on the staff of General
Schofield, one of the most highly trusted and efficient members of the staff'
of that commander. Major Ross was with Sherman on the march to the
sea and participated with the army of that commander in the Grand Review
at Washington at the close of the war.

Upon the completion of his military service Major Ross returned to
Connersville and in the Deceiuber following was married. A few years later
he engaged in the retail grocery business in that city, in partnership with M.
C. Buckley, and later was engaged in the same line of business, on Fifth
street, in partnership with Norman Morrison. Still later Major Ross became
associated with John Lair and later with J. M. Conner, in the hardware
business on Central avenue, and with that concern his name was associated
until his retirement a few years ago. During the seventies and early eighties
Major Ross served under the federal government as collector for the sixth

6SO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Indiana revenue district and in 1883 was appointed postmaster of Conners-
ville, in which office he further served the pubHc for a term of four years.
Some time afterward he again was called to the public service and served
for a term as auditor of Fayette county. The Major was an ardent Repub-
lican and for many years was looked upon as one of the leaders of that party
in this part of the state. In 1896 he was a delegate from this district to
the Republican national convention that nominated William McKinley for
the Presidency. .Vctive in business as well as in civic affairs. Major Ross
was for years one of the most influential merchants in Connersville and during
the long period of his commercial activity there did much to promote the
advancement of the city's rapidly growing mercantile and industrial interests.
His death occurred on May 9, 1916, and he was widely mourned, for his had
been a life of wide influence in the community of which he had been a resi-
dent since the days of his boyhood.

On December 18, 1865, Major John W. Ross was united in marriage
to Sarah M. Hanson, who died on September 15. 191 3, and to that union one
child was born, a daughter, now living at Indianapolis, wife of Jefferson
H. Claypool, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this
volume. Major Ross was a Knight Templar Mason, a member of the local
lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a member of the local post
of the Grand Army of the Republic and a member of the Indiana Com-
mandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, in the affairs of all of
which organizations he took a warm and active interest.

FRANK D. HACKLEMAN.

Frank D. Hackleman, a well-known and energetic merchant at Benton-
\'ille and trustee of Posey township, is a native son of Fayette county and
has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm two miles east of Fair-
view, in the township of that name, March 27, 1870, son of John W. and
Martha A. (Shortridge) Hackleman, the former of whom is still living in
Fairview township and a biographical sketch of whom, presented elsewhere
in this volume, gives a detailed history of the Hackleman family from the
time it first became represented in Indiana in pioneer days. Elsewhere in
this volume there also is further and fitting mention of the Shortridge family
,-ind it is therefore not necessary to repeat these genealogical details in con-
nection -with the story of the life and career of the subject of this sketch.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

651

In the days of his early boyhood Frank D. Hackleni.m moved witii his
parents from Fairview to Harrison township and there lived for six or seven
years, at the end of which time he returned with the family to ]'"airview
township, his father having bought the farm on which he is now living,
and there he grew to manhood. He was married in the fall of the year
before he attained his majority and. after that ha])py event, began farming
on his own account, beginning on ;i farm two miles east of Falmouth, where
he lived for a couple of years. At the end of that time he moved t<i
Hawkinsville, in Harrison township, where he engaged in fanning fur
another period of two \ears, after which he moved to a farm two miles
north of Falmouth, where he li\ed five years. He then moved to a farm
just west of the place on which he established his hf>me after his marriage
and, after five years spent in farming there, in Xoxember, 1904, moved
to Bentonville, w'here he since has made his home. Upon locating at
Bentonville, Mr. Hackleman bought a blacksmith shop and was engaged
in the blacksmithing business there until in the spring of 1912, when he
and Charles W. Mason started a hardware store at Bentonville. putting
in a general stock of shelf hardware and farming implements. In i()i5
they added to this line the local agency for the .sale of the Ford aut(im()l>ile.
They also carry a line of fence posts and operate a coal ^ard. Their store
is well stocked, carrying a stock larger than that usually found in stores in
towns the size of Bentonville and in 19 16 did a business aggregating about
seventeen thousand dollars. Air. Hackleman is an ardent Republican and
has for years given his earnest attention to local political afl'airs. In 1914
he was elected trustee of his home township and is now ser\ing in tli;it
important public capacity.

On September 16, 1890, Frank D. 1
riage to Mary J. Pattison, who was born
a daughter of George and Xancy (Miller)
was born in Posey township, this count),
( Manlove) Miller, who came to this county from I'eimsylvania in [lioiieer
days. Nancy Miller grew up in Posey township and there married George
Pattison, later moving to Madison county and settling near I'^rankton. where
she died when her daughter, Mary, was about two years of age. The latter's
father also died there not long afterward and her grandfather, John Miller,
brought her to Fayette county and she remained with him on his farm in
Posey township until her marriage to Mr. Hackleman. John .Miller was one
of the real pioneers of Posey township, having settled diere before the
Indians had all left this part of the countrv and there both he and his wife

ackleman was unite(

1 in mar-

in Madison county.

tlii-- state.

Pattison, the latter

of whom

:laughter (.)f John an

d Cynthia

6S2 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Spent their last days. He was the owner of a fine farm of one hundred
and twenty acres in section 27 and was long regarded as one of the sub-
stantial and influential residents of that part of the county. Mr. and Mrs.
Hackleman are members of the Christian church and take a proper part
in church work, as well as in the general social activities of the community
in which they live, helpful in promoting all movements having to do with
the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.

FION. RICH.\RD N. ELLIOTT.

Tlie Hon. Richard N. Elliott, member of the law firm of McKee,
Wiles & Elliott, of Connersville, and former representative in the Indiana
state Legislature from this district, is a native son of Fayette county and
has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Jackson town-
ship on April 25, 1873, son of Charles W. and EHza A. (Nash) Elliott,
the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of this county, and the lat-
ter of whom is still living at her home in this' county.

Charles W. Elliott was born at Brooksville, Kentucky, and was about
four years of age when his parents came to Indiana, about 1832, and set-
tled in Jackson township, this county, the senior Elliott there buying a tract
of land from the man who entered it from the government. There Charles
W. Elliott grew to manhood and became a substantial farmer, owning a
farm in Jackson township and one in Columbia township. During the days
of the gold excitement in California he started for the new Eldorado, by
way of Panama, but was seized with an attack of yellow fever on the Isth-
mus and upon his recovery returned home without concluding his quest for
gold. In the days preceding and leading up to the Civil War he was a "war
Democrat" and voted for Abraham Lincoln for President, ever afterward
being rather independent in his political views. He voted for James G.
Blaine for President and died firm in tlie Republican faith. His parents,
John and Rachel (Pigman) Elliott, who came to this county from Kentucky
in the early thirties and established their home in Jackson township, spent
the rest of their -lives there, being counted among the most substantial and
influential pioneers of that part of the county. Though John Elliott came
to Fayette county a poor man. he died quite wealthy and was long looked
iipon as one of the most prominent men in the county. He and his wife
had eight children who lived to maturity, Jesse P., Charles W., Elijah,

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 653

James M., John, Elizabeth, who married Elijah Jamison, and Jane and
Adam, who died unmarried.

Charles W. Elliott married Eliza A. Nash, who was horn in I'airview
township, this county, daughter of Richard and Margaret (Moffett) Nash,
natives of Pennsylvania, who became pioneers of this county and here
spent the rest of their lives. Richard Nash in liis young maiiii(X>d was
a flatboatman on the Ohio river. His fatlier entered a tract of land in
Fairview township, this coiuity, which he later owned, and he and his wife
died there. They had a good-sized family, their children, besides Mrs.
Elliott, having been Mrs. Jane Turner, William G. Nash, Mrs. Sarah Ann
Pratt, Isaac T. Nash, John S. Nash and Oliver L. Nash. All four of the
sons were soldiers of the Union during the Civil War and the first-named
participated in the battle of Gettysburg. Richard Nash was twice married,
by his first wife having had a son, Robert Nash. To Charles W. and Eliza
A. (Nash) Elliott five children were born, of whom the subject of this
sketch was the third in order of liirth, the otliers being as follow: Cecile,
wife of Walter Sefton, of Connersville ; Charles W., who died in 1897, ^^
the age of nineteen years, and two daughters who died in their girlhood.
The senior Charles W. Elliott died at his home in Jackson township in
1891, he then being sixty-three years of age, and his widow survives him,
she now being seventy-five years of age. She is a member of the Metho-
di.st church, as was her husband, and has e\'er given her earnest attention
to the work of the church.

Reared on the paternal farm in Jackson township, Richard N. Elliott
received his elementary schooling in the district school in the neighborhood
of his home and later taught school for three years, in the meantime con-
tinuing to assist with the labors of the home farm, and remained at home
until he was twenty-two years of age, when he went to Connersville and
entered upon the study of law in the office of Conner & Mcintosh, begin-
ning his studies there in July, 1895. In the following year. 1896, he was
admitted to the bar and has ever since l)een engaged in tlie practice of his
profession at Connersville. For some time Mr. Elliott was in ]5artnership
with the late Ira T. Trusler and later, for some time, was in partnership
with Frederic I. Barrows, fie later formed another partner.ship, wJiicJi was
maintained under the firm style of ]\IcKee, Frost & Elliott until the forma-
tion of the present firm, McKee, Wiles & Elliott, with which Mr. Elliott is
now connected. Mr. Elliott is a Republican and has long given his mo.st
thoughtful attention to the political affairs of his home countv and of the
state at large. For nine years he served as county attorney of Fayette

654 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

county and for four years as city attorney of Connersville. In 1904 he
was elected representative from this district to the Indiana state Legisla-
ture and was re-elected in 1906, thus sei-ving for two terms, during which
time he rendered valuable service not only to this district but to the state
at large. ' Mr. Elliott was a member of the Indiana tuberculosis commis-
sion and was the author of the bill that, enacted into law, created the
Indiana state tuberculosis hospital at Rockville. Mr. Elliott has for years
been an active worker in the political field and for some time was chairman
of the county Republican committee and chairman of the city Republican
committee. He now is a member of the advisory committee of the state
Republican committee and in that capacity rendered admirable service dur-
ing the campaign of 191 6. Mr. Elliott was a delegate to the Republican
national convention at Chicago in 1916, and has for years been a familiar
figure at the district and state conventions of his party.

On January 20, 1898, Richard N. Elliott was united in marriage to
Lizzie A. Ostheimer, who was born in Harrison township, this county,
daughter of Simon and Mary (Simpkins) Ostheimer, the former a native
of Germany and the latter of the state of Ohio. Simon Ostheimer was but
a child when he came to this c(juntry with his parents and he grew to man-
hood in this county. Upon the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted for
service in the Union army and served for about three years. His father,
George Ostheimer, also served as a soldier during the war between the
states and was killed during a skirmish in Kentucky. George Ostheimer
and wife were the parents of seven children, Peter, Mrs. Mary Walters,
Simon, Charles, George. Alice and Joseph. Simon Ostheimer became a
thrifty farmer in this county and served for four years as county treasurer
of Fayette county. He married Mary Simpkins, who was born at Bethel,
Ohio, and who came to this county with her parents, and of the children
born to that union seven lived to maturity, namely: George A., Mrs. Ella
M. VanPelt, Mrs. Hattie G. Barker (deceased), Mrs. Elliott, Laura, Ruby
and Ouincy. Simon Ostheimer died on April i, 1906, and his widow is
still living.

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are members of the Methodist Episcopal church
and take a ])roper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well
as in the general social activities of the city. Mr. Elliott is a Royal Arch
Mason, a member of Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons;
of Maxwell Chapter No. 18, Royal Arch Masons, and of Fayette Council
No. 6, Royal and Select Masters. He also is a member of the Improved
Order of Red Men and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a
warm interest.

FAYKTTE Cni'NTY, INniAXA. 6-; S

SC^OTT THOMAS.

Scott Tlionias, asse'^sor of Ivayette county, is a native son of tliis county
and has lived liere all his lite, lie was horn on a pioneer farm just at the
northern edj(e of the city of Connersville, in Harrison township, No\ember
24. 1851, son of Benjamin and EHza (Savage) Thomas, the former a native
of the state of New \'ork and the latter of Maine, who liecame pioneers of
this county and here spent their last days.

Benjamin Thomas was horn at Olean I'oint. Xew ^'ork, eldest of the
four sons horn to his parents, the otliers having;- been Gilbert, Jesse and
Stephen. He grew to nianlKiod there and married l'~liza Saxage, wlio was
born at Bangor, Maine, shortly afterward coming to Indiana and settling on
a farm of one hundred and sixt\- acres in Harrison township, ibis counlx',
which farm is now included in the present limits of the city of Connersville,
and there he .s])ent the rest of his life, his death occtuTing in t88r, he then
being- eighty-six years of age. Benjamin Thomas was thrice married. His
first wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, died in 1834, and he later
married T'rancena Reed, upon whose death he married Mrs. Mary Keener.
He was the father of ele\cn children, of whom the subject of this biogr;iph-
ical sketch was the tenth in <irder of birth, the others 1)cing as follow: Mrs.
Ann Clark, n.)w deceased; Jesse H., deceased: Oliver, wh,, <lie(l while serv-
ing as a soldier of the I'nion during the Cix'il War; Samuel, a \eteran of the
Ci\il War, now li\ing at .Morocco, this state; Austin, of Harrison township,
this county, also a Civil \^"ar veteran ; Walter, of Logansport : Margaret,
wife of Joseph J. Cole, of Connersville ; Jane, who married E. R. Carson and
is now deceased: Mary E., also deceased, who was the wife of John Coss,
and Kate, the wife of George Drischell, of Cambridge City, this state.

Scott Thomas was reared on the paternal farm on the northern edge
of the city of Conners\ille and remained there for some years ,-iftcr his m;ir-
riage, a valuable assistant to his father in the labors of the home place. His
earliest schooling was obtained in the old subscription school in the neigh-
borhood of his home, and he later attended the public schools in Conners-
ville and the old Frost school, known locally as "Elephant College." He
married in 1879 and for .seven years thereafter continued to make his home
on the old home place, operating the farm. He then opened an omnibus and
transfer line in Connersville and for twenty-two years conducted the same,
afterward engaging in the real-estate business in that city and was thus
engaged until his election to the office of county assessor in the fall of 19 14.

656 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

He entered upon the duties of that office on January i, 19 15, and is now
serving in that important pubHc capacity, one of the most popular public
officials in Fayette county. Mr. Thomas is a stanch Republican and for years
has been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county.

On June 3, 1879, Scott Thomas was united in marriage to Ella Enyarty
daughter of Samuel Enyart, and to that union three children were born,
Margaret Ethel, who married Louis Wines Bremmerman and lives in Chi-
cago; Guy M., who married Cynthelia Jorns and is in the employ of the
Lexington-Howard .\utomobile Company, and Archie D., an electrician, who
lives at home. The mother of these children died at her home in Conners-
ville on September 2, 1915. at the age of fifty-three years. She was a mem-
ber of the Episcopal church. Mr. Thomas is a Methodist in his religious
faith and has ever taken a proper part in the good works of the community.

LIEUT. SAMUEL J. SHIPLEY.

In the memoral annals of Fayette county there is no name held in better
remembrance than that of the late Lieut. Samuel J. Shipley, United States
navy, retired, who died at his home in Harrison township in 1897.

Lieut. Samuel J. Shipley was born in Wilmington, Delaware, December
24, 1813, son of Joseph B. and Mary II. (Test) Shipley, the former born near
the Brandy wine, Delaware, November 14, 1780, and the latter, near Salem,
New Jersey. They were married on April 16, 1804. Samuel Shipley,
the grandfather of Samuel J., and for whom the latter was named, was born
on December 5, 1755. His wife, Jane (Bennett) Shipley, was a sister of
Caleb Bennett, who commanded a company at the battle of the Brandy-
Avine and at one time was governor of Delaware. The brother and sisters of
Samuel J. were named and born as follows : Mary A., born on February 29,
1805: Charles, August 17, 1807, and EHza J., October 15, 1811. Their
ancestors came from England soon after William Penn colonized Penn-
sylvania, and were of Penn's religious faith.

Our subject, when a school boy near the Delaware Bay watching the
ships go down to the ocean, early evidenced a desire to go to sea, and in
1833 he made application for an appointment as midshipman, the appli-
cation being indor.sed by his friends, Daniel Rench, Samuel W. Parker
and others, and in the following year his appointment was received through
Gen. Jonathan McCarty, then member of Congress from the Connersville

' FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 657

district. The young naval aspirant was soon ordered to the brigantine
"Enterprise," at Norfolk, Virginia, and from thence sailed for the Bra-
zilian station, South America; soon after reaching which he was trans-
ferred to the Hagship "Erie" and remained on that station nearly three
years, returning to the United States in the fall of 1837, when he was
granted a leave of absence. He returned home and soon after purchased
a farm in Harrison township, which he ever after made his home when not
engaged in the naval service. After the expiration of his furlough he was
ordered to the receiving ship "Hudson," at New York, and not long there-
after was transferred to the line-of-battle ship "North Carolina" that was
used as a school for apprentices. The class of 1834, to which he belonged,
was the first to pass an examination at the Naval Academy established at
Philadphia in 1839 (subsequently changed to Annapolis, Maryland).

In June, 1840, soon after passing his examination, young Shipley was
ordered to the We.st India station and joined the I'nited States ship "War-
ren" at Pensacola, I^'lorida. He made a cruise with that vessel to the
Spanish main and the Gulf of Mexico; thence to New York, where he was
granted a leave of absence, and on his return home was united in marriage,
November 14, 1841, to Martha Holton, daughter of Rev. Jesse and Jane
Holton. On the expiration of his leave of absence lie joined the United
States ship "Falmouth" as sailing master, and made a cruise of over two
years to the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies, returning home in 1844,
when he was permitted to remain with his family for more than a year. In
1846 his wife died at the age of twenty-four )ears, leaving a daughter,
Jennie, who was a great source of comfort and a .stay to her father during
his declining years.

Soon after the deatli of his wife Master Shipley received orders to join
the United States ship "United States," as sailing master, bearing the broad
pennant of Commodore Read, ordered to the coast of Africa. ( .\t tiiat
time our government was bound In- treaty with Great Britain to keep up a
force of eighty guns for the suppression of slave traffic). After taking
on board a new battery of fifty-two guns and stores they started for the
Cape Verde Islands, via the Azores, going from Pico south, passing the
Canary Islands, sighting- the Peak of Teneriffe in the distance. On their
arrival at Porto Praya. Cape Verde Islands, their place of rendezvous, they
took on board some stores and provisions and proceeded down the coast,
visiting Sierra Leone. Cape Mount (a noted slave mart), stopping some
time at ^Monrovia, at which i)lace Commodore Read, Master Shiple\- and
(42)

65S FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Other officers dined with President Roberts, whose hospitahty they had
been invited to share. While here they visited Mission House school and
other pubhc buildings. From Cape Mesurado they sailed for the Gulf of
Guinea, anchoring off Cape Palmas, thence down the Ivory and Gold Coast,
passing Cape Three Points, and anchoring at Cape Coast Castle, an English
station strongly fortified, and which in times past they had hard work hold-
ing against the warlike Ashantees. At this station, within the enclosure of
the fort, is the tomb of the wife of Governor Maclean, a Scotch gentle-
man then in charge of the station. She was an English poetess, who had
written over the initials L. E. L. Also here it was that Elisha K. Kane,
the assistant surgeon and an entiiusiastic friend of our subject, took his
first lesson in navigation, and a few degrees to the east, in the kingdom
of Dahomey, near the mouth of the river Ouorra Niger, came near losing
his life from exposure in exploring that benighted and God-forsaken land.
They cruised in the Bight of Benin to the mouth of the river
Gaboon. From thence they sailed to Prince's Island, anchoring at West
Bay (an island belonging to Portugal), a resort for whale ships, and while
there the crews of the United States vessels witnessed the capture of a
whale with her calf. They next sailed for their place of rendezvous, St.
Jago, Cape Verde Islands, and en route there, while in the Gulf of Guinea,
upon observation it was found that they were at a point where there was
neither latitude nor longitude; in other words, they were on the meridian of
Greenwich at the equator.

On arriving at Port Praya, Master Shipley was appointed to take
charge temporarily of the depot of supplies, at which post of duty he
remained several months. Doctor Kane, who was quite sick, remaining for
a time with him. About June i, 1847, Mr. Shipley returned to duty on
board the ship, which soon afterward sailed, and they made their third and
last cruise down the coast, stopping several days at the mouth of the
river Congo, keeping near the coast line, so that they could see the impene-
trable jungles and forests, with occasional openings and vjllages. At this
time the United States had four vessels — the flagship "United States" and
the sloops of war "Marion," "Dolphin" and "Boxen" — cruising along the
coast, the English having about the same number, so that it was almost
impossible for the slave-runners to evade their vigilance. From the river
Congo they sailed down the coast, stopping at St. Paul de Loanda; from
thence to Benguela, in latitude 13 degrees south of the equator; thence
to within a short distance of the island of St. Helena (noted as the place
of exile of Napoleon Bonaparte) ; and then steered for the Cape Verde

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 659

Islands, and on arriving at Port Praya fell in with the brig- "Dolphin."
which had on board, with other documents from the navy department, the
commission of Master Shipley as lieutenant in the United States navw Ik-
was then transferred to the United States brig "Dolphin."

In 1861 Lieutenant Shipley tendered his services to the United States
government and went to Fortress Monroe as executive officer of the "Brandy-
wine," returning home on account of sickness in 1863. After retiring from
the navy our subject lived a somewhat retired life on his farm in Harrison
township, esteemed and respected by tlie community at large. Lieutenant
Shipley died on July 11, 1897.

TAMES MOUNT.

James Mount, deceased, and for many years one of the prominent and
successful residents of Fayette county, was born in tlie state of New Jersey
in the year 1805 and died at his home in Connersville in 1882. He was the
son of Daniel and Rhoda (Hunt) Mount, who settled in the state of Xew
York and were tlie first of the family to come to Indiana, wiierc they engaged
in farming for many years. David Mount was later elected a judge at
Brookville, which position he filled with dignity and ability. He was identi-
fied with the Republican party and always took great interest in local affairs,
long having been recognized as a leader and adviser in his home community.
He and !iis wife were devoted and active members of the Pre.slwterian church
and were prominent in the social and the religious life of the community, in
which they lived and where they were held in the highest regard and esteem
by all who knew them. They continued to reside at Brookville until the
time of their death, after having reared a family of several children.

James Mount received his primary education in the loc.il scIkkjIs and
later attended Miami I'ni\ersity, at Oxford, Ohio. He was a great student
and finished his course in tlie unixersity with honor, .\tter completing his
schooling he located at Connersville, where he engaged in the mercantile
business. He also interested himself in the banking business of the town,
and was an extensive landowner, taking much pleasure in his life as a farmer
and stockraiser. He was a Republican and though he never aspired to
office he devoted much of his time and his ability to the interests of his home
city as well as to the interests of the county. He was a firm believer in the
selection of the best men to administer the affairs of the ])ublic. He believe<l

66o FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in the best of public improvements, the maintenance of good schools and the
building of good roads. To him, much of the future greatness of the district
depended upon these" important factors. He well knew the advantage of a
good education, for he had spent years of his early life in the pursuit of an
educational training.

Mr. Mount was known throughout a wide territory for his generous
and kindly disposition and for his business acumen. He believed in the
highest standards of life and felt that a man did not owe his whole time and
ability to himself. One of his greatest pleasures was in the assistance that
he could give to his neighbors and those less fortunate than he had been and
many a struggling young man could testify to his generosity. He did not
believe that charity should be extended simply for the sake of giving, but
that the recipient might be directed to higher aims. Few worthy vmfortu-
nates were ever turned away without receiving some help. Not alone, was
he generous with his money, but his kindly disposition compelled him to
seek the presence of those who needed his advice and counsel. In sickness
and in trouble, in adversities and disasters, his presence was ever welcome
to those who were the sufferers. His wife was a member of the Presbyterian
cliurch, and he was a liberal supporter of the same.

James Mount married Mary Dickson, daughter of Arthur and Sarah
(Wilson) Dickson of Williamsburg, Virginia. Her parents moved from
their home in Virginia and located at Brookville, Indiana, in an earl}' day,
and there the father established himself as a merchant. There he remained
for a number of years and met with much success. He later moved to Con-
nersville, where he engaged in business on Fifth street. The mother died
in Connersville and the father later returned to Brookville, where he spent
his last days. They were the parents of two children, Mary and William,
the latter of whom spent much of his life at Topeka, Kansas. The family
were prominent in the activities of their home district and were among the
e.xcellent people of the county.

James and Mary ( Dickson) Mount were the parents of si.x children.
Arthur, David, Charles, William. Catherine M. and Ouincy. Arthur Mount
died in his youth. David Mount, on reaching manhood engaged in general
farming and stockraising and was tlius engaged with success until the time
<^if his death some years ago. Charles Mount engaged in banking at Con-
nersx'ille. He married Sarah Ella Huston and after her death he was united
in marriage to Esther Roots. W^illiam Mount died when Ixit a young man
and Ouincy Mount, who engaged successfully in I:)anking at Connersville,
died in TQif). Catherine M.- Mount is now living in the city of Connersville,

' FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 66l

where she has always lived and where she is regarded as one of the prominent
and highly esteemed women of the city. Educated and refined, she has ever
taken an earnest interest in the general social activities of her home city and
her good work has been a source of inspiration to many. She has long
been interested in the moral and the educational development of the com-
munity and has had much to do with movements liaving as their design the
elevation of the standards of living hereabout. It is hardly too much to
say that few families have exerted a wider influence for good in Connersville
than have the Mounts.

EDGAR M. AIICHENER.

Edgar M. Micliener, secretary and treasurer of the Connersville Buggy
Company, vice-president of the Central State Bank of Connersville and for
years recognized as one of the leading business men of that city, is a native
son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a
pioneer farm in Columbia township on October 2g, 1857, son of William
and Mary A. (Blake) Michener, the former a native of the state of Ohio
and the latter, of Virginia, who had come to Indiana with their respective
parents in the days of their childhood, the families of both settling in Fay-
ette county, and here spent the remainder of their lives.

William iMichener was a son of Mordecai and Catherine (Eyestone)
Michener, the former of whom was born in Washington county, Pennsyl-
vania, and the latter in eastern Kentucky, her father having been a soldier
of the Revolutionary War who emigrated to Kentucky shortly after the gen-
eral opening of settlement in that state. Though a Quaker by birthright and
inclination, Mordecai Michener served as a soldier of his country during the
War of 1812. He was a cabinet-maker of much .skill and a carpenter and
builder. He used to make hall clocks, of the typical "grandfather-clock"
variety, and not a few of these ancient clocks are said to be still in use and
keeping excellent time. In 1828 Mordecai Michener and his family came
over into Indiana and settled in this county, where he died a few years later.
His widow survived him until 1865. They were the jiarents of six children,
W'illiam. Rebecca, George, Jnhn. Jonathan and Tliomas.

William Michener was Ijut eight years of age when his parents settled
in Fayette county and he grew to manhood on the home farm in Jackson
township. He married Mary .A. Blake, who had come to this c<nint\- with
her father from the Old Dominion, her mother having died in \irginia. the

662 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

family settling here in 1835. Lewis Blake, her father, who became one of
Fayette county's substantial pioneer citizens, was a soldier in the War of
1812 and was the father of six children, Maria, Mary A., Rosa J., Roberta,
Polly L. and Elizabeth. Following his marriage William Michener moved
from Jackson township to a farm in Columbia township, a place of one hun-
dred and ninety-two acres, which he set about developing and improving and
where he lived for Acars, later moving to Connersville, where he spent his
last days, his death occurring there in 1906, he then being eighty-six years
of age. His widow survived him until 1914 and she was eighty-nine years
and ten months of age at the time of her death. They were earnest members
of the Methodist Episcopal church and their children were reared in that
faith. There were six of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch
was the fifth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Louis T., of
Washington, D. C. ; Helen M., who died unmarried; Perry G., of Washing-
ton, D. C. ; William M., deceased, and Scott Michener, of Connersville.

Edgar M. Michener was reared on the paternal farm in Columbia town-
ship, this county, and his first schooling was received in the primitive sub-
scription schools of that neighborhood. He finished the course in the public
schools that later were established and supplemented the instruction there re-
ceived by a course in the University of Indiana, from which he was gradu-
ated in 1881, after which he was engaged in teaching school, supplemental to
his labors on the farm, for about eleven years, at the end of which time he be-
came connected with the Connersville Buggy Company in the capacity of
bookkeeper. That was in 1892 and Mr. Michener has ever been connected
with that concern. After awhile he was promoted from bookkeeper to the posi-
tion of assistant secretary and treasurer of the company and since 191 2 has
been secretary and treasurer. The Connersville Buggy Company was organ-
ized in 1883 by L. T. Bower, J. N. Huston and John D. Larned and was
incorporated in that same year with a capital stock of twenty thousand dol-
lars, which capital has since been increased to one hundred thousand dollars.
The company employs from fifty to one hundred men and its buggies are
sold in all parts of the United States. The present officers of the company
are as follow : President, Scott Michener ; secretary and treasurer, Edgar
M. Michener, and superintendent, C. C. Bower. Mr. Michener has other
business interests in Connersville, including an interest in the Central State
Bank of that city, of which he was one of the original stockholders and of
which he is the present vice-president. The Central State Bank of Conners-
ville was organized in 1907 with a capital stock of si.xty thousand dollars.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 663

Mr. Michener is a stanch Republican and lias ever gi\en his close attention
to local political afl'airs, but has not been an oftice seeker.

On December 23, 1885, Edgar AI. Michener was united in marriage to
Emma Baxter, who was l)i>rn at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, October it, i860,
daughter of Reuljen and Margaret (Sutton") Baxter, the former of whom
was an honored veteran of the Civil War. and the latter of whom died in
1907. Reuben Baxter and wife were the i)arcnts of two children, Mrs. Mich-
ener having had a sister who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Michener are
earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the various beneficences
of which they take a warm interest. Mr. Michener being a member of the
board of trustees of the local congregation. They ha\c e\er taken a proper
interest in the advancement of all movements having to do with the better-
ment of local conditions anrl ha\-e been hcljifril in promoting the same.

AME.S A. CLIFTOX.

James A. Clifton, prosecuting attorney of l'"ayette county, is a nati\e
Hoosier and has been a resident of this state all his life. He was born on a
farm in the vicinit)- of Wheeling, Carroll count}-, October 20, 1885, and after
completing the course in the Wheeling- high school entered the normal col-
lege at Marion, this state, which he attended for three years, varying his
attendance there by teaching school in the schools of his home county. Dur-
ing all this time he was directing his studies with a view to the law and
upon completing his work at college was admitted to the bar and located at
Connersville, where he ever since has been engaged in the practice of his
profession, now having offices in the First National Bank building.

It was on January 2, 1908, that Mr. Clifton opened his ofifice at Conners-
ville and he at once began to give his close attention to local affairs. In
January, 19 14, he was elected by the city council to the office of city attorney
and served in that capacity until he resigned to enter upon the duties of the
ofifice of prosecuting attorney of Fayette county on January i, 191 6, having
been elected to that office, as the nominee of the Democratic party, in the
election of November, 1914. Mr. Clifton is an ardent Democrat and for
some time served as chairman of the Fayette county Democratic central com-
mittee, in which capacity he rendered admirable service in l>ehalf of his
party.

On October 2. 1913, Janies .\. Clifton was united iii marriage to lona

664 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Ochiltree. Mr. and Mrs. Clifton are memliers of the Presbyterian church
at Connersville and Mr. Clifton is a member of the local lodges of the Knights
of Pythias, of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Loyal Order of
Moose, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest.

JOHN MILTON HIGGS.

Inseparably linked with the history and fortunes of Connersville and
of Fayette county since the days before the Civil War period, the name and
the fame of the late John Milton Higgs, founder and for many years editor
and proprietor of the Connersville Exainincr, are as secure as those of any
institution in the county; for, through his many years of devoted and untir-
ing serxice in behalf of this local commonwealth, "John Milton," as he was
familiarly and lovingly known in the community, came to be regarded,
even as the paper he reared here, as one of the institutions of the social
order hereabout. Establishing his Examiner as a straight-out, uncompro-
mising and fearless champion of the principles of the Democratic party at a
time in the history of Fayette county when to be an outspoken Democrat
was to encounter a form of opposition and even opprobrium altogether
incomprehensible to the present generation, John Milton Higgs pursued the
not always even tenor of his way, fighting his own fight, using such weapons
as came to his hand — and he was as resourceful in defense as he was skilful
in attack — and won out in the face of as determined opposition as any
Indiana newspaper man ever met. Just how many opposition newspapers
were laid away in "John Milton's" newspaper grave-yard, falling by the
wayside in ineffectual attempts to put his paper out of business, is difficult
to compute at this date, but they were numerous, the opposition being long
in arriving at the conclusion that "John Milton" and his Examiner were
at least fixtures, if not institutions, in this community. In the end, John
Milton Higgs outfought and outfaced the opposition and without further
serious molestation pursued the course he had marked out from the begin-
ning of his career, calmly and serenely, and his last days were filled with
content, for he had fought a good fight — and the world ever honors a good
fighter. Always an ardent champion of the best interests of Connersville
and of Fayette county, John Milton Higgs lived to be a witness to the
development of this community such as his early contemporaries hardly
could have dreamed, and he was content, for much of this same development

JOHN MILTO.N HICGS.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 665

undoubtedly was due to his unceasing advocacy of prof^ress and the tilings
for which progress stands. He lived to near the traditional three-sc(jre-
years-and-ten stage of man's life and at his passing in 1909 left a good
memory, for he had earned the honor and respect not only of the community
in which he had so long anil unselfishk- lalxired, but of the state in which
he had lived all his life.

John Milton Higgs, an iKinored veteran of the Civil War, founder
of the Conncrsz'illc Examiner and former postmaster of Connersville, was
a native Hoosier and was ever proud of that fact. He was born on a farm
in the neighboring county of b'ranklin, .\pril 5, 1842, son of (ieorge and
Melinda (Irwin) Higgs, also natives of that county, members of pioneer
families there. George Higgs was a son of William Higgs. who came over
from North Carolina to Indiana in the early (la\s of the settlement of this
state and established his home in the then "wilds" of I'r.inklin county.
There George Higgs grew to manhood, married, reared his family ;ind
continued farming until okl age, wlien, in 1800, lie retired from the larni
and moved to Connersville, where he spent his last days, his death occur-
ring there on July 29, 1895.

Reared on a farm in the neighborhood of Brooklyn, John Milton Higgs
completed his schooling in the Brof)klyn high school and at the age of
fifteen years began his newspaper career as the "devil" in the office of the
Brookx'illc Democrat. He early and readily mastered the details of the
"art preservative of all arts." evincing from the very beginning an apparent
natural aptitude for the newspa])er business, and after working in the office
of the Brooki'illc Democrat for some \ears came u]) into k";iyette county
and started a newspaper at Conners\ille. the CoiiucrsTille Telegraph, and was
still conducting that newspaper when, two or three years later, the Civil
^^'ar broke out. Abandoning his paper and his other interests, Mr. Higgs
enlisted his services in behalf of the Union and on September 18, 1861, was
mustered in as a member of Com])any I., I-'orty-hrst Regiment. Indiana
Volunteer Infantrv, afterward the Second Indiana Cavalry, .md with th.it
command sen'ed for three years and nine days, l)eing nnistered out as
rjuartermaster of his company. During this term of service Mr. Higgs
served mainly with the Army of the Cunil)erland and was ])resent at such
important battles as that of Shiloh, Perryville, Chickamauga. Stone's River
and many skirmishes aufl engagements of lesser import.

Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Higgs returnetl to
Indiana and located at Indianapolis, where for a time he was emi)loyed
in the offices of the Sentiucl and the Gazette. The Democrats of Fayette

■666 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

county then demanding a newspaper to represent their party in this county
Mr. Higgs returned to Connersville and on December 24, 1867, issued the
first number of the Connersville Examiner, which paper ever since has
abh- represented the interests of Connersville and of Fayette county and
as ably espoused the principles of the Democratic party in this commun-
ity and throughout the state. When the Examiner was founded the Demo-
cratic party, undeniably, was not in the best repute in certain quarters in
Fayette county and Mr. Higg's ardent and uncompromising advocacy of
the principles of that party through the columns of his newspaper created
antagonism that more than once threatened his very life, but he persisted
in the face of all opposition and it was not long until the Examiner came
to be recognized as one of the leading Democratic newspapers in the Middle
States, a position it ever has maintained. From the first the Examiner
was a friend to Connersville and in every way promoted the industrial and
general development of that city and of the county at large and Mr. Higgs
soon came to be known as a persistent, consistent and effective "booster,"
his paper ever standing for progress and development, and it is undoubted
that the Examiner exerted a very large influence in the way of directing'
the course of industrialism and of civic progress hereabout. As time passed
the old party rancors gradually subsided and the valiant editor found him-
self firmly fixed in the hearts and the affections of the people whose inter-
ests he ever sought to serve, only the most inveterate withholding from
him his due meed of honor. During the Cleveland administration Mr.
Higgs was commissioned postmaster of Connersville and served for two
terms in that important public position. He served three terms as a mem-
ber of the county council and two terms as a member of the local school
board. In 1872 he was nominated for the office of county treasurer and
despite the then overwhelming Republican majority in this county was
defeated by but ninety-nine votes. Mr. Higgs was a member of the Con-
nersville post of the Grand Army of the Republic and ever took an active
part in the affairs of that patriotic organization.

On October 31, 1861, shortly after enlisting as a soldier of the Union,
John Milton Higgs was united in marriage to Catherine Davis, daughter
of A. M. and Mary (Crawford) Davis, the former a native of Virginia and
the latter of Ohio, early and prominent residents of Connersville. A. M.
Davis, locally and familiarly known as "Colonel" Davis, was born near Far-
rington, in Hanover county, Virginia, and as a young man moved to New
Paris, Ohio, whence, after some years, he came to Indiana and located at
Connersville. Colonel Davis was a merchant tailor and at Connersville

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 66/

he engaged in that business in partnership with WiUiani Colhns and later
with W. H. Beck, and was thus engaged when the Civil War iiroke out. In
1862 he and Gilliert Trusler recruited a company attached to tlie Thirty-si.xth
Regiment, Indiana \'o]untecr Infantrw an<l lie was electeil lirst lieutenant
of the compau}-. At the battle (if .Shilnh his cnmpany was stalioned at the
rear to guard the wagons, which form of service so disgusted the Colonel.
who was chafing to be in action, that he resigned his commission and was
later given command of a Richmond (Indiana) company, at the head of
which he later was killed in battle. Colonel Davis had served as deputy
sheriff of Fayette county. He was a master -Mason and took an active
interest in Masonic affairs. At Aliddleton, Ohio, before coining to Indiana,
Colonel Davis was married to Alary Crawford, who survived him many
3'ears. Airs. Davis was a member of the Presbyterian church, as was her
husband, and their children were reared in that faith. There were seven
of these children, those besides Airs. Higgs, the first-born, being as follow :
George M., who married Eliza Winters and is now deceased; John R., who
married Stella Lowery and is now deceased; Permilla, who married Perry
AIcElvain and is now deceased; Viola, wife of John Caldwell, of Cam-
bridge City, this state, and Ida L. and Alaude, deceased. John Alilton Higgs
died at his home in Connersville on November 17, 1909, and his widow is
still making her home in that city.

G. EDWIX TOHXSTON.

G. Edwin Johnston, one of Connersville's best-known lawyers, attorney
for the board of commissioners of Fayette county and attorney for the Con-
nersville city council, was born in a suburb of the city of Pittsburgh, in Alle-
gheny county, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1878, son of John I', and Amy
E. (Anderson) Johnston, both natives of that same state and the former of
whom is still living, now a resident of Tarentum, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

John C. Johnston was born and reared in Allegheny count}-, Pennsyl-
vania, and has been engaged in the practice of veterinary surgery thei"e for
many years. He is a son of George and Alargaret ( Alehaffy) Johnston, the
former of whom was born in Ireland and the latter in the state of Pennsyl-
vania, of Irish parentage. George Johnston was about nine years of age
when he came to the United States with his parents, the family settling on
a farm in Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood. He continuetl a farmer

668 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and he and liis wife spent the rest of their Hves in Pennsylvania. They
were the ])arents of two sons, Mr. Johnston having a sister, Belle. John C.
Johnston married Amy E. Anderson, who was born in Pennsylvania, daugh-
ter of Elias and Elizabeth (Hazelett) Anderson, both born in that same
state, of New England stock. Elias .Anderson was a farmer. His wife died
when past middle age and he survived her for some years, he being seventy-
eight vears of age at the time of his death. They were the parents of four
children, Mrs. Johnston having had two brothers, Samuel and John, and a
sister, Eleanor. Mrs. Johnston died on September 5, 1914, she then being
sixty-eight vears of age. She was an earnest member of the United Presby-
terian church, as is Mr. Johnston, and their children were reared in that
faith. There were six of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch
was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Dr. Robert C.
Johnston, of Springdale, I^ennsylvania ; Franklin H., of that same place;
Nellie, who died in girlhood; Edna M., wife of Charles E. Stotder, of
Steubenville, Ohio; and Frances G., who is at home with her father at Taren-
tum, Pennsylvania.

G. Edwin Johnston was reared in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and upon
completing the course in the common schools took a further course in the
Pittsburgh Academy and afterward taught school for three terms, mean-
while continuing his schooling in vacations, and later entered the university
at Valparaiso, Indiana, from the elocution department of which he presently
was graduated. He later took the scientific course there and a year in the
law school, after which he entered the Indianapolis Law School, from which
he received his Bachelor degree in 1904 and his Master degree in 1905. In
that same year Mr. Johnston was admitted to the bar of the Marion circuit
court, of the Indiana state supreme court and of the United States circuit
court at Indianapolis, and thus equipped for the practice of his profession
opened an office at Columbus, this state, and was there engaged in practice
for eighteen months, at the end of which time, in the fall of 1907, he moved
to Connersville, opened an office there and has ever since been engaged in the
practice of his profession in that city. In 191 5 Mr. Johnston was appointed
attornev for the board of county commissioners and was reappointed by that
board in T916. In this latter year he was elected by the city council as
attorney for the city of Connersville and is now filling both the office of
county attorney and city attorney.

On Tune 15, 1905, G. Edwin Johnston was united in marriage to Zella
R. Ralston, who was born near New Salem in Rush county, Indiana, Sep-
tember 10, 1884, daughter of Elias V. and Mary (McCorkle) Ralston, both

FAYKTTE COUNTV. INDIANA. 669

natives of this state ami the latter of whom is still liviiifj. EHas V. Ralston
and wife were the parents of five children, Mrs. Johnston having; three sisters,
May, Esther and Hattie. and a brother. Carl Ralston. Mr. and Mrs. Johnstiui
are members of the I'reslnterian chnrch and take a proper interest in the
A'arious beneficences of the same, as well as in the general social activities
of their home town. .\lr. Johnston is a niemln'r of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, of the Knights of Pythias, of tiie l-'raternal Order of Kag-les
and of the Modern Woodmen of .America, in the affairs of which several
organizations he takes a warm interest.

D.WID WILSO.X McKEE.

David Wilson McKee, \eteran lawyer of Connersville, dean of the Fay-
ette county bar and senior memb^- of the law firm of McKee, W'iles &
Elliott, of Connersville, is a native Hoosier and has lived in this state all his
life. He was bom on a pioneer farm in Noble townsliip, in tlie neighboring
county of Rush, December 14, 1845, son of Da\id and Martha L. (Woods)
McKee, natives of Kentucky, whose last da\s were sjjent in Rush county,
honored and influential pioneer residents of that county.

David McKee was a son of John and .\nn ( Piatt) McKee. natives of
Pennsylvania, who came into Indiana liy way of Kentucky and became
pioneers in Rush county, where they lived to ripe old age and where they
reared a family of seven children, those besides David having been Mrs.
Mary Ann Stewart, Henry Piatt, John, Robert, Samuel and James. David
McKee studied with a view to the law in his young manhood, but later
became a farmer and followed that vocation the rest of Ins life, occupying
his winters for many years during tjie earlier part of his manliooil liy teach-
ing in the schools of RusJi county. He marrie<l Martha L. Woods, who was
born in Kentucky, daughter of Richard Woods rind wife. wJio liecame pioneers
in Indiana and who were the parents of a good-sizeil family. Mrs. McKee
having had four brothers. John, Samuel. James and Richard Woods, and
two sisters, Nancy and Rebecca. David .McKee died at his home in Ru.sh
countv in 1884. he then being .se\enty-four years of age. His wife had pre-
ceded him to the grave about two years, her death having occurred in 1882,
she then being seventy-three years of age. They were earnest members of
the Presbyterian church and their children were reared in that faith. There
were seven of these children, of whom the subject of this .sketch was the fifth

670 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in order of birth, the others being as follow: John H., deceased; Richard
Woods, deceased; Martha Ann, wife of Samuel Logan, of Rush county, this
state; James, who died in infancy; Ezra, deceased, and Maiy Jane, wife of
Samuel H. Tralxie, of Rushville, this state.

David \V. McKee was reared on the paternal farm in Rush county and
his first schooling was received in the little old log church building, which
also served as a school house, in the neighborhood of his home in Noble
township. He also received careful instruction at home from his father
and his studies early were directed with a view to the law, a subject to which
his father had given close study years before and in which he ever main-
tained an earnest interest. While continuing to help in the labors of the
home farm. David ^V. McKee taught school during the winters for five
years, meantime prosecuting liis law studies, and was admitted to the bar
in 1871. In 1873 he married and located at Brook ville, this state, where he
engaged in the practice of his profession for a little more than thirteen years,
(jr until in December, 1886, when he located at Connersville, where he ever
since has been engaged in practice, now dean of the Fayette county bar.
Mr. McKee is a Democrat and ha^s for years been looked upon as one of
the leaders of his party in this part of the state. During his residence in
]^rook\'ille he was for some time the president of the town council there and
after moving to Connersville served for some )'ears as city attorney of that
city. In lyoo Mr. McKee was the nominee of his party to represent the
sixth Indiana district in Congress, but that was a Republican year and he
was defeated by his Republican opponent, James E. Watson.

Mr. McKee has been twice married. It was on. June 19, 1873, that he
was united in marriage to Martha Eleanor McKee, of Woodford county,
Kentucky, daughter of Henry Piatt and Ann (Hutchison) McKee, and to
that union were born four children, namely: Josie B., who married Elmer
C. Green, of Newcastle, this state, and has two children, Margaret Eleanor
and Woodford McKee; Ethel L., now living at Santa Fe, New Mexico, who
married David Blaine Thomas, who died leaving one child, a son, Robert
McKee Thomas, after which she married Joseph W. O'Byrne and by this
'second marriage has a daughter, Joy Elizabeth; Grace L., society editor of
the Couiicrs7'illc Examiner, who is also an expert violinist, and Louise V.,
who married Edward E. Miller, of St. Bernard, near Cincinnati. The
mother of these daughters died on February 22. 1914, and on December 23,
191 5, Mr. McKee married Mrs. Ada R. Harrison, widow of William H.
Harrison and sister of his deceased wife. Mr. and Mrs. McKee are mem-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 6/1.

bers of the rresbyterian church, in the various beneficences of which thev
take a warm interest, ^Ir. McKee having been an elder in that cliurcli almost
continuously since 1875. lie also has served as president of the Favette
county branch of the American Bible Society and has ever given liis iUdst
intelligent and thoughtful attention to local good works, helpful in promot-
ing all movements having to do witli the advancement of tlie comnidu wel-
fare hereabout.

A. I. FLETCHER, M. D.

Dr. .\. J. Fletcher, one of Coiuiersville's well-known physicians, was
born at Fostoria. Oiiio. September _', 1878, and was reared in that citv,
receiving his elementary education in the schools of Iiis home town. I'pon
completing the course in the high school at Fostoria he spent a year at Ohio
W^esleyan College and then entered Barnes Uni\^ersity at St. Louis, taking
there the literary and medical course. After two years spent at that institu-
tion he entered Northwestern University at Chicago and two years later, in
1909, received from that institution the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

Upon receiving his diploma. Doctor Fletcher was appointed an interne
at St. Elizabeth Hospital at Danville. Illinois, and after a year of valuable
practice in that institution opened an office for the practice of his profession
at Homer. Illinois, where he remained successfully engaged in ])ractice for
five years, at the end of which time he was appointed to the staff of the
\^'esley Memorial Hospital at Chicago, .\fter serving there for a vear
Doctor Fletcher resumed his regular practice, in 191 5 locating at Conners-
ville, where he ever since has been engaged in practice and where he has
done very well, having built up an extensive practice in the city and surround-
ing country. Doctor Fletclier keeps fully abreast of modern advances in
his profession and is a nieml)er nf the Fayette County Medical Societj- and
of the Indiana State Medical .\ssociation, in the deliberations of both of
which bodies he takes a warm interest. During his college days Doctor
Fletcher was an active memljer of the fraternities Alpjia Tau Omega, Omega
Upsilon Phi and Tau .\lpha Phi and continues to take an earnest interest
in the affairs of those oragnizations.

In Jime, 1910, Dr. .\. J. Fletcher was united in marriage to Rosa Craw-
ford and to this union three children have been born, .-\rthur J., Philip Voris
and Julia Rose.

672 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

EDWARD W. ANSTED.

In the wonderful industrial de\-elopment that has marked the cit)' of
Connersville during the past quarter of a century and more there has been
no more potent or influential factor than Edward W. Ansted, for many years
one of the leading manufacturers and bankers of that city. So widely recog-
nized is this simple statement of fact that in the late Elbert Hubbard's "Little
Journey to Connersville," published just shortly before that gentle philosopher
started on his ill-fated journey to Europe on the "Lusitania," which was
torpedoed and sunk en route, Mr. Ansted was referred to as "the man who
keyed Connersville" and Conners\ille is referrerl to as "the lengthened
shadow of E. W. Ansted."

Edward W . .Ansted was born at Cla}ton, in Jefferson county, New York.
His father was tlie village blacksmith and the boy was brought up to keep
busy. The father's folks \\ere "Mohawk Dutch," witii all the virtues that
Holland supplies — industr\-, economy, intelligence and thrift, with a love of
the handicrafts. His mtither was of Irish descent: thus he is a combination
of the solid substance of the Dutch and the humorous wisdom of the
Hibernian, as the Hubbard "little journey" so aptly put it. When eighteen
years of age, E. W. Ansted began helping to manufacture wagon springs in
Gananoque, Canada. Thence he presently moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan,
and from there, about 1882, to Racine, Wisconsin, where he became foreman
in the plant of the Racine Springs Works, continuing that connection until
that firm failed, when he and Michael Higgins, in 1884, bought the machinery
and started a small factory at Racine, which they operated until 1889, when
they were induced to open a new factory at Indianapolis to supply springs
for the Parry Manufacturing Company, the biggest concern of its kind in the
United States at that time. Three years later Mr. Ansted moved his spring-
making plant to Connersville and has ever since made that city his place of
residence. In this new location Mr. Ansted's l>usiness interests gradually
became extended until he was the cdntrolling factor in several of the leading
industries in that city, including the Lexington-Howard Company, manu-
facturers of automobiles ; the Ansted Spring and .\xle Company, the Central
Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of automobile bodies; the Indiana
Lamp Company, manufacturers of automol)ile lamps; the Connersville Wheel
Company, the Rex Buggy Company and the Hoosier Castings Company.
He also owns a half interest in the Ansted & Burk Milling Company, of
Springfield, Ohio, and is president nf the Farmers and Merchants Trust

FAYF.TTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 673

Company of Coiinersville, a member of the board of directors of the I'"ayette
National Bank and jjresident of the Glenwood State Bank at Glenwood. As
Elbert Hubbard commented after enumerating- tlie \arious concerns with
whicli Mr. Ansted is connected : "\\'hen you want thing-s done, call on a
busy man — the other kind has no time."

Edward W. .\nsted's ])arcnts. Ames and Fallen .\nsted. .spent their last
days in Connersxille. .\s ahme noted, .\nies .\nsled was a blacksmith and
general mechanic, wheelwright and \illage manufacturer. In their later
years he and his wife came to Indiana and after a sometime residence in
Indianapolis moved to C(.)nnersville, where they spent the remainder of their
lives. They were members of the Catholic church and their children were
reared in that faith. The'e were seven of these children, Edward \V., Amos
A., Mary, William B., lunma, Margaret and Charles. It was during- the
time of his residence in Kalamazoo. Michigan, tliat Edward ^^'. Ansted was
united in marriage ti> Catherine Burk, wii(-i was born in the province of
Ontario, of Irish parentage, and to this union five children have been born,
George \\'., .\rthur .\., I'Vank B., X'ellie, who married Emory Huston, of
Connersville. and Edward \\'., Jr.. deceased.

REV. THEODORE S. MESKER.

The Rev. Theodore S. Mesker, pastor of St. Gabriel's Catholic church
at Connersx'ille, is a nati\e Hoosier and has li\ed in this state all his life.
He was born at E\ansville, this state. March 20, 1862, and his early school-
ing was obtained in the parochial school of St. Mar\-'s parish in that city,
under the pastorate of the Re\-. I'erdinantl X'iefhaus. In .April, 1874, he
then being twelve years of age, he entered St. Meinrad's Seminary, con-
ducted by the Benedictine I-"athers at St. Meinrad, this state, and there spent
two years pursuing the conimercial course. He then took up the study of
the classics and completed that course in the seminary of St. Francis Sale-
sianum at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after which he re-entered St. Meinrad's and
there completed the full course in philosophy and theolog}-, being admitted to
minor orders on May 19, 1883; ordained as sub-deacon on June 3, 1884: as
deacon on June 7, 1884, and as priest on May 30, 1885, the ordination vows
being administered by Bishop Chatard at St. Meinrad's.

Father Mesker celebrated his first mass at his old home church, St.
(43)

674 FAYETTE COITNTY, INDIANA.

Mary's at Evansville, June 7, 1885, and his first ministerial charge was as
assistant pastor of St. Mary's parish at Indianapohs. He presently was
transferred from there to the pastorate of St. Bernard's parish at Rockport,
this state, but while journeying to missions connected with that parish con-
tracted a severe illness, which necessitated a sojourn of some months in the
South. Restored to his wonted state of health by this change of climate.
Father Mesker returned North and almost immediately after his arrival in
Indiana was appointed to take charge of the parish of the Guardian angel at
Cedar Grove in Franklin counts' and he entered upon his parochial duties
there on August 15, 1888. He found the parish somewhat in debt, but by
assiduous toil and the exercise of iiis energies as a financier he not only suc-
ceeded in paying off this debt in a few years, but in erecting there one of
the most beautiful houses of worship in the diocese of Indianapolis.

On August I, 1906, Father Mesker was transferred from Cedar Grove
to Connersville to take charge of the parish of St. Gabriel in the latter place,
and he ever since has been in charge there. St. Gabriel's had a fine church,
erected in 1883, and a substantial school building and the Sisters' house was
being erected when Father Mesker arrived in charge. He completed the
work and has since brought about numerous other substantial improvements
in the parish property. The church and other buildings are surrounded by
beautiful grounds that are kept with much care and which pro\ide a hand-
some park fronting the priest's residence, a very comfortable and substan-
tial house. During his pastorate of more than ten \ears at Connersville,
Father Mesker has done a good work in behalf of his parish, which has now
grown to include about three hundred and fifty families, with about two hun-
dred children in the parochial school, and all departments of the parish work
are reported to be in nourishing condition.

In this connection a brief history of St. Gabriel's parish at Connersville
will be fitting. The first priest to visit Connersville is said to have been the
Rev. John Ryan, who was in charge of the Catholic parish at Richmond, in
the neighboring county of Wayne, from August, 1846, to June, 1848, but no
record of the exact date of his visit to the few Catholics who then were settled
in and about Connersville has been kept. The Rev. ^^'illiam Doyle, in charge
at Richmond from May, 1849, to Augu.st, 1853, next had charge of the little
mission at Connersville. Father Doyle boarded with the family of A. Apert
and celebrated mass in their home. In 185 1 he bought the ground and built
a small church and the same was dedicated to the worship of God as the
St. Gabriel's Catholic church of Connersville, and there the parish worshiped

FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. 675

for more tlian thirty years. Tlie first resident pastor of St. Gabriel's was
the Rev. Henry Peters, who arrived in 1H53. Me completed and somewhat
improved the church and built a comfortable priest's house, the latter of
brick. He fitted up the basement of the church as a school room and there
the children of the parish received instructions until a proper school house
could be provided. Father Peters was in charge at Connersville for more
than twenty years and in addition to his service as ]Kistor of St. Gabriel's
performed service as a missionary over a wide territory in this part of the
state, his missions including- parishes at Libert}', in L'nion county; at Laurel,
in Franklin county; at Rushville. in Rush county; at Cambridge City, in
Wayne count)-; at Xewcastle, in Henry county, and at several other points.
On account of the proximity of the railroads to the original site of St.
Gabriel's church. Father Peters bought a couple of lots in another section
of the city in 187 1 and on that site erected a .school house of brick, in which
the Sisters of Prox-idence are still conducting the parish .school. The labors
of Father Peters in the northeastern portion of the diocese of Vincennes
wduld afford a most interesting narrati\-e; l)Ut tlie facts and the dates have
been buried with him. He died at Cminersx-illc (in January 31. 1874. and
his remains were transferred, in charge of the Re\'. .M. Fleischmann, to
Xorth Madison, wliere he now rests, awaiting tlie general resurrection.

Father Peters was succeeded at St. Gabriel's by the Rev. Peter Bischof,
wlio remained until 1876, succeeding- admirably in restoring order and in
reducing the indebtedness on the school house. He was appointed to Madi-
son in 1881 and was succeeded at St. Gabriel's by the Rev. V. ]. Rudolf, who
paid the balance of the parish debt during the first year of his pastorate and
at once made pre])arations for tlie erectiDU nf a new cluirch. l^Ie bought five
additional lots and tlie corner stone for the new Imuse of worshi]} was laid
by Bishop Chatard on June 11. rSSj. The churcli was completed in 1883
and is a beautiful Gothic edifice, one luuidred and fift\--fiiur by fifty-four feet
in general dimensions, with a transept seventy-four l)y twenty-eight feet.
The church was dedicated on June 15, 1884, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop F. S.
Chatard and the occasion was made one of much rejoicing on the part of the
parish. Excursion trains were run from Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Harrison
and Newcastle, and there were societies present from Cincinnati, Lidianapolis,
Brookville, Oldenburg and Rushville. and a company nf Knights of St. fohn
from Cincinnati, with Peter .Meyer as captain. It was a beautiful summer
day and the day and the occasion will never be forgotten by the ])articii)ants
in the dedicatory ceremonies.

676 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

GEORGE WASHINGTON GOBLE.

George Washington Goble, a well-known young lawyer of Connersville
and a member of the law firm of Himelick, Frost & Goble. of that city, is a
native of the Sunflower state, born of Hoosier parents, but has been a resi-
dent of Indiana since his early childhood. He was born on a farm on the
plains of Elk comity, Kansas, December 21, 1887, eldest son of Samuel
Harper and Nannie (Fisher) Goble, natives of Indiana, who are now living
on a farm in f'reble county, Ohio.

Samuel Harper Goble was born on a pioneer farm in Union county,
this state, June 26, 1856, son of Henry \\'ashington and Susanna (Harper)
Goble, pioneers of that part of the state, the former of whom was born in
that county on November 18, 1823, and died at his home, in a house erected
about fifty yards from the spot where he was born, November 12, 1910, he
then lacking six days of being eighty-seven years of age. He always lived
on that farm. Hem"}- Washington Goble was twice married. His first wife,
Susanna Harper, was the mother of three children, Samuel H., Mrs. Lydia
Ann Hand and one who died in infancy. The second wife, Susan Gray,
was the mother of seven children, Henry D., Mrs. Mary Whiteman, Mrs.
Mattie Clark, Mrs. Kate Whiteman, Lida, Lawrence and Mrs. Florence
Burris. Henry Washington Goble's father, .\bner Goble, the founder of
the family in Indiana, was a native of New Jersey, born on October 3, 1783.
There he married Lydia Johnson, who was born in the year 1788, and he
and his bride dro\-e through to the then wilds of Indiana, coming in a cov-
ered wagon by wa}- of the Cumberland Pass, in company with Benoni Goble,
a brother of Abner, the brothers having married sisters, and both families
established homes in Union county. Abner Goble and his wife pre-empted
a tract of land in that county and there spent the rest of their lives, rearing a
familv of six children, Mrs. Nancy Staten, Mrs. Leathe White, Mrs. Sarah
Kroni, Mrs. Mary White. Amy Ann and Henry Washington. Abner Goble
was killed b}- a falling tree while working in the timber, he then being well
advanced in years. His wife li\ed to the ripe old age of ninety-two.
Another of Abner Goble'-s brothers settled near Knightstown, Indiana, and
another lies buried under the court house at Hamilton, Ohio.

Susanna (Harper) Goble, the mother of Samuel H. Goble, was born in
Union county, this state, January 24, 1835, and died at the youthful age of ■
twentv-seven years. Her father was Thomas Harper, an Irishman, born in
1803. Her mother was Eliza McCammon, a Virginian, born on August 14,

FAYETTE COrNTY. INDIANA. 677

1814. Susanna Guljle had one brother, Samuel ITariier. a man of most
unusual depth of intellect, and two half-brothers and a iialf-sister. John Caj)-
l)er. Dan Capper and Elizabeth (Capper) Elliot.

It was on that pioneer farm of his father's that Samuel Harper (ioble
grew to manhood. When twent\--one years of ag:e lie decided to go to Kan-
sas, which then seemed to be offering special inducements to settlers. He
settled on the plains of Lane county, built a dug-out and for three years lived
in that humble abode, his cliief occupation during that period being the
gathering of buffalo bones whicii strewed the ])lains — one of the chief "natural
products" of Kansas tluring piimeer days — and liauling them to market,
seventy-five miles distant, by ox-team. During the winters he varied this
occupation by teaching school in Cass county. Missouri. While living there
he married Xannie Fisher, who was born in .Shelln- county. Indiana, May 4,
186S, daughter of George \\a.shington and Mary Ann (McLean) Fisher,
the former of wiiom was born in Shelby county. Indiana, June 6, 1826, and
the latter in tlie state of Tennessee, June 10, F82S. George \\'. Fisher and
wife reared their family in Indiana and then luoved to Kansas, settling in
Elk county, where the former .spent his last days, passing to the Great Beyond.
I'ebruary 6. 1887. His wiflow retiuMied to Indiana and spent her last days
at the home of her sou. Tilman Fisher, in Tipton county, dying at the age
of seventy-one. George Washington Fisher's father was Michael Fisher, a
German, born on October 9. 1800. His mother was Alahala Webb, lie
had six brothers and sisters. Martin, Calvin, William, Mrs. Nancv Fisher,
Mrs. Pink Bass and Thomas. Mary Ann (McLean) Fisher's father was
Daniel McLean and her motiier .Yancy Farnsworth. She had ten brothers
and sisters, Mrs. Lizz Thomas, Mrs. Ellen Fisher. Mrs. Sallie Webb-Runkle,
Mrs. Rachel Runkel, Mrs. Xancy Law. Jess, Howard, Henry, John and Jane,
(ieorge W. Fisher and wife were the parents of eight children, those besides
Mrs. Coble having been Tilman, Thomas, Mrs. .\delaide Ro.se, Mrs. Icy
Small, Mrs. Rebecca Mayn, Mrs. Malinda Snyder and Mrs. Mahala Magee.

.\fter his marriage Samuel H. Goble settled on a farm in Elk county,
Kansas, and there made his home for seven years. In r8(;3 he returned to
Indiana with his family and settled in Franklin countw where he lived for
two years, during which time he was engaged in carrying the mail from
Brookville to Oxford, Ohio. He then moved to Conners\iIIe aufl was ihere
engaged in the livery business for ten years, at the end of which time he
moved to a farm four miles .south of College Corner, in I'nion county, where
he made his home four years. He then bought a quarter of a section of land
in Wayne county, this state, where he resided for nine vears and on March

678 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

], igij, he located on his present farm of two hundred and forty-live acres
near New Paris, Ohio. While living in Kansas, Samuel H. Goble .took an
active part in the organization of the Populist party, which for years was so
strong in that state, and made many effective speeches in behalf of the prin-
ciples of that party. He and his wife are the parents of four soils, the sub-
ject of this sketch having three brothers, Harry T., Edward E. and Loren E.,
who are on the home farm in Preble county, Ohio.

George W. Goble was five or six years of age when his parents returned
to Indiana from Kansas and he grew to manhood in this state. He was
graduated from the high school at College Corner, Ohio, in 1908 and shortly
afterward entered Indiana ITnixersit}' and after a course of two years there
began teaching school and was engaged as principal of the high school at
Alton, Crawford county, this state, for two years. He then resumed his
studies at the uni\-ersity and was graduated from the literary department of
the same in 191.V He tlicn married and for a year thereafter was engaged
as principal of the high school at Cleveland, Oklahoma, in the meantime
keeping in view his ambition to become a lawyer and pursuing his studies to
tiiat end. He then entered tiie law department of Yale University, a pupil
of W. H. Taft, formei- I'resident of the Lnited States; a professor in that
department, and was graduated from the same in 191 5. Mr. Goble was a
member of the Indiana-DePauw debating team in T913, and at ^'ale, he
won the first Munson debating prize in a field of twelve contestants. On
August I, 191 5, he located at Connersville and has since then been engaged
in the practice of his profession in that city. Upon locating at Connersville
Mr. Goble formed a partnership with E. R. Himelick and the firm has since
been enlarged b}' the acquisition of H. L. Frost, the firm now doing business
under the style of Himelick, Frost & Goble. Mr. Goble is a Democrat and
gives his thoughtful attention to political affairs.

It was on August 20, 1913, that George W. Goble was united in mar-
riage to Roberta Lee Sonner, who was born in Harrison countA-, this state,
l^ecember u. 1894. daughter of Walter and Catherine ( Fleischmann ) Son-
ner, natives of that same county, the former of whom is .still living, and who
were the parents of three children. Thomas. Alaude and Roberta. Mrs.
Goble's mother died when she was three years of age and she was reared in
the family of Abraham X. Peckiniiaugh, at Alton, this state, and was gradu-
ated from the high school there. Both the Sonners and the Fleischmanns
are njd families in Indiana, Mrs. Goble's grand]Darents on both sides having
l>een horn in this state. \\'alter Sonner"s father was .\nios Sonner, his
grandfather, Joseph Sonner. and his great-grandfather, Philip P. Sonner,

FAYETTE COl'XTY, INDIANA. 6/9

wild came lo HarrisDii cnuiily from Straslnirg', Virginia, in 1S17, ami whn
(lied in r845. Waller Sonner's mother was f-'liza Deene. who was the dauf^h-
ler of Lincoln Heeiie. a reputed relative of Ahraham Lincoln, and lualine
M. (Simpson) Deene. who was a descendant of Sir Thomas Wyatt, an early
colonial governor of \'irginia. ^^'alte^ Sonner's hrolhers and sister are
Thomas Raxard, at jiresent secretary-treasurer of the German .American
Trust Company of Xew .Mhany, Indiana, Tosei)h, Edwin and Zetta. Cath-
erine ( Fleischmann ) Sonner was the daughter of John Philip Kleischmann
and Annie Elardsaw. To Mr. antl Mrs. Gohle two children ha\ e been horn,
both daughters, Elizabeth l-"isher, horn on Pecemher 8. Hji-f. and hnie Harper,
December 3, lyif). Mr. and Mrs. Colile are members of the Methodist
church and Mr. Cioble is a member of tlie Masonic lodge at C'onners\ ille.

nV-\TT L. FROST.

Hyatt L. I'^rost. former mayor of Connersville, for years one of the
leaders of the bar in that cit\-, a present member of the law firm of Hime-
lick. Frost & Goble antl an extensive landowner in Fayette county, is a native
son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born in the village
of Harrishurg on June 28, i860, son of Eli and Mel.sena ( Kerschner) Frost,
the former a native of the state of Xew 'S'ork and the latter of Ohio.

Eli h'rost was born in Dutchess count}", Xew ^'ork, sixth in order of
birth of the seven children born io his parents, the others having been
Charles, Mrs. Caroline Dale, Mrs. Lydia Rol>iiTson, Mrs. Sarah Wells. Hyatt
and George. His father met his death as the result of an accident at bis
iiome in New York and his mother, who before her marriage was Sophia
Kelly, came with her cliildren to Indiana and settled nn a farm in the immedi-
ate \icinity of Harrishurg, in Harrison township, this countv, Eli Frost then
having been but seven or eight \-ears of age. On that farm Eli Frost grew^
to manhood, later engaging in wagon-making in Harrishurg, following- that
vocation until he was thirtx-fue years of age, when he returned to farming
in Harrison and on the farm reared his family. His mother spent her last
days at Ilarrisburg, she being about sixty-fi\e years of age at the time of
her death. Eli l-'rost married Melsena Kerschner, who was bom in Ohio,
daughter of Daniel and Anna M. ( Emerick ) Kerschner, natives of Pennsvl-
vania, who came to Indiana from Ohio about 1840 and settled on a farm
in Harrison township, this county, where Daniel Kerschner died not manv

68o FAYETTE COUNTY^ INDIANA.

years afterward, at the age of thirty-five years, and where his widow spent
the rest of her life, she hving to a ripe old age. They were the parents of
seven children, those besides Mrs. Frost, the first-born, having been Amanda,
Anna M., Matilda, Sarah, Daniel and William. Mrs. Frost died on July 26,
1889, aged about fifty-six years, and her husband survived her until October
15, 1916. They were the parents of six children, of whom the subject of
this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follow : Rose A., wife of
Rev. Ellsworth Cole, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Laura T., who married
Harry Clifford and is now deceased; Emerick K., of Twin City, Idaho:
Homer F... of Cleveland. Ohio, and Delia W.. wife of Carey E. Clifford, of
Glenwood, this county.

Hyatt L. Frost was reared on the paternal farm in Harrison township
and received his schooling in the local schools, meantime being a valuable
aid to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home farm.
For four }'ears he taught school and then began to read law in the ofifice of
Florea & Florea at Connersville. .\fter a thorough course of reading under
that able preceptorship he was admitted to the bar in October, 1881. and has
ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession at Connersville.
Mr. Frost is a Republican and for years has been regarded as one of the
leaders of that party in this county. For four years, from September, 1894,
to September, 1898, he served as mayor of the city of Connersville and in
other ways has given of his ser\ices in the public behalf. Mr. Frost is an
extensive landowner, owning a farm of two hundred and fifty acres at the
north edge of Cnnners\ille. in Harrison township; a farm of one hundred
and ninety-four acres, known as the Reese farm, west of the city, and one of
one hundred and ten acres in the black lands of Fairview township. He
al.so has charge of se\eral farms for other people. For years Mr. Frost has
been a student of the subject of good roads and is one of the most earnest
advocates of the, good-roads UK^vement in Indiana. He believes in taking-
care of the rural districts by a .system of good roads all o\'er the country
and has for years advocated the subject that is close to his heart and will
continue to flo so until the objects of the widespread good-roads movement
in this country ha\-e been accomplished.

On June 11, 1882, Hyatt L. Frost was united in marriage to Dora A.
Berkheiser, who was born in Waterloo township, this county, September 14,
i860, daughter of "George .A. and Miriam (Skinner) Berkheiser, earl}' set-
tlers of Fayette county, the former of whom died in Xo\ember, 1894, at the
age of fifly-si.x years, and the latter of whom is still living. George -A,
Berkheiser and wife were the parents of two children, Mrs. Frost having a

FAYETTE COt'NTY. INDIANA. 68l

brotlier, William Herkheiser. Huth the Herklieisers and the Skinners are old
families in Fayette and Wayne counties, Mrs. Frost's grandparents on both
sides having- come here in an early day, and numeroits representatixes of
these two families are found in this part of the state. George .\. Herkheiser
was the son of George and Flizahetli Herkheiser, who were \vell known
among the old settlers of F'ayette county and who reared a considerable
family. Mr. and Mrs. I'rost have one child, a daughter. Jessie M., who
married Charles 1'. Murphy, of Connersville, and has a son. William F.
Mrs. Frost is a member of the Kpiscopal church and Mr. b'rosl is a member
of W^arren Lodge Xo. 15, b'ree and .\ccepted Masons, at Connersville. in
the affairs of which lodge he takes a warm interest.

J. H. FE.VRIS.

J. H. F'earis, veteran insurance agent at Connersxille and former post-
master of that city, was born in Connersville and has lived there all his life
with the e.xception of a brief period during the eighties when he was engaged
in business at Minneapolis. He was born on January i, 1848. son and only
child of George L. and Margaret X. (Huston) F.earis, the former a native
of Kentucky and the latter of Pennsylvania, who were for years accounted
among the leading residents of Connersxille.

George L. Fearis was bom in Lewis county, Kentucky, in 1807, and
there grew to manhood. He early learned the saddle-making trade and
when twenty-one years of age came up into Indiana and located at Conners-
ville, where he engaged in the saddlery business and where he was thus
engaged for a period of forty-two years. L'pon his arrival at Connersville,
he having come up the valley on horseback, he began working- as a saddler
in the employ of his uncle, Joseph Xelson, and presently engaged in business
for himself, in partnership with a Mr. Hull, under the firm name of Fearis
& Hull. After awhile he bought his partner's interest in the business and
conducted the same alone until his retirement from business in 187 1, his
saddlery establishment having been located at the corner of I'ourth street and
Central avenue.

It was after coming tf) this county that George L. Fearis married Mar-
garet X. Huston, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1810,
of Revolutionary stock, her grandfather, Capt. William Huston, having been
the commander of the Second Battalion, Cumberland Countv As.sociators.

682 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

September, 1776; captain, July 31. 1777, of the Sixth Gompany, Sixth Bat-
talion, Cumlierland County IVlilitia, in actual service; captain of the Sixth
Battalion, January, 177S, and captain of the Fifth Company, Fourth
Battalion, August, 1780. Captain Huston was born in 1755 and died
in 1823. George 1.. Fearis and his wife were active in all good works in
and about Connersville during their generation. They were members of the
Presbyterian cliurch and he for years served as a member of the session of
that congregation. His wife died in 1876 and he survived for more than
twenty years, liis death occurring in T898, he then having reached the age
of more than eighty years.

Reared at Gonners\-ille, J. H. Fearis received iiis elementary schooling
in tlie schools of that city, later attending- Hanover College and after a course
in that institution entering Miami 17ni\-ersit}', completing his college course
in 1866, after which he for some time was engaged as a clerk in mercantile
establishments at Connersville. In 1876 he engaged in the fire-insurance
business in a partnership, under the firm name of Fearis & Barrows, and
after eleven years of such connection sold his interests at Connersville to
Mount & Roots, of the First National Bank, and moved to Minneapolis,
Minnesota, where he engaged in the insurance business. On account of his
wife's health, Mr. Fearis presently returned to Connersville and during- the
administration of President Flarrison was appointed postmaster of that city,
a position in which he served for about five years, during which incumljency,'
December i, 1890, free mail delivery was established at Connersville. In
the meantime Mr. Fearis had been making considerable real-estate invest-
ments and upon retii'ing from the postoffice gave his attention to his land
interests and also resumed liis general insurance business, in which line he
ever since has continued and in which he has been quite successful. Early
in the days of the de\e!opment of the tele])bone business Mr. Fearis estab-
lished a telephone system in Connersville, the ])lant wliich he organized hav-
ing been the one hundred and eiglith such plant started in the L^nited States,
and got it going jn fine shape, when, tvvci years later, the Central Union
Telephone Conipany began picking up small local telephone plants and Mr.
Fearis sold his plant to that company. In other ways Mr. Fearis has ever
had the interests of his home town at heart and has for years been recognized
as one of the active factors in the development of the cit}- along general lines.
He is a Republican, but has not been a seeker after local office, his service
as postmaster having Ijeen the only official ]niblic service he has rendered.

On November i, 1870, J. H. Fearis was united in marriage to Jose-
phine Du Bois, daughter of A. W. Du Bois, and to this union one child has

FAYin'TE COVNTY. INDIANA. 683

been born, a son, Huston Du Bois I'earis, wlio married Abce (iraiianr Mr.
and Mrs. Fearis are members of tlie IVesljvterian church and tor years Mr.
Fearis was a menilier of tlie lioard of trustees of the local confjrefjatioii.
F'raternally. he is affiliated with the liKal lodge of the Knifjhts of Pythias.

MKIIAKI, C. BL■CKL1':^'.

The late Michael C Buckley, for many years one of Conners\ ille's most
energetic and enter])rising citizens, \o^^ \ears acti\el\' connected with the
grocery trade in that city and then for years the proprietor of the Buckley
House, formerly one of the best-known hostelries in eastern Indiana, was a
native of the Emerald Isle, but had been a resident of this country since the
da}s of his Ijoyhood. He was born in County Cork, Ireland. March jo,
1840, son of Dennis and I'llizabeth ( Dorgan ) Bucklew also natixcs of Ire-
land, who came to the United States with their family in the sjjring of iS5_>
and located in Hamilton county. Ohio.

Michael C. Buckley was about tuehe years of age when he came to
America with his parents and his youth was spent in Hamilton county, (Jhio,
where he completed his scho(jling and where he grew to manhood, remain-
ing there until he was past twenty-one years of age, when, in the spring of
1862, he came to Indiana and located at Connersville, where he spent the
remainder of his life. Xot long after his arrival at Connersville Mr. Buck-
ley secured employment as a clerk in the (iroff grocery store and was thus
engaged for six-years, or until a year after his marriage, when, in iSdS, he
engaged in the grocery business in that city on his own account. A year
later he formed a partnership with j. W . Ross, the firm continuing in the
grocery business for two years, at the end of which time Mr. Buckley bought
his partner's interest in the concern and continued it alone until iSS_:^. when
he retired from that line and in August of that \ear assumed the manage-
ment of the Buckley House, a hostelry famous in its day. which he owned
and which he continued to conduct with much success until his retirement
from business in igoo, renting the house ;it that time to others. The old
Buckley House was maintained as a hotel, under xarious managements, for
some years afterw^ard and was then con\erted into an apartment house, which
purpose it is still serving, standing at the northeast corner of F'ifth street
and Eastern avenue. For years also Mr. Buckley had been extensi\elv inter-
ested in real-estate transacti<ins in and about Connersville and when he

684 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

retired was accounted one of the well-to-do men of that city. He also gave
his close attention to local civic affairs and for some years served as a mem-
ber of the city council and for two or three terms as a member of the city
school board. Michael C. Buckley died at his home in Connersville on
September 8, 1915. and his widow is still living in that city, having a very
pleasant home at 509 Eastern avenue, where she is quite comfortably situated.

It was on May 23, 1867. at Connersville, that Michael C. Buckley was
united in marriage to Susan Mullikin, who was born in that city, a daughter
of Josiah and Ellen (Morrison) Mullikin, natives of Maryland, whose last
days were spent in Conners^'ille, useful and influential residents of that city.
Josiah Mullikin was born iii the village of Trappe, Talbot county, Maryland,
September ly, 1807, and when a boy moved with his parents to Baltimore,
wliere he learned the trade of shoemaker and where he grew to manhood.
On Mav 6, 1830, in that city, he married Ellen Morrison and in the next
year came to Indiana, locating in Fayette county. He and his wife's mother
both entered land on Orange township, paying for the same one dollar and
twenty -five cents an acre, and there the family lived for ten years, pioneers
in a new country, Josiah Mullikin then left tiie farm and moved to Con-
nersville, where he resumed his trade as a shoemaker, but later became one
of the builders of the old foundr_\- on Eastern avenue, near the tracks of the
Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad, and in other ways became actively
identified with the growth and development of the city. Mr. Mullikin was
an energetic, straightforward citizen and exerted a large influence for good
in the town in an earlier day, serving Connersxilie when it was a village and
later when it was incorporated as a city in various public capacities, among
these being assessor, a member of the school board, street commissioner,
member of the village board of trustees, chief of the fire department and as
a memlier (if the city council. When the river began eating away the grave-
yard at the east end of Tiiird street Mr. Mullikin tried earnestly but vainly
to interest the town board in a movement toward erecting a protecting wall
for the purpose of saving tlie graves of the forefathers of the village from
destruction. Josiah Mullikin died on November 14, 1884, and his widow
survived him more than ten years, her death occurring in 1895.

To Michael C. and Susan (Mullikin) Buckley, four children were born,
namely.: Mabel E., wife of Dr. H. M, Zeln-ung, a dentist, of Connersville;
Frank Buckley, assistant secretary and treasurer of the .Ousted Spring and
Axle Company and also interested in various other business and industrial
enterprises in Connersville, for the past twenty years connected with the
Ansted Company, attended DePauw University for three years and in 1906

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 685

married Grace Forte, of I""ortville. this state; Stella Marie, who married
Samuel Davis and has one child, a son, Robert Buckley, and Jessie, born on
September 21, 1876, who died on June 19, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Davis make
their home with the latier's mother on Eastern avenue.

FREDERICK SCHOFXHOETZ.

The late b'rederick Schoenholtz, for years a well-known baker at Ci>n-
ners\ille and who alM> served that city as a member of the common council,
was a natixe of (iermany, l)ut had been a resident of this country since the
days oi his young manhood. He was born on Xovember 14. 1848, and
receixed his schooling in his native land. As a young man he left German}-
and came to the United States, locating at Cincinnati, where he became
engaged as a baker, a short time afterward coming on up into Indiana and
locating at Connersville, where for a number of years he worked in a local
bakery and then bought a bakery and was engaged in that business the rest
of his life, his popular establishment haxing been located where now the
^Mettles bakery is doing business.

Frederick Schoenholtz was a good citizen and a substantial business
man and at his death on X^ovember 21, 1897, was mourned by many friends.
Mr. Schoenholtz was a stanch Republican and e\er took a good citizen's
interest in local civic affairs, having for some years represented his ward in
the city council, in which capacity he ever exerted his influence in behalf of
the city's best interests. He was an earnest member of the German Presby-
terian church and for some years ser\ed as a member of the board of trustees
of the local congregation. Fraternally, he was affiliated with the local lodges
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Ivnights of Px'thias
and took a warm interest in the afifairs of those popidar organizations.

Mr. Schoenholtz was twice married. His first wife, Josephine h'ridgen,
died, leaving three daughters, Mrs. Charles Glore. Mrs. .\. J. Henry and
Mayme Schoenholtz, and he then married Catherine Billau, a daughter of
Valentine and Henrietta (Filers) Billau. and to that union two children were
born, sons both. Carl and Frank Schoenholtz. Mrs. Catherine Schoenholtz
was bom at Connersville and has lived there all her life. Her parents, who
were natives of Germany, came to this country in the days of their youth
with their respective parents, both the Billau and the Filers fanulies locating
at Cincinnati, where Valentine Billau and Henrietta Filers were married.

686 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Valentine Billau was a brewer, a business he followed at Cincinnati for some
time, later moving to Connersville. where he followed the same business for
a number of years. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, of
whom five are still living, those besides Mrs. Schoenholtz being Mrs. H.
Pfafflin, Mrs. Elsie Schweikle, Mrs. Emma Ready and Otto Billau. ^Irs.
Schoenholtz is a member of the German Presbyterian church and has ever
taken a warm interest in the \arious beneficences of the same, as well as in
all local good works.

GLEN ZELL.

Glen Zell, auditor of Fa3'ette county and one of the most popular officials
in the court house, was for nearl}- twenty years superintendent of the plant
of the Connersville Buggy Company and in that capacity was long one of
the best-known figures in the industrial life of Connersville. He was born
on a farm in Huntington county, this state, September 14, 1875, a son of
John Zell and wife, the former of whom was a blacksmith, who followed that
\-ocation most of his life, for man\- years a resident of Milton, over the line
in W'ayne county, but in his latter years mo\-ing to Huntington county, where
he spent his last days.

I'pon completing the course in the district schools Glen Zell entered the
normal school at Marion, this state, and was graduated from that institution.
He then took a su])plementary course in the Indiana State Normal School
at Terre Haute and was thereafter engaged in the grocery business for two
or three years, at tlie end of which time, in 1SQ7, he located at Connersville,
Avhere he became employed in the factory of the Connersville Buggy Com-
pau}- and presently was advanced to the position of superintendent of the
plant, a position he occupied until he resigned to take up the duties of auditor
of Fayette county. Mr. Zell is an ardent Republican and in November,
1914, as the nominee of that party, was elected county auditor. He entered
upon the duties of his official position on January i, 1Q16, and is now serv-
ing the public in that important capacity.

On November 25, 1903, Glen Zell was united in marriage to Tina
McCready, daughter of Miller McCready and wife, and to this union tw-o
children ha\'e been born, Robert and Russell. Mr. Zell is a member of the
Masonic fraternity and has also given his active attention to a number of
other fraternal societies. He is past noble grand of the local lodge of the
Indejiendent Order of Odd bellows, jjast chief patriarch of the encampment

FXYETTK COUNTY. INDIANA. 6i^7

oi that order and wa.s for two years di.strict deputy of tlie order, wliile botli
he and his wife are nieniber.s of tlie local lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah.
Mr. Zell also is a past chancellor of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias,
is a director of the local lodge of the Loyal Order of Motise. a trustee of the
local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and a member of the local tribe
of the Improved Order of Red Men. in the affairs of all of which urganiza-
tions he takes a warm interest.

WILLIAM [. CAIX.

William J. Cain, recorder of i'ayette county and a resident of the cit\'
of Connersville for the jjast thirty-six years, was horn at Brookville. in the
neighboring county of h'ranklin. Jul\- c), 1^47. a son of Jonathan and Sarah
(W'einens) Cain, the former of whom was horn in tlie state of llelaware and
the latter in Ohio.

Jonathan Cain was born near the cit\- of Dover. Delaware, and was Init
a child \vhen his ])arents came to Indiana, tiie family drixing through and
locating iti I'rmiklin county. 'I'here he grew to manhoixl and was married
to Sarah W'einens. who was i>orn at i'i(|ua, ( )hio. Jonalhaii Cain was trained
as a i>ai)er maker and continued thus engaged in the ])aper mill at Rrookxille
until aliout the _\-ear iSj^:;. when he mo\-ed up into I'avette count\- and was
here engaged in farming until i8S_^. when he moved to Tipton county and
was there engaged in farming until about iSo,^, when he retired and si)ent
the rest of his life in the homes of his children in this county.

Reared at lirookville. William J. Cain receixed his early schooling in
the schools of that city and sup])lemented the same h\- a course in the old
Brookville College. Me early learned the tinner's trade and f<illowed that
trade at Brookville until 18S1. in which year he moved to Connersville and
established a tin shop of his own in that cit}'. soon ha\-ing a thriving business
in that line. Mr. Cain continued engaged in business at Connersville until
his election, in 1910, to the ot^ce of recorder of Fayette countv, when he
S(jld his business. Mr. Cain entered upon the duties of his office in 1912
and so satisfactorily did he conduct the same that he was re-elected to the
office of county recorder in ifM4 and is now ser\ing his .second term in that
important office. Mr. Cain is a Rei)ublican and has for years been regarded
as one of the leaders of that party in this county.

In 1871 William J. Cain was united in marriage to Flizabeth Lind.sav,

688 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

a daughter of William Lindsay, and to this union three children have been
born. George, Lindsay and Thomas, the latter of whom died in 1880. Mr.
and Mrs. Cain are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Cain
is a charter member of the Connersville lodge of the Improved Order of Red
Alen and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.

CAPT. THOMAS DOWNS.

In the memorial annals of Fayette county there are few names held
in better memory than that of the late Capt. Thomas Downs, an honored
veteran of the Civil War, former assistant quartermaster, United States
Army, and for some }'ears prior to his death in 191 1 connected with the
interior department of the United States government as special Indian agent
and later as Indian commissioner, in which latter service he incurred the
illness which resulted in his death. Captain Downs was a native Hoosier, a
fact of which he ever was proud. He was born at Lawrenceburg. this state.
March 31, 1845. and with the exception of the time spent in the government
service remained a resident of this state all his life. His parents. Hezekiah
and Ruth Ann (Chase) Downs, were natives, respectivly, of Kentucky and
of Ohio and he was one of nine children torn to that parentage. Hezekiah
Downs was born in Fleming county, Kentucky. March 6. 18 19, and died
at his home in Connersville on April 12, 1883. His widow, who was born
at Marietta, Ohio, April 3, 181 3, survived him a little less than two years,
her death occurring on March 15, 1885.

Thomas Downs was but a boy when his parents moved from Lawrence-
hurg to Madison county, this state. Though his opportunities for schooling
in the latter environment were very limited, by diligent effort he acquired
a fair education and the mold in which he was cast and the training of a
pious mother influenced him toward right living, honesty and integrity of
purpose. Though he was but sixteen years of age when the sable cloud of the
Civil War overcast the homes of this beautiful land. Thomas Downs
answered his countr3'*s call and joined the "boys in blue," enlisting as a
private in Company K, Fifty-fourth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry,
with which he went to the front and was later transferred to Company K,
Sixteenth Indiana. While serving with that command his health became
greatly broken and he was furloughed home on sick leave, returning to Con-
nersA-ille. to which place his parents meantime had removed, and there he

1-AYfc.TTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 689

suffered a long and sexere illness of typhoid fever. Before he iiad entirely
recovered from this illness this plucky soldier boy returned to his regiment
and presently was transferred to Company K, Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry,
and with that command served until the close of the war, being mustered
out with the rank of corporal on October 22, 1865. During this service
Captain Downs participated in many important engagements and battles,
including the siege and taking of Vicksburg, Arkansas Post and the Red
River expedition.

Upon the completion of his military service, Captain Downs returned
to Connersville and there entered upon the pursuits of peace as a carpenter.
In the fall of the next year he married and settled down in Connersville,
which he ever afterward regarded as his home, although in the later years
of his life he was much absent on government business. Captain Downs'
business career was an active one and in it, as well as in his social life, the
fine character of the man stood out, exhibiting a singular sincerity, prompt-
ness, directness and firmness. From 1870 until 1898 he was connected with
various firms engaged in general contracting and building and in 1884 he
became the senior partner in the firm of Downs, Ready & Company, R. G.
Waite, his former partner and life friend, being the other member of the
firm. The reputation of this company became state-wide through its con-
nection with the construction of important buildings in various parts of the
state, as well as at Connersville, the seat of its operations. Among these
buildings may be mentioned the AIcFarlan building, the Catholic church, the
Methodist church, the Fifth street school building, the Eighth street school
building, the National Bank building and the remodeling of the court house
as it now stands, besides a number of fine residences at Connersville; the
erection of a Catholic church at Rushville, a Catholic church at Greensburg,
a business block for I'". T. Roots at Muncie, additions to Oxford College
buildings and the new building for the National Soldiers' Home at Marion.

From 1887 to 1889 Captain Downs served as a member of the Con-
nersville city council and was a member of the city school board from 1890
to 1899. He was a director in the Fayette Savings and Loan Association
and a stockholder in the Fayette National Bank. He was a member of the
First Methodist Episcopal church, an active meml^er of the local post of the
Grand Army of the Republic, a Royal Arch Mason and a member of
Otonka Tribe No. 94, Improved Order of Red Men, in the afifairs of all of
which organizations he took a warm interest. Captain Downs was an ardent
Republican and ever took an acti\e interest in political affairs, both at home
(44)

690 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and throughout the state, and was long regarded as one of the prominent
figures in his party in this section. His pubHc service met with high
approval and commendation, his acts in his various official capacities ever
being animated by a liigh sense of duty and loyalty. The interest which
Captain Downs manifested in the various lines of work in which he was
engaged, and which characterized his whole life, was a great source of
power and perhaps in later years led him to efforts far beyond his strength.

In July, 1898, during the progress of the Spanish-American War, Cap-
tain Downs received a commission from the federal government to act as
assistant quartermaster, with rank of captain, and for a year he was stationed
at Jefferson Barracks, near St Louis, where he chiefly was engaged in fitting
out regiments en route for the Philippines and Cuba. He later was stationed
at Cincinnati for a time and then spent two years at Ft. Stevens, Oregon,
where he superintended the erection of an army barracks. On February 4,
1903, Captain Downs accepted another federal commission and for nearly
seven years thereafter served as a special Indian agent. This latter service
called the Captain to nearly every state west of the Mississippi, his duties
having to do with the establishment of Indian schools, the settlement of
difficulties among the Indians and the enumeration and enrollment of the
various tribes. Captain Downs served in this capacity until in September,
1909, when, as a reward for efficient service, he received the appointment as
Indian commissioner, the duty assigned with that appointment being that
of enrolling the Winnebago tribe of Indians, which service he completed in
about three months. The roll of the Winnebagos carried nearly fifteen hun-
dred names and Captain Downs reported with the same at Washington, D.
C, January 6, 19 10. On January 20 of that same year he was ordered to
Muskogee, Oklahoma, to inspect the schools of the Five Civihzed Tribes,
and was ready to take charge of the schools at Anadarko, when he was
attacked by a serious disorder of the liver, which was destined to end his
busy career. Captain Downs, upon being thus stricken, returned to his home
at Connersville and after a year of illness passed away there on Friday
morning, January 20, 191 1.

Among the Indians, for whom he gave his best thought and judgment
during the later years of his life. Captain Downs built for himself a monu-
ment of friendship, his invariable sympathy, kindness and courtesy in behalf
of the wards of the nation winning for him their sincere regard and affec-
tion. Captain Downs's service as a soldier during the dark hours of the
nation's trial in the sixties was ever a source of satisfaction and pride to
him and he always enjoyed the friendship and the greetings of his comrades

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 6gi

of those stirring years. On one notable occasion the flag which he loved,
honored and followed, came to his rescue at a time when his life was in
extreme danger. That was during the uprising of the Utes at Thunder
Butte, Cheyenne Agency, South Dakota, in November, 1907, when Captain
Downs was at the mercy of the turbulent redskins for three days and nights,
with but one companion, all others at the agency save his clerk having fled
for safety. The Indians were insolent and sullen and threatened to shoot
the whites and burn the agency buildings. Captain Downs and his clerk were
far out on the reservation, ninety miles from the agency, and the nearest
telephone station was fifty miles away Afterward, in speaking of his event-
ual rescue, Captain Downs said that when he heard the tread of the rescuing
party of troops and saw the old flag advancing at the head of the column,
"Old Glory" appeared to him with a new aspect, if [xissible; it ne\er had
looked so good to him before — for it brought protection and safety.

Captain Downs's widow is still hving at Connersville, where she has a
very pleasant home and where she is very comfortably situated. It was on
November 20, 1866, that Captain Downs, then not very long returned from
his service in the army, was united in marriage, at Connersville, to Mary
Jane Esman, who was born in that city on June 2, 1849, daughter of Jacob
and Saloma (Honhart) Esman, who became residents of Connersville dur-
ing the early forties. Jacob Esman was born in Ermite, Alsace, then a
German province, March 19, 1809, and was there trained to the trade of
millwright. He served in the army of Louis Philippe and later came to the
United States and at Warren, Pennsylvania, married Saloma Honhart, who
was born in Arglesheim, Bavaria, Germany, December 16, 18 16, and who
had come to the United States with her brother in 1838, settling at Warren,"
Pennsylvania, where, three years later, she married Mr. Esman. Follow-
ing their marriage Jacob Esman and wife came to Indiana, voyaging down
the Ohio river by flatboat to Cincinnati and proceeding thence by wagon to
Conner.sville, where they established their home and where they spent the
remainder of their lives, honored and useful pioneer citizens. Jacob Esman
became a citizen of the United States in 1844, his naturalization papers being
issued by Amos Edwards, then clerk of Fayette county. He died at his
home in Connersville on July i, 1861; and his widow survived him for more
than thirty-three years, her death occurring in Connersville on September
13, 1894.

To Thomas and Mary Jane ( Esman) Downs five children were born,
namely: Florence, wife of Martin Reifel, of Connersville; Susan Jane,
wife of Charles A. Rieman. of Connersville; Augu.sta Ann, wife of Jesse

692 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

B. Rhoads, also of that city; William Francis, who died at Connersville,
October 30, 1888, and Dr. George Downs, of Spokane, Washington, who
married Marie Seiling. Mrs. Downs has six grandchildren, namely : Gladys
Rieman, wife of Robert C. Hamilton; Mildred Salome, wife of George M.
Lennard; Mary Jane Rieman, Jane Augusta Reifel, Helen Downs Reifel
and Thomas Downs.

BENJAMIN WALTER COLE.

Benjamin Walter Cole, former treasurer of Fayette county and present
assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Connersville, is a native son
of this county and has lived here practically all his life. He was born on a
pioneer farm in Waterloo township, near the old village of Waterloo, May
24, 1872, son of Joseph and Margaret (Thomas) Cole, for many years promi-
nent and influential residents of the northeastern part of the county, who
later moved to Connersville. where the former .<pent his last days and where
the latter is now living.

Joseph Cole was born in the neighboring county of Wayne, a son of
Joseph Jared and Patience (Foster) Cole, natives of Maryland, who moved
from Wayne county to this county, where they spent the remainder of their
lives. Joseph J. Cole at one time owned about one thousand acres of land, but
lost the greater part of his fortune in the pork-packing business. He and his
wife were the parents of six children, Mrs. Ann Farrey, Mrs. Frances Har-
lan, Alfred, Mrs. Sarah Burris, Joseph and Mrs. Sophia Jones. Joseph
Cole grew to manhood in this county and married Margaret Thomas, who
was born in this county, daughter of Benjamin Thomas and wife, who came
here from Maine in pioneer days and reared a large family, their children
having- been Mrs. Jane Carson, Mrs. Sallie Coss, Mrs. Margaret Cole, Samuel,
Austin, Oliver, Walter, Scott and Mrs. Catherine Drischel. Joseph Cole
became a substantial farmer in Waterloo township, the owner of a fine farm
of two hundred and fifty-seven acres there, where he lived until 1906, when
he retired from the farm and moved to Connersville, where he spent the
rest (if his life, his death occurring on June 16, 19 14, he then being seventy
years and ten months of age. His widow still survives him and is making
her home in Connersville, where she is very pleasantly situated. She is a
member of the Methodist Episcopal church and has ever taken a warm inter-
est in church work. Joseph Cole was for years actively identified with the

FAYETTF COUNTY, INDIANA. 693

county's political affairs and was for six years trustee of Waterloo township.
He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of
this sketch was the last-born, the others being as follow : Harry, who died
in infancy; Maude, who married Ellis Filby, of Cambridge City, this state;
Effie, wife of Reece D. Eby, of Connersville, and Joseph J. Cole, president
of the Cole Motor Car Company, of Indianapolis.

Benjamin W. Cole was reared on the paternal farm in Waterloo town-
ship and received his elementary schooling in the district schools in the
neighborhood of his home, supplementing the same by a course in the business
college at Richmond, from which he was graduated in 1901. He then was
engaged on the farm for a couple of years, at the end of which time he became
a traveling salesman and was thus engaged for one year, after which he
became an agent for the Parry Manufacturing Company and was for five
years engaged in the buggy business, at the end of which time he went to
St. Louis and there spent a year, later spending some months at Chicago and
at Cincinnati, after which he resumed the buggy business and was thus
engaged at Connersville for two years, at the end of which time he returned
to the farm and was there engaged in farming for seven years, or until his
election to the office of treasurer of Fayette county in November, 1914. Mr.
Cole entered upon the duties of his office on January i, 1915, and served the
pubhc in that important capacity until January i, 191 7. As an instance of
Mr. Cole's popularity among the voters of Fayette county, it may be stated
that he is the only Democrat elected to the office of county treasurer in this
county for the past five years. He has for years taken an active interest in
local }X)litical affairs and has long been regarded as one of the leaders of
the Democratic party in this county. Upon the expiration of his term of public
office Mr. Cole was elected assistant cashier of the First National Bank of
Connersville and is now serving in that responsible capacity.

On March 14, 1907, Benjamin W. Cole was united in marriage to Eliza-
beth Sparks, who was born on a farm one and one-half miles southeast of
Connersville, in this county, in 1879, daughter of Milton T. and Minnie
(Campbell) Sparks, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Ohio,
who were the parents of five children, those besides Mrs. Cole, the second
in order of birth, being William E., Mrs. Pearl Williams, Mrs. Charity Rudd
and Webster Sparks. Mrs. Cole is a member of the Christian church and
Mr. Cole is a Mason, a member of Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted
Masons, and a member of Connersville Lodge No. 379, Benevolent and Pro-
tective Order of Elks, and of Aerie No. 1065, Fraternal Order of Eagles, in

694 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm and active interest.
Mr. and Mrs. Cole have a very pleasant home at Connersville and take a
proper part in the city's general social activities.

MISS ISABEL BONBRAKE CRESSLER.

Miss Isabel Bonbrake Cressler, one of the founders and owners of the
Elmhurst School for Girls at Connersville, is descended, on the paternal side,
from nobility of the Rhine country, and, on the maternal side, from English
and Welsh pioneers prominently identified with the early colonization of
Pennsylvania. She was born at Chambersburg. Pennsylvania, a daughter of
Charles H. and Elizabeth Sager (Jones) Cressler, and grew to womanhood
there.

Miss Cressler attended the public schools of Chambersburg; and later
was a student at Wilson College, one of the pioneer institutions for the higher
education of women, and located in Chambersburg. After finishing her
studies at Wilson Miss Cressler entered the Chicago Art Institute, and after
a year of study there returned to Chambersburg and there opened and con-
ducted, as owner, a Latin school for boys and girls, and was thus engaged
for six years, at the end of which time she was called to Wilson College
and for two years was a member of the faculty of that institution. Miss
Cressler then went to Europe and for four years was associated in owner-
ship and management with the Roman School for American Girls at Rome,
Italy, a private school for American girls who had come from the finishing
schools of the United States, the course in the same including seven months
of schooling and fixe months of European travel each year — a delightful
work and one recjuiring great self-reliance on the part of the preceptress.

While thus engaged in Rome Miss Cressler, who was planning to return
eventually to America and develop a certain type of high-grade rural private
school which should express the best in American life, heard first of the
Elmhurst property; and without any plan of remaining, arrived in Conners-
ville, in July, 1909, accompanied by Miss Sumner, and with no other luggage
than suit cases, to look over the estate. Miss Cressler was so charmed and
delighted with the situation and so filled with enthusiasm over the prospect
that was there opened for establishing and developing a country school for
American girls that she straightway decided to remain. She dispatched at
once for her trunks and her three servants in Italy and for two years did not

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 695

leave Connersville ; nor has she ever had occasion to regret her choice, for as
one of the founders and owners of Elmhurst she has been privileged to see
the slow but sure development of ideas and plans fostered during her years
of residence and study in Europe.

Miss Cressler is a member of the Episcopal church. She also is a
member of the College Art Association and of the Alumnae Association of
Wilson College, and is interested in the ec|ual-suffrage work of Indiana.

P.. R. SMITH. M. D.

Dr. B. R. Smith, a well-known practicing ])hysician at Connersville, is
a native Hoosier and has lived in this state the greater part of his life. He
was born at Milroy. in the neighboring county of Rush, February i. 1879, a
son of S. I\. and Catherine 'Richey) Smith, both of whom were born in that
same county. S. R. Smitli was a machinist and followed that vocation all
his life. He and his wife were the parents of two sons, the subject of this
sketch having a brother, the Rev. William F. Smith. D. D., who was formerly
pastor of the Methodist Episcoi)al church at Connersville.

Reared at Milroy, B. R. Smith received his elementary schooling in the
schools of that place and was graduated from the high school there in 1896.
He then entered Moores Hill College and was graduated from that institution,
with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in 1900. Thus equipped by preliminary
study he entered the Medical College of the University of Kentucky at Louis-
ville and was graduated from the same in 1903, with the degree of Doctor
of Medicine. Upon receiving his degre^ Doctor Smith was appointed an
interne at the hospital of bis alma mater and after a year's valuable experi-
ence in practice there opened an office for the practice of his profession at
Clay City, Kentucky, where he remained in practice for seven years, or until
1910, when he returned to Indiana and opened an office at Connersville, where
he ever since has been engaged in practice and where he has done very well,
having built up an extensive practice in the city and surrounding country.
Doctor Smith keeps fully abreast of the modern advances in his profession
and is a member of the Fayette County Medical Society and of the Indiana
State Medical Association, in the deliberations of both of which bodies he
takes a warm interest.

In 1907 Doctor Smith was united in marriage to Laura Askin. daugh-
ter of the late Thomas Askin and wife, the latter now also deceased, and to

696 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

this union four children have been born, three of whom are living, B. R., Jr..
Charles Thomas and Charlotte Catherine. Doctor and Mrs. Smith are mem-
bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. The Doctor is a Royal Arch Mason
and a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias.

VINCENT HAMILTON GREGG, M. D.

During his day and generation in Connersville there were few men bet-
ter known or held in higher regard hereabout than was the late Dr. Vincent
Hamilton Gregg, who began the practice of his profession at Glenwood
in 1855 and three years later located at Connersville, where he spent the
remainder of his life, an earnest, conscientious, painstaking physician, his
good work in that community being continued until the time of his death
in 1895. During the Civil War Doctor Gregg held a commission from Gov-
ernor Morton as an army surgeon and in that important capacity rendered
a beneficent and humane service in behalf of the wounded and suffering
soldiers who were placed under his benign care. In that service he was
greatly aided by his faithful wife, who was at his side much of the time
during that trying period and who is still living at Connersville, honored by
the entire community.

Dr. Vincent H. Gregg was a Kentuckian, born in Bracken county, that
state, in 1824, a son of Joseph M. Gregg and wife, the latter of whom was
a Hamilton. Joseph M. Gregg was the proprietor of an extensive planta-
tion in that county and a slaveholder. He died in that county and after his
death his widow disposed of her interests in Kentucky and came up into
Indiana, locating in Rush county, where she spent the remainder of her life.
Of the children born to Joseph M. Gregg and wife all have long since been
dead. Of these children Doctor Gregg was the first-born and was the last
survivor. He was twenty-two years of age when he came to Indiana with his
mother and as the eldest child of his Avidowed mother was a great stay
and comfort to her. Some time after coming to Indiana he determined upon
a career as a physician and after a course of study in preparation for such a
career began practice, in 1855, with Doctor Taylor at Glenwood. Three
years later, in 1858, he moved to Connersville, where he opened an office for
the practice of his profession and where he ever afterward made his home.
Doctor Gregg was living at Connersville when the Civil War broke out and by
that time had attained a wide reputation throughout this part of the state

VINCENT H. GREGG, M. D.

MRS. AMERICA JUSTICE GREGG.

FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 697

as a careful and prudent physician and a skilled surgeon. In 1862 Governor
Morton tendered him a commission as an army surgeon and he served in that
capacity until the close of the war, his service in field and in hospital enshrin-
ing his memory in the hearts of many a poor soldier boy who came under
his gentle ministrations. In this service, as noted alx)ve, the good Doctor's
gentle wife rendered him aid of a particularly valuable character and she,
too, is remembered with gratitude by many of the veterans of that stern
conflict between the states during the sixties. Upon the completion of his
army service Doctor Gregg returned to Connersville and there resumed his
practice. Not long afterward he formed a partnership with Doctor Rolls
in the drug business and was thus engaged for years, conducting the drug
store in addition to his general medical practice. Doctor Gregg was a most
liberal and public-spirited citizen and did much to promote the interests of
his home city in a material as well as in a religious, social and civic way. An
ardent Republican, he ever gave his earnest attention to the jxilitical affairs
of Fayette county and of the city of Connersville and was recognized as
a power for good in local jjolitics. He was a member of the Christian
church, as is his widow, and was ever a leader in local good works. .\s
an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, the
Doctor ever took an earnest part in the affairs of that patriotic organization
and for years was a familiar figure at local reunions of the veterans of the
war and at the state encampments of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Doctor Gregg passed from the scenes of earth on September 12, 1895, he
then being in the seventy-second year of his age, and he was given burial
as befit a veteran of his country's wars and a good citizen of the community
in whose behalf he had so long and so earnestly labored.

Dr. Vincent H. Gregg was united in marriage, in this count)-, to .\merica
Justice, who was born in Fayette count)-, daughter of Joseph and Delilah
(Fuell) Justice, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter r.f Vir-
ginia. Joseph Justice grew to manhood in his native Pennsylvania and later
went to Kentucky, where he married Delilah Fuell, who had moved to that
state with her parents, of French stock, from ^''irginia. Xot long after
his marriage Joseph Justice came u]) into Indiana and .settled on a farm
in this county, near Orange, where he presently opened a general store.
early becoming one of the best-known men in that part of the countv.
as he was one of the most successful anrl influential. He and his wife
were members of the Christian church and their children were reared in
that faith. There were six of these children, of whom Mrs. Gregg, the
youngest, is now the only survivor. Joseph Justice died on his farm

698 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

near Orange and his widow spent her last days in the household of
Doctor and Mrs. Gregg at Connersville. Joseph Justice was a son of James
Justice, a soldier of the patriot army during the Revolutionary War, who
served with General Washington's army during all the long struggle of the
colonies for independence. He was one of five brothers who served in that
struggle from Pennsylvania and was the only one of the five who survived
the struggle. James Justice lived to be one hundred and one years of age
and his last days were spent in the home of his son, John Justice, in this
county, where he is buried. He was a fine, large man of powerful physique,
weighing more than two hundred pounds, and his four brothers, who fought
for the independence of the colonies at his side, were men of equal might.
Mrs. Gregg, who is still living at Connersville, is a member of the Christian
church and her life has ever been devoted to good works.

WILLIAM HENDRICKSON.

^^'^lliam Hendrickson, sheriff of Fayette county and one of the best-
known men in the county, is a native son of this county and has lived here
all liis life. He was born in the city of Connersville on March 6, 1876,
son of James Brookfield and Rebecca Ann (Hutchinson) Hendrickson, the
former a native of Indiana and the latter of Ohio, whose last days were
spent in Connersville, which was their home for many years.

James Brookfield Hendrickson was born on a pioneer farm in the neigh-
boring county of Franklin, one of the eight children l)orn to his parents, John
and Rachel (Goble) Hendrickson, the former of whom was a native of the
state of New Jersey and the latter of Indiana. James B. Hendrickson was
trained to the trade of a saddler and was working at that trade in Ripley
county when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted as a member of Company
H, Eight}'-second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was elected color
bearer of that command and served for three years and six months. During
his long service Mr. Hendrickson saw much active service and was engaged
in some of the most e.xciting engagements of the war, but never received a
bullet wound, though he was badly injured on several occasions, particularly
so at the battle of Resaca. L'pon the conclusion of his military service
James B. Hendrickson located at Laurel and was there engaged in the tanning
business until that industry became vmprofitalile, after which he moved to
Connersville, along in the middle seventies, and there engaged in carriage-

FAYETTE CdUNTY, INDIANA. 69Q

painting-, a vocation lie followed the rest of his life. He died at his home in
Connersville on December _'4. 181)5. he then being- sixty-two years of age.
His widow survived him for more than ten years, her death occurrii-ig in
1906, she also being- sixty-two years of age at the time of her death. She
was born in Ohio, a daughter of Asbury and Mary Hutchinson, who came
over from that state into Indiana and became pioneers of Brown county,
settling on a farm there and spending the rest of their lives in that county,
both living to a ripe old age. Asbury Hutchinson and wife were the parents
of six children, those besides Mrs. Hendrickson having been John Aaron
Mrs. Mary Johnson. William and Mrs. Klla Gray. James B. Hendrickson
and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church and
their children were reared in that faith. There were seven of these children,
of whom the subject of this biographical sketch was the fourth in order of
birth, the others being, Charles, of tiamilton, Ohio; Edward, formerly of
Indianapolis, now deceased; Oscar, of Connersville; Geneva, who married
Walter Hayward. of Connersville: Ella, who married Harry Backert, of
Kokomo. and is now deceased, and Bismark, of Connersville.

William Hendrickson received his schooling in the public schools of
Connersville and early turned his attention to the trade of a carriage-trimmer
which he followed for twenty-five years, thirteen years of which time he was
engaged in the establishment of J. B. McFarlan. From the days of his boy-
hood he has given his earnest attention to local political afifairs and at the
early age of eighteen was made a member of the Fayette county Republican
central committee and has ever since held that position, performing an excel-
lent service in behalf of the party in this county. In 1914, as the nominee
of the Republican party, Mr. Hendrickson was elected sheriff of Fayette
county, the youngest sheriff e\er elected in this county. He entered upon
the duties of that office on January i, 191 5. and is now serving in that
important public capacity, one of the most popular officials in the court house.

On December 24, 1898, W'illiam Hendrickson was united in n-iarriage
to Grace M. Bell, who was born on a farm near Brownsville, in the neighbor-
ing county of Union, 'Slay 23, 1876, daughter of Jacob and Margaret
(Thomas) Bell, both natives of that same county, the former of whom died
in 1881 and the latter of whom is still living. Jacob Bell was a farmer and
stock buyer and was a son of John F. and Ann (Carr) Bell, natives of Butler
county, Ohio, and pioneers in Union count}', this state, who were the parents
of six children, Malinda, James. Alfred. Jacob, Emma and George. Mrs.
Margaret Bell's parents were John and Margaret J. (Whitinger) Thon-ias.
the former a nati\e of Kentuck\- and the latter of Indiana, who were the par-

/OO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ents of nine children, Russell, John, Mary Ann, Elijah, James, Henry, Rachel,
Milton and Margaret. Jacob Bell and wife were the parents of four chil-
dren, of whom .Mrs. Hendrickson was the last-born, the others being Carrie,
who married Lee Cully, of Brownsville, and John F. Bell and Frank T. Bell.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hendrickson one child has been born, a son, Frank Brook-
field Hendrickson. The Hendricksons are members of the Methodist Epis-
copal church and take a proper interest in church work, as well as in the
general social activities of their home town.

J. H. JOHNSON, M. D.

Dr. J. H. Johnson, homeopath, one of the best-known physicians in
Connersville, is a native son of Indiana, born at Dale, in Spencer county,
April 6, 1871, a son of Dr. Samuel F. Johnson, an honored veteran of the
Civil War, a former legislator and for many years one of the best-known
and most influential men in that part of the state.

Dr. Samuel F. Johnson also was a native of this state, born near Boon-
ville, in Warrick county, and received his medical education in the college at
Iveokuk, Iowa, from which he was graduated in the late fifties. He began
practice at Rocki)ort and was thus engaged there when the Civil War broke
out. He went to the front as captain of a company in the Sixty-fifth Regi-
ment, Indiana A'olunteer Infantry, and presently was promoted to the posi-
tion of major surgeon of the regiment, serving in that capacity with that
command until the close of the war. Upon the completion of his military
service Doctor Johnson returned to Rockport and continued the practice of
his profession the rest of his life. Dr. Samuel F. Johnson was one of the
leading Republicans in Spencer county and served that county as county
treasurer and was later elected to the state Senate and was afterward returned
to the Legislature as a member of the House of Representatives, serving in
both branches of the General Assembly with distinction.

Reared at Dale, Dr. J. H. Johnson received his elementary schooling in
the schools of that place and supplemented the same by a course in the high
school at Rockport, being graduated from the same in 1890. He then attended
the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute for four years, at the end
of which time he entered the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville and
after an attendance of two years there went to Chicago, where he entered
the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College, and was graduated from that

' FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 7OI

institution in 1895. Upon receiving his diploma Doctor Johnson returned to
Rockport and there opened an office for the practice of his profession, remain-
ing tliere until his renunal, in 1905 to Connersville, where he e\er since
has been successfulh' engagetl in the practice of his profession, having built up
an extensive practice in that city and surrounding countr)^ In 1907 Doctor
Johnson took a post-graduate course at the Louisville Medical College and
has ever kept "abreast of the modern advances in his profession. He is a mem-
ber of the Indiana State Homeopathic Society and for some time has been
serving as supreme medical director of the Puritan Life and Annuity Insur-
ance Company.

In 1905 Dr. J. H. Johnson was united in marriage to Ella Lake, daughter
of Wallace D. Lake, a member of tlie well-known Lake family in this county,
further and fitting mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, and to
this union two children have been torn, a son, Earl, and a daughter, Margaret.

SIMON DOENGES.

Simon Doenges, postmaster of Connersville and former manager of the
Connersville Ice Company, was born at Lawrenceburg, this state, July 14,
1870, and has lived in Indiana all his life. His parents, Simon and Amelia
(Kring) Doenges, the latter of whom is still living, were born in Germany,
but became residents of this country in the days of their youth, their re-
spective parents having come to the I'nited States and settled at Lawrence-
burg, this state.

The elder Simon Doenges was a young man when he came to the United
States in 1852. The vessel on which he sailed was wrecked in a storm and
the passengers were compelled to take to the boats in midocean. They pres-
ently were picked up by another vessel, but were one hundred and fifty-two
days in making the passage, on account of storms and contrary winds. The
food gave out and starvation was staring tlieni in the face before they finally
reached port. Simon Doenges had been trained as a stationary engineer in
his native country and long foUowd that line after coming to Indiana. Not
long after locating at Lawrenceburg he took a contract for furnishing cord-
wood to the railway comijany for use in tlie locomotives, that being in tlie
days of the old wood-burners, and carried out the contract with considerable
profit. For years he worked as a stationary engineer at Lawrenceburg ami
then moved to Connersville, where he sjient his last days, his death occurring

702 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in 1900, he then l:>eing seventy years of age. His father died in Germany
and his mother came to America with her children and spent her last days
at Lawrenceburg. Among these children, besides Simon, were Christian
Doenges and Mrs. Goebler, of Indianapolis. Simon Doenges's widow is still
living in Connersville, being now past eighty-two years of age. Her parents,
who came to this country from Germany, also spent their last days in Law-
renceburg. Among their children, besides Mrs. Doenges, was Mrs. Char-
lotte Lyendecker, of Indianapolis.

The junior Simon Doenges was reared at Lawrenceburg, the city of his
birth, and attended school there until he was fourteen years of age, when he
began tolearn the cabinet-maker's trade and presently became an expert cabi-
net maker, following that vocation for about eighteen years. Years ago he
began working in the cabinet department of the plant of the Indiana Furniture
Company at Connersville and was not long thereafter made foreman of the
same, from which ix>sition he was presently promoted to the position of
superintendent of the plant, and while serving in this capacity was elected
councilman from the first ward of the city of Connersville, being the first
Democrat elected to that office in twenty-five years, but one Democrat having
served twenty-five years prior to that time. In 1906 Mr. Doenges, in com-
pany with others, purchased the plant and ec[uipment of the Connersville
Ice Company and in the subsequent reorganization of that company he was
elected secretary-treasurer and general manager and was thus actively engaged
until his appointment to the office of postmaster of Connersville by President
Wilson in 19 14. Upon the arrival of his commission as postmaster Mr.
Doenges entered upon the duties of that office and is now serving the public
in that important capacity. He still retains his interest in the Connersville
Ice Company, however, and is a member of the board of directors of the
same. Mr. Doenges is a Democrat and has for years taken an active interest
not only in local political affairs, but in the political affairs of the district
and state. He is a member of the Indiana Democratic Club and has a wide
acquaintance among the leaders of his party throughout the state.

On July II, 1889, Simon Doenges was united in marriage to Sophia
Dentlinger, who was born at Batesville, Indiana, daughter of Louis and
Margaret. Dentlinger, natives of Germany,- the -former of whom died at his
home in Connersville in 19 13 and the latter of whom is still living. Mr. and
Mrs. Doenges are members of the Presbyterian church and take a warm inter-
est in church affairs, as well as in the general social activities of their home
city. Mr. Doenges is a Mason, affiliated with Warren Lodge No. 15 at Con-

1-AYETTE rOUNTY, INDIANA. 7O3

nersville, and is likewise a member of the local lodges of the Inde|)e!ideiit
Order of Odd Fellows, of the Knights of Pythias, of the Modern Woodmen
of America and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and is connected with the
Travelers Protective Association, in the affairs of all of which organizations
he takes an active interest. i\Irs. Doenges is one of the ten children horn to
her parents and five of whom are still living, those besides herself l)eing
Pauline, Louisa, William and Otto Dentlinger.

DR. A. T. SWEETLAXD, D. C.

Dr. A. T. Sweetland (Chiropractic), who lias teen following his pro-
fession at Connersville with much success since 1912, was born in the city of
Chicago on February 24, 1882, but has been a resident of this state since the
days of his childhood. He is a son of Le Roy B. and Anna A. Sweetland.
the former of whom was born in Dryden, New York, and the latter at
Toronto, Canada.

Le Roy B. Sweetland was reared at Dryden, New York, and there
received his schooling. His mother was a school teacher and he early turned
his attention to teaching, in time becoming the principal of the schools in his
home town, remaining there until he moved to Chicago, where he took
employment with the Chicago & Erie Railroad Company and was thus
employed there until he was transferred to Huntington, Indiana, where he
remained in the employ of the same road the rest of his life, a period of
thirty-five years, his death occurring in a railway accident in 1912. His
widow is now making her home in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. A. T. Sweetland received an excellent scholastic foundation for
the practice of the exacting profession he is following. He was but a child
when his parents moved from Chicago to Huntington and he grew to man-
hood in the latter city. Upon completing the course in the high school
there he entered the Palmer School of Chiropractic at Davenport, Iowa, and
upon completing the course in that institution received his degree in 1912.
Thus admirably equipped for the practice of his profession. Doctor Sweet-
.land, located at Ft. Wayne, this state, but after a short time there moved
to Connersville, where he opened oflfices in the McFarlan block and where he
ever since has been located, having built up an excellent practice.

Doctor Sweetland is one of the most enthusiastic chiropractors ( ki-ro-
praktor — from the Latin, meaning to work by the hands) in the country.

704 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

having been led to take up this form of the healing art by reason of a most
remarkable experience. For twenty years the Doctor was totally blind in his
right eye. He received treatment by some of the most noted eye specialists
in the country, expending for such service no less than five thousand dollars,
without securing a particle of relief, and finally accepted the declaration of
the specialists that his was a hopeless case. The blindness presently extended
to the other ej-e and for eight months he was totally blind. His attention
then being called to the remarkable instances of cure being effected by chiro-
practic, he began taking a course of adjustments under the direction of a
skilled chiropractor and before two years the sight of his eyes was restored,
nor has he had a recurrence of tlie trouble that so long blighted his life and
his prospects. Tlie Doctor's studies in chiropractic were directed by Dr. D.
D. Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, at the latter's school in Davenport,
and in view of the amazing effects of the treatment in his own personal
case, he naturally is an ardent and devoted advocate of this school of drug-
less healing and has become recognized as one of the most skilled practitioners
in that line of practice in the middle West. His practice is constantly extend-
ing as people come more and more to realize the efficacy of the form of
treatment provided under chiropractic and his offices are well ecjuipped for
the practice of the profession to which he so ardently has devoted his life.
Doctor Sweetland married Lottie England, a daughter of J. O. Eng-
land, and has one child, a son, Leroy W. Sweetland.

PROF. CLAUDE L. TRUSLER.

Prof. Claude L. Trusler, superintendent of schools of Fayette county
and one of the most popular officials in the court house, is a native son of
this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Jack-
son township on November 21, 1878, son of Samuel Frederick and Orpha
Jane (Sims) Trusler, both of whom also were born in this county and who
are stil Hiving here, iniiuential residents of the Everton neighborhood.

Samuel Frederick Trusler is a son of Milton and Isabella (Thompson)
Trusler, natives of Indiana and pioneer farmers in Jackson township, this
county. Milton Trusler was a son of James Trusler, of Virginia, who was
a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War, and he had
two brothers, Nelson and Gilliert Trusler, who were officers in the Union
army during the Civil War. Milton Trusler and his wife spent their last

CLAUDE L. TRUSLER.

FAYETTE COI'NTY, INDIANA. 705

days ill this county, honored pioneer residents of the same. They were the
parents of eight children, those besides Superintendent Trusler's father, the
second in order of birth, having been Anna, Laura, Henry, Sidney, Ira,
Juanita and Nina. The mother of these children was of English descent,
the founder of lier branch of the Thompson family in this county ha\ing
been Joseph D. Thompson, who settled in Jackson township, this county,
about the year 1820. He was descended from Maurice Thompson, of
Hampshire, England, who at one time was governor of the East India Com-
pany. Samuel F. Trusler grew to manhood in Fayette county and married
Orpha Jane Sims, who was born in Columbia township, this county, daugh-
ter of John and Nancy (Collins) Sims, also natives of this state, representa-
ti\es of pioneer families, and who spent their last days in this county, where
they reared a large family John Sims was a farmer and blacksmith and
owned a farm in Columbia township. Samuel F. Trusler has always been
a farmer and is the owner of a well-kept farm of about ninety acres in
Jackson township, where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated.
Two children were born to them, the subject of this sketch having a sister,
Maude, who married John Kennedy, of Dunrieth, in the neighborhooing
county of Henry.

Reared on the paternal farm in Jackson township, Claude L. Trusler
received his elementary schooling in the district schools in the neighborhood
of his home and remained at home until he was eighteen years of age. Upon
completing the course in the Jackson township high school he entered the
Central Normal College at Danville, Indiana, and was graduated from that
institution, after which he entered upon his teaching career and was engaged
as a teacher in the high school at Everton and later as a teacher in the high
school at Alquina, and was thus engaged until his election in June, 1907,
to the office of superintendent of schools of Fayette county, a position which
he has held ever since and in the exercise of the functions of which oflfice
he has done mucli to advance the cause of education hereabout. Professor
Trusler has a wide acquaintance among educators throughout the state and
his close personal interest in the schools under his charge has done very
much to increase the efficiency of the schools of Fayette county.

In 1899 Claude L. Trusler was united in marriage to Estella Jerman,
who also was born in Jackson township, this county, a daugliter of W. C.
and Cora (Gwaltney) Jerman, substantial farmers of that township, now
living at Everton. W. C. Jerman and wife have five children, of whom
Mrs. Trusler was the third in order of birth, the others being Rov, Bessie,

r45)

706 FAYFTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Courtis and Robert. To Professor and Mrs. Trusler four children have
been born, Jean, Noel Milton, Helen and Yale Nelson. Mrs. Trusler is a
member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Professor is a member
of the Universalist church. In his political views the Professor is a Repub-
lican and, fraternally, is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows, affiliated with the lodge of that order at Everton. The Truslers have
a very pleasant home at Connersville and take a warm interest in the general
social activities of their home city.

JOHN B. McFARLAN, JR.

John B. McFarlan, Jr., president of the People's Service Company of
Connersville, secretary of the McFarlan Realty Company of that city and in
other ways identified with the commercial and industrial affairs of his home
town, was born in Connersville and has lived there all his life. He was born
on November 7, 1866, son of John B. and Lydia C. (Jackson) McFarlan, the
former of whom was born in the city of London, England, and the latter
in Cincinnati, Ohio, both now deceased, who for many years were regarded
as among the leaders in the social, religious and industrial life of Conners-
ville and further and fitting reference to whom is made in a biographical
sketch relating to Charles E. J. McFarlan, elder brother of the subject of
this sketch, presented elsewhere in this volume.

Upon completing the course in the Connersville public schools the junior
John B. McFarlan entered Oxford University, at Oxford, Ohio, and after
a course of two years there became engaged with his father in the business
of manufacturing buggies at Connersville; was presently made a partner with
his father in that business and remained thus connected until the time of
his father's death. The elder John B. McFarlan was for many years recog-
nized as one of Connersville's most far-seeing citizens and was one of the
most active factors in the industrial development of that city. One of the
most notable evidences of his foresight was the encouragement he gave to
young- men to build homes of their own, paying for the same in easy install-
ments, being content to accept second mortgages in the case of worthy appli-
cants for homes. That company, under the present direction of the McFarlan
brothers and their sister, Maria J. McFarlan, is still continuing in business
at Connersville and the junior John B. McFarlan is secretary of the same.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 707

The McFarlans also are heavily interested in the People's Service Company
of Connersville, successor to the old Connersville Natural Gas Company, and
the junior John B. McFarlan is president of the same. He also is the owner
of a fine farm in the neighboring county of Rush and in recent years has given
much and careful attention to the management of the same, having developed
there one of the best farm plants in that part of the state. Mr. McFarlan is a
lifelong Republican, but has never been a seeker after public office.

On October 12, 1910, John B. McFarlan was united in marriage to Nellie
Brown, who was born and reared in Connersville, daughter and only child
of George M. and Ada (White) Brown, both of whom were born in this
county and have for years been well-known residents of Connersville. George
M. Brown is a son of George W. and Hannah (Yingling) Brown, the former
a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Germany, who became early resi-
dents of Fayette county and here reared a considerable family, their children
having been George, Charles, William, Andrew, Fred, Alfred E., Maggie
and Jennie. Mrs. Brown is a daughter of Hamilton White and wife, also
early residents of Fayette county, who were the parents of five children, those
besides Mrs. Brown being Elizabeth, India, Fred and Robert White. Mrs.
McFarlan is a member of the Methodist church and both she and her hus-
band give their earnest attention to the general social activities of their home
town.

JOHN LOCKHART.

One of the well-known and successful retired farmers and stockmen of
Connersville is John Lockhart, who was born on Williams creek, in tliis
county, on February 19, 1828, the son of Moses and Elizabeth (Reed) Lock-
hart, natives of the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively.

Moses Lockhart was born in Adams county, Ohio, where he received his
education in the common schools, grew to manhood and was married. After
their marriage, he and his wife established their home in the Buckeye state,
where they resided for a time and in 181 1 came to Indiana and located in
Fayette county, on Williams creek. Mr. Lockhart entered land of the gov-
ernment in Connersville township and he and his wife at once started to make
a home for themselves and those dependent upon them. This section of the
country at that time was, for the most part, a wilderness, covered with the
heaviest of timber. The task of clearing the farm and preparing the land for

7o8 FAYETTE COITNTY, INDIANA.

the future crops was no easy one, and it was only with a firm determination
and a firm will that this early pioneer was successful in his task. A rude log
cabin, common to the district and the times, was erected and in this the little
family resided for some years. A small tract was cleared and the first crop
planted and later harvested, and thus the family were able to live for another
year, or until another crop could be raised. Much game was obtained in
the forests and fish from the rivers and streams and thus the settler of those
days lived and worked. For a number of years, chopping, logging and burn-
ing was the order of the day. In time the farm became developed and
improved, and where once grew the big trees of the forest, grew the golden
grain, and the rude cabin was replaced by a more commodious and substan-
tial structure. Here Mr. Lockhart engaged in general farming until the
time of his death in 1832. His wife survived him and lived to the age of
eighty.

Moses and Elizabeth Lockhart were the parents of the following chil-
dren : Thomas, Robert, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Elisha, Nancy, Allison, Rolston,
Mary Jane, John, Moses and one who died in infancy. Thomas is now
deceased and Robert died in Louisiana; Elizabeth was the wife of Moses
Burnett; the other children, with the exception of John, are now deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart originally were members of the Baptist church, but
later united with the Christian church, and were always active and prominent
in church work, substantial suppdrters of the local society. Mr. Lockhart
was identified with the Democrat party and had much to do with the early
civic life of the county. He was a man of much force of character and his
advice and counsel was of much value at the time of the organization of the
township and the county, after the state was admitted into the Union.

John Lockhart received his education in the early schools of his township
and grew to manhood on the home farm, where he remained until his mar-
riage. The life on the farm in those days was not such as the boy of today
enjoys. Much of the territory was yet undeveloped and there was always
much work that a lad could do. Yet, with all the hardships and privations,
the youth of those days were trained in a way that well fitted them for the
lives that they were to lead. For the most part they were manly, upright
and industrious. They were taught the spirit of independence and morality.
A social circle was developed that brought much good to the people of the
community. All were, for the most part, on an equity, and there was little
discussion as to who were the social leaders ; other than the fact that they were
honest and fearless men and women.

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 7O9

It was on February i8, 1859, that John Lockhart was united in mar-
riage to May Susan Dora, who was born in the state of Kentucky, and who
came to Fayette county in 1855, and here she made her home until the time
of her death on December 13, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart were the parents
of five children, three of whom are now living : William, Elizabeth and
Rebecca. William M. Lockhart is a well-known and successful grocer in
Connersville ; Elizabeth is the wife of T. E. Murphy, a substantial farmer of
Fairview township, this county, and Rebecca is the wife of Albert Chris-
man, a well-known and prominent attorney at Connersville. These living
children of the family are all prominent in their respectixe ](X'alities. liave
splendid homes of their own, and they and their families are all held in the
highest regard and esteem by the people who know them.

After his marriage John Lockhart and his wife lived on the old liome
place for one winter, and then purchased a farm of their own. tme mile
west of Poplar Grove, where he and his wife lived for forty-five years. The
farm they developed and improved, and there met with much success as
general farmers and stockraisers. In 1903 he and his wife retired from the
more active duties of life and moved to Connersville, where Mrs. Lockhart
died and where Mr. Lockhart still resides. He has sold a part of his large
farm, but still owns one hundred and twenty-seven acres in Connersville town-
ship. He was an excellent farmer and took much ]jride in the upkeep of
his fine farm and in the care and attention that he gave the splendid stock
that he always kept on the place.

Mr. Lockhart has long been identified with the Republican party, and
has always taken a keen interest in local affairs. He was ever interested in
the development of the schools of the county, and for a number of years
served as a school director, always looking to the best interest "of the school
and the children. His wife was an active member of the Methodist Episco-
pal church, and Mr. Lockhart was always a liberal supporter of the local
society. During his life as a young man he taught public school and singing
school. Much of his education he gained through his own efforts, for he
was always a great reader and student, and. today is well posted on all cur-
rent events. For one of his years he is unusually active, and has many inter-
esting tales to tell of his early life in the county. His general disposition
and his ability to tell of many of the interesting events of former days has
made for him many friends throughout the county. His life has been an active
one and he has seen many changes in the district during his life in this
section. He recalls that when he was a lad, the greater part of the country

yiO l-AYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA.

about Connersville was a wilderness. Heavy timber was everywhere, and
the woods were aHve with game and the streams abounded with fish.. All
this has changed, and in the change he has had his part in the great trans-
formation. The beautiful farms, well-established and modern homes, splendid
roads, up-to-date towns and cities and schools that are the pride of the state,
are all of recent date, and were perhaps undreamed of in the boyhood days
of our subject. His life has been a worthy one, and today he is held in high
esteem by his neighbors and friends.

HIRAM ELMER REES.

The late Hiram Elmer Rees, a well-known and well-to-do retired farmer
of Fayette county, who died at his home in Connersville on July i, 19 12,
was a native son of Fayette county and spent all his life here. He was born
on a pioneer farm in Fairview township on December 11, 1848, a son of
Justus and Phoebe Ann (Long) Rees, the former a native of Pennsylvania
and the latter of Indiana. A\ho were well-known and influential residents of
Fairview township in their generation, and who spent their last days there.

Justus Rees was but a child when his parents, John and Nancy (Jar-
rett) Rees, moved from Pennsylvania to what then was regarded as the "wilds"
of Indiana and settled on a farm in Fairview township, this county, where
they established their home and where they spent the remainder of their
lives. There Justus Rees grew to manhood. He married Phoebe Ann Long,
who was born on a pioneer farm near Dodridge's Chapel in the neighboring
county of Wayne, a daughter of John and Mary (Hudson) Long, early set-
tlers of that neighborhood, and in turn established a home of his own in
Fairview township and there spent the remainder of his life, a lifelong farmer.

Hiram E. Rees was reared to the life of the farm and in timi became a
farmer on his own account, after his marriage in 1871 continuing to live in
the vicinity of his old home until 1886, when he bought a quarter of a sec-
tion of land on Elephant hill, n6rthwest of Connersville. There he lived for
twelve years, at the end of which time he retired from the active labors of
the farm and moved to Connersville, selling his farm in 1898 and there-
after making his home in Connersville, where he was engaged in various
occupations, in Order not to be idle, for he had ever been accustomed to a
life of industry and could not be content to sit down to a life of idle ease,
and there he remained until liis death in the summer of 1972.

lAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 7II

Hiram E. Rees was twice married. It was on September 6, 1871, that
he was united in marriage to Nancy Jane Moffit, a sister of Miles K. Moffit,
further reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume, and who died
on February 5, 1874, leaving two children, Merritt Elmer Rees, born in
1872, who married Mary Dusterberg, of Vincennes, and now lives at Indian-
apolis, where he is engaged as an air-brake inspector for the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, and Nancy Florence, born on January 3, 1874, and who
was but five days old when her mother died, who married Joseph Storm, of
Indianapolis, and has one child, a daughter, Elizabeth.

In 1876 Hiram E. Rees married, secondly, Elizabeth Ann Baker, who
was born near Falmouth, in Fairview township, this county, a daughter of
Daniel and Mary (Groves) Baker, the former of whom w'as a native of
Kentucky and the latter of this state. Daniel Baker was born in Bourbon
county, Kentucky, in 18 14, and was but a boy when his parents, Abraham
and Elizabeth Baker, came up into Indiana, about 1S22, and settled near .Fal-
mouth, on what is now known as the Fitzgerald farm. -\t that time the
countr}- thereabout was a dense forest and upon locating there Abraham
Baker had to cut down trees in order to clear a space for the erection of a
log cabin. He built the kitchen, adjoining the cabin, around the stump of a
tree, leaving the stump to serve as a table, and amid these primitive condi-
tions began the laborous task of carving a tillable farm out of the forest.
Abraham Baker, who lived to the great age of nearly one hundred years, was
the father of seven children. David, John, Harrison, Nancy, Helen and Eliza
(twins) and Daniel. Daniel Baker grew to manhood on that pioneer farm
and there spent the remainder of his life, a substantial member of that pros-
perous farming community, his death occurring on August 19, 1889, he then
being seventy-five years of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave a
little more than a year, her death having occurred on July 29, 1888. She
Avas born in the neighboring county of Rush on September 12, 1824, a sister
of Hiram Shipley's mother, further reference to whom is made elsewhere in
this volume. To Daniel Baker and wife eleven children were born, those
besides Mrs. Rees having been John G., George, Sarah, RuIofT. Garrett W.,
Harriet, Adaline, Alpha, Albert Jefferson and Lucy E. Of these, John was
killed by a reaper falling on him on July 8, 1884. He left a widow and
three children. Sarah and Ruloff died about the same time, of diptheria.
George died on August 18. 1891. Alpha, who married Van Bates, died
without issue. Garrett W. Baker lives in Elkhart, this state. Albert J.
Baker is the projirietor of a barber shop just north of the terminal station

71^ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in Indianapolis. Adaline married James Dickey and lives in Fairview town-
ship. Harriet married F. M. Martin and lives west of Connersville, and Lucy
married George Kenyon and lives at Indianapolis.

To Hiram and Elizabeth Ann (Baker) Rees two children were born,
Oda, born on December 8, 1877, who died on July 22, 1879, at the age of
twenty months, and Clyde O., born on May 30, 1882. Clyde O. Rees, who
is now engaged as a machinist in the shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company at Indianapolis, married Lavina Hurst, of Buffalo, New York, and
has one child, a daughter, Mary Jane. Since her husband's death Mrs.
Rees has continued to make her home in Conners\-ille. In 1916 she built a
beautiful modern residence at 1022 Grand avenue and is now living there,
very comfortably situated, enjoying conditions of living that hardly could have
been dreamed of in her girlhood days on the pioneer farm in the woods.
Her parents grew up among the pioneers of this section and from her mother
she learned to spin, the spinning being done at home when she was a girl.
She also learned to weave and in her girlhood days often was engaged in
weaving at a neighbor's loom.

CHARLES E. J. McFARLAN.

Charles E. J. McFarlan, secretar)' and treasurer of the People's Service
-Company of Connersville, vice-president of the McFarlan Realty Company
of that city and for years one of the most active and influential business men
of Connersville, is a native Hoosier and has lived in this state all his life. He
was born at Cambridge City, in the neighboring county of Wayne, December
I, 1853, son of John B. and Lydia C. (Jackson) McFarlan, the former a
native of England and the latter of the state of Ohio, whose last days were
spent in Connersville, where for years they occupied a high position in the
social and business life of that city.

John B. McFarlan was born in the city of London on November 7,
1822, and was about eight years of age when his parents, James and Ann
(Beecraft) McFarlan, came to this country with their family and settled in
Hamilton county, Ohio, in the immediate vicinity of the then rapidly develop-
ing city of Cincinnati. James McFarlan was a native of Scotland and was a
silk manufacturer in London, but upon coming to this country bought a farm
in the vicinity of Cincinnati, land now included in the corporate limits of that

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 7I3

city, and there spent his last days, his death occurring when he was fifty-
eight years of age. His widow survived him for niany> years and Hved to be
nearlv ninety years of age. They liad a large family, those of their, children
who grew to maturity, besides John B., lieing James, Thomas, Robert, Edw ard,
Ann, Martha, Elizabeth and Mary. . ,■

Though but a boy when he came with his parents to this country, ]n\m
B. McFarlan was from the Ijeginning of his residence here a li^lpful assistant
in the labors of developing the home farm in the Cincinnati neighlx)rhood.
He completed his schooling there and when about seventeen years of age
entered the factory of the old firm of George C. Miller & Sons at Cincinnati,
to learn the trade of carriage blacksmithing. Some little time after completing
his apprenticeship he opened a small shop of his own in the village of Cheviot,
afterward and now known as Westwood, a suburb of Cincinnati, and while
there married. Not long afterward, about 1850, he moved to Cambridge
City, this state, conveying his goods and chattels by canal boat, and there
established a carriage-manufacturing plant. In 1856, requiring a wider outlet
for his expanding business, he moved to Connersville and bought out the firm
of Ware & Veatch. carriage manufacturers, and continued that business quite
successfully until his death on August 15, 1909, he then lacking but a few
weeks of being eighty-seven years of age. From the very beginning of his
residence in Connersville John B. McFarlan took a particularly active part
in the general business and industrial life of the growing city and it is
undoubted that his influence and the e.xercise of his boundless energies had \ery
much to do with the development of the industrial interests of the city during
the period of his activities there. When natural gas was discovered in this
state Mr. McFarlan became one of the chief organizers of the Connersville
Natural Gas Company and was elected president of the same. He also was
one of the organizers and a memljer of the board of directors of the Indiana
Furniture Company fnow the Krell Piano Company), was president of the
McFarlan Building Company, which erected the McFarlan block in Con-
nersville, and in his manufacturing industries employed large forces of men.
Upon the organization of the Connersville Blower Company he was elected
president of the same and served in that capacity until his death. For several
years he also was president of the Fayette Banking Company, organized in
1892, and since then merged into the Fayette National Bank of Connersville,
and in other ways gave of his time and energies to the development of his
home town.

As noted above, it was during the time of his residence at Cheviot that

714 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

John B. McFarlan was united in marriage to Lydia C. Jackson, who was
born at Cincinnati on December 4, 1822, and who died at her home in Con-
nersville in December, 1906, she then being eighty-four years of age. She
was a daughter of Thomas S. and Maria (CoUins) Jackson, the former of
whom was born in the city of Baltimore and the latter in Pittsfield, Massa-
chusetts. Thomas S. Jackson was one of the early bankers of Cincinnati,
connected with the old Franklin Bank in that city, and there he and his wife
spent their last days, he being about seventy-five years of age at the time
of his death and she, eighty-five. They were the parents of eight children,
of whom four grew to maturity, those besides Mrs. McFarlan having been
Charles J., George E. and Lucy. John B. McFarlan and wife were earnest
members of the Presb3'terian church and their- children were reared in that
faith. There were seven of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch
was the third in order of birth, the others being as follow : Clara, who died
when about twelve years of age; Maria J., who is unmarried; James E. and
William W., of St. Petersburg, Florida; Lucy, who died when two years of
age, and John B., Jr., of Connersville.

Charles E. J. McFarlan was about three years of age when his parents
moved from Cambridge City to Connersville and he has lived in the latter
city ever since. As a boy he learned the trade of carriage painter, meanwhile
pursuing his studies in the local public schools, and upon completing the
course there took a course in the old Chickering Institute at Cincinnati. Upon
his return from that institution he engaged in the boot-and-shoe business
at Connersville, in association with D. H. Sellers, but about three years later
disposed of his interest in that business and entered his father's carriage fac-
tory, presently becoming a partner with his father in that business and was
actively connected with the same until 1913. Meanwhile he was taking active
participation in the affairs of other local business and industrial concerns and
early in its organization became secretaiy and treasurer of the Connersville
Natural Gas Company, continuing that position with the Peoples Service Com-
pany at the tim£ of its organization and taking over the affairs of the old
gas company, which latter position he still occupies. When the McFarlan
brothers and their sister, Maria J. McFarlan, formed the McFarlan Realty
Company at Connersville, Charles E. J. McFarlan was elected vice-president
of the same and still occupies that position. Mr. McFarlan is a Republican
and has ever given lijs thoughtful attention to local civic affairs. For twelve
years he was a member of the Connersville school board and occupied that
important position during the time of the erection of the new high-school

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 715

building in tliat cit\-. He has ever taken a warm interest in the cause of edu-
cation and was for sixteen \ears a member of the board of trustees of DePauw
University.

On November lo, 1880, at Connersville, Ciiarles E. J. ^[cI''arhul was
united in marriage to Ella S. Hughes, who was born and reared in that
city, daughter of Dr. S. W. and Ann (Hall) Hughes, natives of Virginia
and prominent residents of Connersville, where Doctor Hughes was engaged
in the practice of medicine until his death in 1865, he then being forty-six
years of age. He had an extensive practice, covering a wide scope of terri-
tory hereabout, and literally gave his life for others, the exactions of his
practice wearing him out at a time when he ought to have been in the very
prime of his life. His widow survived him for years and was sixty-seven
years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of two daugh-
ters, Mrs. McFarlan having a sister, Emma. Mrs. McFarlan's maternal
grandfather also was a physician. Dr. Daniel D. Hall, a prominent practitioner
in Connersville at an earlier fla}'. To Mr. and Mrs. McFarlan one child
has been born, a son, .\lfred Harry Mcb'arlan, who married Jessie M.
ManloN-e and is lix'ing at Conners\ille, where he is actively identified with
the industrial life of the city, president of the McFarlan Motor Company.
The McFarlans are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a
proper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the general
social acti\ities of their home town, liel])ful in promoting all movements hav-
ing to do with the advancement of the common welfare hereabout.

FRANK B. ANSTED.

Frank B. Ansted, manufacturer, former president of the Connersville
Commercial Club, vice-president and manager of the Lexington-Howard Com-
pany, manufacturers of automol>iles ; president of the Inland Mot()i- Sales
Company, vice-president of the Indiana Lamp Compan\' and holder'' of
important interests in various other concerns at Connersville, is a native of
Wisconsin, but has Ijeen a resident of Connersville since the days of his
early youth and has therefore been a witness to and a participant in the
wonderful industrial development that has marked that city during the past
cjuarter of a century. He was born at Racine, Wisconsin, December 22, 1884,
.son of Edward W- and Catherine (Burk) Ansted, the former of whom was
born in the state of New York and the latter in the Dominion of Canada,

7l6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

who are now living in Connersville, wliere they have for years been recog-
nized as among the leaders of the general life of that city and further and
fitting mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

When his parents located in Connersville Frank B. Ansted was about
six years of age and he received his elementary schooling in the public
and parochial schools of that city. Following his graduation from the high
school in iqo4 he entered the law department of the University of Michigan
and was graduated from the same in 1907. In that same year Mr. Ansted
was admitted to the bar and engaged in the practice of his profession at
Connersville, where he ever since has been located. Mr. Ansted has given
considerable attention to commercial and industrial affairs in the city of
Connersville and for some years, until 191 1, was vice-president of and attorney
for the Farmers and Merchants Trust Company of that city. Since then he
has given the greater part of his attention to his extensive manufacturing
interests. Some years ago he took hold of the Indiana Lamp Company, as
vice-president and manager of the same, and still occupies that position. In
August, 1915, Mr. Ansted Ijecame vice-president and manager of the Lexing-
ton-Howard Company at Connersville. manufacturers of motor cars, which
concern was established in 1908 and now employs about two hundred and
fifty ])ersons and is turning out about five thousand motor cars a year. The
Indiana Lamp Compan}' also has developed an extensive business in the
manufacture of automobile lamps. Mr. Ansted also is interested in the
Hoosier Castings Company and is president of the Inland Motor Sales Com-
pany. He is-past president of the Connersville Commercial Club and in other
ways has for years contributed of his time and his energies to the advance-
ment and promotion of the higher interests of the city.

On October 7, 1908, Frank B. Ansted was united in marriage to Isabel
Roberts Heron, who was born in Connersville, daughter of James M. and
Nancy D. (Dolph) Heron, the former a native of the state of Indiana and
the latter, of Kentucky, who are still residents of Connersville and who are
the parents of two children, Mrs. Ansted having a sister, Norah. James
M. Heron is the eldest of the three children born to his parents, James M.
and Caroline ( McCarty) Heron, natives of Indiana, he having two sisters,
Catherine and Nora. The elder James M. Heron was a well-known manu-
facturer and capitalist. Mrs. Ansted's maternal grandfather was the Rev-
erend Dolph, a clergyman of the Methodist church, who was the father of
five children, those besides Mrs. Heron having been William, Edward, May
and Kate. Mrs. Ansted is a member of the Episcopal church and Mr. Ansted

lAVETTK COL'NTV, INDIANA. Jl-

is a member of the Catholic church. He is a member of the local council of
the Knights of Columbus and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.
He and his wife have one of the finest homes in Connersville and take an
earnest interest in the general social activities of the city, heljjful in advancing
all worthy causes.

HENRY T. SILVEY.

Henry T. Silvey, one of Connersville's best-known and most progressive
merchants and a partner with William H. Luking in the clothing business
there, a continuation of the old-established tailoring establishment of William
H. Beck, founded in Connersville in 1848, was born at Everton, this county,
July 29, 1877, son of Thomas Hillary and Hannah (Jerman) Silvc\-. tlie
latter of whom is still living in that village.

Thomas Hillary Silvey also was a native son of Fayette county, born
just east of Nulltown, in Jackson township, October 14, 1835, a son of Dr.
Presley S. and Frances S. (Sterrett) Silvey, pioneers of that section of the
county. In addition to being a physician, Dr. Presley S. Silvey was a "local"
preacher of the Methodist faith and in his day was one of the best-known
men in this part of the state. He was born in Virginia in 1802 and was
about fifteen years of age when his parents, Thomas and Anna Silvey,
settled in Fayette county. It was on May 20, 1817, that Thomas Silvey
bought a tract of ten acres in Jackson township, this county, paying for the
same seventy dollars; land that today is valued at probably one hundred and
twenty-five dollars an acre. Thomas Silvey, who was born on August 17,
1774, died on July 30, 1835. On that pioneer farm in Jackson township
Presley S. Silvey grew to manhood and early turned his attention to the
practice of medicine and to preaching. The demands for his medical services
came from a wide stretch of territory and he traveled horseback for miles
in all directions, calling on his patients. One night while answering a call
west of Everton a bear crossed his path. He went on to the house of his
patient. The next morning the bear was killed in a neighbor's barn lot.
Doctor Silvey married, November 20, 1822, Frances S. Sterrett, who died
in 1855, leaving eight children, Elizabeth Ranch, James Alorgan, Asbury,
Rebecca, Ann, Thomas Hillary, Jerusha and Jane. The Doctor died on
March 21, 1872, at his home at Everton, where he had been engaged in prac-
tice for many years.

Thomas H. Silvey was a blacksmith and with the exception of one year

;iS FAYETTE COUNTY; INDIANA.

spent at Alquina spent all his life in Jackson township. He had his black-
smith shop at Everton and was for years one of the best-known men in that
part of the county. On September 8, 1858, he married Hannah Jerman,
who was born at Fairfield, in the neighboring county of Franklin, October
26, 1839, a daughter of Reuben and Elizabeth (Osborne) Jerman, the former
of whom was for years engaged in the live-stock business at Everton, driv-
ing stock through to Cincinnati. Fie also drove turkeys through to Cincin-
nati. In his later life Reuben Jerman moved to near Columbia, this state,
and there spent his last days. His widow returned to Everton, where her
last days were spent. Thomas H. Silvey died at his home in Everton in
March, 1889, and his widow is still living 'there. They were the parents of
seven children, five of whom are still living, Katherine having died at the
age of nine years and William P., in 1897, at the age of twenty-seven years.
Those besides the subject of this sketch who are still living are Reuben J.,
of Kansas City; Mrs. Anna Murphy, of Indianapolis; Mrs. Fannie Elizabeth
Sims, of Indianapolis, and Jasper L., of Everton.

Henry T. Silvey grew up at Everton. In the days of his youth he
followed farm work and later became engaged as a clerk in a grocery
store at Everton. This experience gave him a taste for merchandising and
after about two years spent in the store at Everton he went to Conner sville,
where he became engaged in a grocery store. In 1902 he went to work in
the establishment of W. H. Beck's Sons, tailors and clothiers, and was thus
engaged until in February, 1910, when he and William H. Luking bought
the store from Charles D. Beck, who had been sole proprietor since the death
of his brother. This store, at the northwest corner of Central avenue and
Court street, is one of the oldest mercantile establishments in the city of
Connersville. It was founded by William H. Beck, a son of David Beck,
a pioneer tailor. William H. Beck early learned the trade of a tailor and
when a youth determined to get into business on his own account. Equipped
with a pair of shears, a package of needles and one dollar in cash he went
to Falmouth, where he laid his case before a woman who consented to board
him, he to pay as he could. He gave her his dollar on account and announced
that he was ready to do neighborhood tailoring. He was successful from the
start, farmers from all around that part of the country bringing him cloth
from the mills to be made up into clothing, and after he had saved a few
hundred dollars he went to Cincinnati, laid his case before a jobbing house
there and was given credit to the amount of four hundred dollars. Thus
outfitted, Mr. Beck started a tailor shop in Connersville in 1848, starting
business at the corner now occupied by the Silvey-Luking store, and was there

- FAYKTTi; COUNTY, INDIAXV. 7T9

engaged in business the rest of his hfe. He built up an extensive business and
after his death the business was carried on by his sons, Samuel W. and
Charles D. Beck, under the firm name of A\'. H. Beck's Sons, and was so
conducted until Mr. Silvey and Mr. Luking bought the store, which they
have since been very successfully conducting under the brm name of the
Silvey-Luking Company.

In December, 1897, Henry T. Silvey was united in marriage to Lulu Z.
Trusler, who was born on a farm between Blooming Grove and Fairfield,
in the neighboring county of Franklin, a daughter of William H. and
Catherine (Loper) Trusler, the former of whom was born and reared on
that same farm, the old Trusler homestead, and who now lives at Richmond,
this state. Mr. and Mrs. Silvey have a pleasant home in Connersville and
take an interested part in the city's general social activities. Mrs. Silvey is a
member of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution,
through descent from her father's grandfather, who participated in the \\'ar
of Independence. ]\Ir. Silvey is a memljer of the hx^al lodge of the Knights
of Pvthias.

JOHN W. REICH LE.

John \V. Reichle, the genial manager of the Palace Hotel, of Conners-
ville, was born in North Vernon, Indiana, January 4, 1887. He is the son
of John and Anna (Wrape) Reichle, both of whom were born in Jennings
county, Indiana, where they have always made their home. Mr. and Mrs.
Reichle are the parents of seven children : four sons — Henry, Walter, b>ank
and John W., and three daughters — Minnie, Mary and Florence (deceased).
John Reichle has been identified with the liusiness interests of North \'emon
for the past twenty-five years.

John W. Reichle was educated in the comnKni and high school of his
home town. After graduating from the high school he went west and for
se\'en years ( 1907-14 ) was in charge of a sta\'e mill in .\rkansas. Although
he was only twenty years of age when he began his connection with the
firm owning the stave mill, yet he displayed such ability U> manage men that
he was successful from the start. His seven years of service with the firm
employing him is ample evidence of his ability to ])erf()rni satisfactory service.

While in Arkansas he met the girl who later became his wife. Rose
Hodge, a native of Greenup, Illinois. She is a daughter of C. C. and Martiia
(McNeese) Hodges and was born in 1891. She was educated at Sedalia.

720 FAYETTI-; COUNTY, INDIANA.

Missouri, and Ravenden, Arkansas. In addition to her regular common
and high-school education she received a thorough course in music and is
an accomplished pianist.

After their marriage on May 12, 19 14, Mr. Reichle and his bride at
once left for Indiana. They returned to Mr. Reichle's former home in
North Vernon and he at once became connceted with the Metropole Hotel
in that place. He continued there until June 24, 191 6, when he became
manager of the Palace Hotel at Connersville, where he is now located.
Under his efficient direction the business of the hotel has been greatly
improved and it now enjoys a liberal share of the patronage of the local
and transient business of the city.

Mr. and Mrs. Reichle have a charming little daughter, LaVerne, who
was born on March 19, 1915. This little maid has the unique distinction
of having two ' great-grandmothers, Mrs. Mary Wrape, of North Vernon,
and Mrs. Anna Weyl, of Bridgeport, Illinois.

E. RALPH HIMELICK.

E. Ralph Himelick, one of Connersville's well-known young attorneys-
at-law, prosecuting attorney-elect for the thirty-seventh judicial circuit, and
senior member of the law firm of Himelick, Frost & Goble, is a native son
of Indiana, born in the neighboring county of Union, and has been a resi-
dent of Conners\'ille since the year of his admission to the bar in 1914. He
was born on a farm in the neighborhood of College Corner on May 5, 1887,
son of John W. and Rachel (DuBois) Himelick, both natives of Indiana,
who are now living in Franklin county, where they are very comfortably
situated.

John W. Himelick was born on a pioneer farm in Bath township,
Franklin county, son of John and Mary (Davis) Himelick, the former of
whom was born in Ohio, and who were the parents of six children, Mary,
Marian, Laura, Flora, John W. and Grant. The elder John Himelick was a
well-to-do farmer and breeder of thoroughbred horses and both he and his
wife lived to ripe old age. John W. Himelick has always been a farmer.
For eighteen years he lived in Union county and during his residence there
served for six years as a member of tlie lioard of count}' commissioners.
He married Rachel DuBois, who was born in L^nion county, a daughter of
John K. and Elizabeth (Wilson) DuBois, also natives of Indiana, who spent
most of their lives in LTnion county, although John K. DuBois was born

- FAYETTE COrNTV, INDIANA. 721

in the neighboring county of FrankHn. He died at the age of sixty-six years
and his widow survived him some years, she being seventy-eight years of
age at the time of her death. They were the parents of six children, Ange-
hne. Sarah, Harriet, Rachel, Edgar and Arthur. John W. Himelick was
reared in the faith of the Methodist church and his wife is a member of
the Colters Corner Methodist Episcopal church. They have two sons, the
subject of this sketch having- a brother, Dwight Himelick. of Franklin county.

E. Ralph Himelick was reared on the paternal farm and during his
boyhood and young manhood was a valuable aid to his father in the labors
of developing and improving the same. Following his graduation from the
township high school he entered Indiana University and in 1911 was gradu-
ated from the College of Liberal Arts of that institution, immediately there-
after entering the Indiana University Law School, from which he was gradu-
ated in 1914 and at once was admitted to the bar. Thus admirably qualified
for the practice of his profession Mr. Himelick engaged in practice at Con-
nersville and for the first year was associated in practice with the late Reuben
Conner. After the death of that gentleman he practiced alone until in August,
1915, when he formed a partnership with G. W. Goble. In February, 1916,
H. L. Frost became a member of the firm, which has since been engaged
in general practice of the law at Connersville, under the firm style of Hime-
lick, Frost & Goble. Mr. Himelick is a Republican and gives his thoughtful
attention to local civic afifairs. In the election of 19 16 he was elected prose-
cuting attorney for the thirty-seventh judicial circuit and will enter upon
the duties of that office on January i, 1918.

On September 5, 1912, E. Ralph Himelick was united in marriage to
Faye Hamilton, who was born at Mt. Carmel, in the neighboring county
of Franklin, July 24. 1891, daughter of Harvey and Caroline (Sleet) Hamil-
ton, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Ohio, who were the
parents of five children, of whom Mrs. Himelick was the last born, the others
being Harry, Clarence, Mabel and Guy. Harvey Hamilton is one of the ten
children born to his parents, who came over from Ohio during, the early
days of the settlement of this part of Indiana and became well known among
the pioneers of Franklin county. The Sleets also are a pioneer family in
Franklin county. Mr. and Mrs. Himelick have one child, a son, John
Harvey. Mrs. Himelick is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr.
Himelick is a Royal Arch Ma.son, a member of Warren Lodge No. 15,
Free and Accepted Masons, at Connersville, and of the chapter at that place,
and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
(46)

■}22 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

JOHN STOLL.

John Stoll, one of Connersville's well-known merchants and the pro-
prietor of a well-stocked grocer)^ store at 216 West Sixth street in that city,
is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of Connersville since the
days of his boyhood. He was born in Wurtemburg on September 29,
1863, son of Jacob F. and Katerina (Schweickle) Stoll, natives of Gennany,
the former of whom died in his native land when his son, John, was about
fourteen years of age.

In 1880 the Widow Stoll and her two children, John and Frederica,
the latter of whom is now Mrs. Fred Neal, came to the United States, their
destination being Connersville, where Mrs. Stoll had a brother and a sister
living. They arrived at that place on September 29, 1880, the seventeenth
birthday of John Stoll, and within two weeks the boy had a job as a baker,
a trade he had learned in his native country. He worked at that trade until
the first of the succeeding year, when he took employment in the factory
of the McFarlan Buggy Company and there worked three years, learning the
wood-working trade. He then went over to the Monk & Roberts furniture
factory and after working there six months took employment with the Con-
nersville Furniture Company and was engaged in the factory of that company
for eleven years, learning all departments of the cabinet-making trade. From
that place he returned to the McFarlan factory, but four months later, in
April, 1896, he started a little grocery store on the top of West hill. In
the meantime he had married and his wife A\as from the vei-y Iseginning of
his mercantile venture a great aid in pushing the business. Much of the
time during the early years of his mercantile career Mr. Stoll was com-
pelled to be out with the wagon and Mrs. Stoll became an excellent man-
ager and buyer. Mrs. Stoll continues to do the buying for the store and
has done much to contribute to the success of the enterprise. Mr. Stoll and
his wife had no experience before starting in business, but by careful thought,
diligence and constant attention to details have gained experience and have
done very well. About four years after John Stoll started in business on
West hill his brother, Jacob F. Stoll, bought into the concern and the broth-
ers started another store at 216 West Sixth street, the latter being conducted
by Jacob F. Stoll, John Stoll continuing in business on the hill. Five years
later John Stoll bought his brother's interest in the business, sold his store
on the hill and has since operated the store on Sixth street, where he and
his wife have built up an excellent business.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 723

It was in 1886 that John Stoll was united in marriage to Anna M.
Disque, who was born in Rheinpfalz, Germany, daughter of John and
Katherine (Green) Disque. natives of that same counti"y. .\t the age of
nineteen years Anna Disque came to this country in company with a number
of other girls from the vicinity of licr home, with a view to finding better
conditions here than tlifcy could hope to find at home, and upon her arrival
in this country went to Cincinnati, where she lived until her marriage to
Mr. Stoll. To that union have been born three children, one son, Carl, and
two daughters, Emma and Elsie. The entire family are members of the
German Presbyterian church and take an earnest interest in church work.
Mr. Stoll is a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Loyal Order of Moose, while
Mrs. Stoll is a member of the Daughters of Rebekah and of the (lerman
Aid Society.

About ten years ago Mr. and Mrs. Stoll bought their present home, a
substantial brick residence that was erected in Connersville before the days
of the Civil War by Mr. Stoll's great-uncle, John Earner. After Mr. Ear-
ner's death the administrator of his estate sold the house to Mr. Schoenholtz,
the baker for whom John Stoll worked upon arriving in Connersville, and
Mr. Stoll bought the place from Mr. Schoenholtz's daughter. Before Mr.
Stoll remodeled the old house it was of a rather odd design, one of the "land-
marks" in Connersville, but since it has been remodeled in somewhat more
up-to-date fashion it is a good-looking and substantial residence and there
Mr. Stoll and his familv are very pleasantly situated.

JAMES HUSTON.

The late James Huston, for years a resident of Connersville and one of
Eayette county's best-known retired farmers and landowners, was a native son
of this county and lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm
near Bentonville in 1836, a son of John and Mary Miller Huston, the former
a native of Pennsylvania, who was among the earliest settlers in Posey town-
ship, this county, settling on a tract of "Congress land" in the vicinity of
Bentonville in the early thirties of the last century. They resided there during
the remainder of their lives.

On that pioneer farm in Posey township James Huston grew to man-
hood. He received his education in the primitive schools of that neighbor-

^2^ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

hood. From the days of his boyhood he was a valued aid to his father
in the labor of developing- and improving the farms. Upon reaching man's
estate he became a farmer on his own account and prospered in his operations,
eventually accumulating some six hundred acres of valuable land. During
the last thirty years of his life he made his home in Connersville, the county
seat of Fayette county, directing the management of his farms from there.
Mr. Huston was an ardent Republican and always gave attention to local
civic affairs. He was active in local politics, although never a seeker after
or holder of public office. He was an active worker in church matters,
being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and endeavored to
encourage all movements designed to advance the common welfare. James
Huston died at his home in Connersville on December 15, 1914, in the
seventy-ninth year of his age, an honored and respected pioneer citizen of
the community and country, in which his whole life had been spent.

James Huston had been twice married. In 1863 he married Ruth
Amelia Murray, who was born at Genesee, New York, a daughter of James
and Anna (Miller) Murray. Mrs. Huston died at Bentonville in 1875, at
the age of thirty-eight years, leaving two children, a son and daughter,
Francis Murray and Mary Helen, the former now a resident of Chicago and
the latter a resident of Connersville.

Francis Murray Huston upon completing his education at Earlham Col-
lege and at DePauw University, was admitted to the bar of the Fayette
circuit court, at the age of twenty-one years. Later he turned his attention
to newspaper work and presently came to be recognized as an authority as
a financial writer. His early newspaper work was with the Cincinnati
Enquirer and later with the Rocky Mountain Nezvs at Denver. He then
was connected with the Chicago Inter Ocean for a time and later joined the
Chicago Evening Post staff as a political writer and later became financial
editor. He spent twenty years with the Post and then joined the staff of
the Chicago Herald. For ten years he has been also editor of the Rand-
McNally Bankers Monthly Magazine. Mr. Huston also has been a con-
tributor to the London Times and numerous other papers and for years
has been the Chicago correspondent of the Journal of Commerce of New
York City. He was married to Linnabelle Janes, of Wheeling, West Vir-
ginia, in 1900.

Mary Helen Huston, who has a very pleasant home at Connersville,
received her elementary education in the schools of her home town and sup-
plemented the same by a course in Western College at Oxford, Ohio. In
tlie sdcial and cultural acti\'ities of her home town she lias ever taken a warm

- KAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 725

interest and is an active supporter of movements haviiicj as their aim the
advancement of the common good.

James Huston married, secondly, Marian Koogler, daughter of Dr.
Adam Koogler, of Connersville, and a niece of Gen. George Crook, of the
United States army. Mrs. Huston died at Connersville on October 2, 1907.

Among James Huston's ancestors ranked William Huston, a native of
Ireland, who was his grandfather, and who assisted in establishing American
independence, while acting in the capacity of captain.

Mr. Huston was one of a family of seven children, of whom two sur-
vive, Thomas Huston, of Kokomo, Indiana, and Mrs. S. S. Merrifield, of
Connersville; William Nelson Huston, Mrs. Elihu Schrader, Mary Ann
Huston, John Miller Huston, Mrs. Charles Mount and Robert Marshall
Huston ]ia\ing preceded their brother to the great beyond. Charles A.
Murray, a prominent attorney of Denver, is a brother-in-law.

LINCOLN KERR TINGLEY.

Lincoln Kerr Tingley, cashier of the First National Bank of Conners-
ville and formerly and for 3'ears train dispatcher in the office of the old Cin-
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company at Connersville, former
councilman from his ward in the Connersville city council and for years
an active factor in the development of his home city, is a native son of
Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was born in the village
of Harrisburg, this county, September 15, 1866, a son of Dr. Uriah B. and
Elizabeth (Kerr) Tingley, for years recognized as among the leading resi-
dents of that village.

Dr. Uriah B. Tingley was one of the pioneer physicians of Fayette
county and his memorj^ particularly in the northern part of the county, is held
dear to many in that section. He was born in Clermont county, Ohio, Sep-
tember 30, 1816, and early turned his attention to the study of medicine.
He was graduated from the old Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati and in
1838 came to Indiana, proceeding by way of the canal to Hamilton and thence
by stage coach to Oxford and then on by foot up the valley of the White-
water to Connersville, where he opened an office for the practice of his pro-
fession. A year later he moved on up to Harrisburg and there remained in
practice the rest of his life, a faithful physician and a friend to all.

Reared at Harrisburg, Lincoln K. Tingley received his first schooling

J26 FAYETTE COUNTY^ INDIANA.

there in what then was known as the "Frog Pond" school house. Upon
leaving school he worked for a time on farms and then turned his attention
to telegraphing and presently was appointed an operator in the Connersville
office of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company, now known
as the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western, performing his duties in that
connection so well that he presently was advanced to the position of train
dispatcher and was thus engaged until his election to the position of cashier
of the First National Bank of Connersville on January i, 1905, since which
time he has given his undivided attention to the affairs of the bank, long
having been recognized as one of the leading bankers in this part of the state.
Mr. Tingley is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention
to local civic affairs. For ten years he represented his ward as a member of
the city council and in many ways did well his part in promoting the gen-
eral advancement of the affairs of his home city.

Mr. Tingley has been twice married. It was on September 24, 1889,
that he was united in marriage to Cora C. Caldwell, who died leaving one
child, a daughter, Mildred, who married Leslie Richraan and has one child,
a son, Robert. After the death of his first wife Mr. Tingley married Ella
M. Crago and to this union one child has been born, a son, Malcolm. Mr.
and Mrs. Tingley are members of the Christian church and Mr. Tingley
for some years served the local congregation of that church as a deacon.

JESSE S. CHRISMAN.

The late Jesse S. Chrisman, for many years a well-known and sub-
stantial farmer of Harrison township, this county, who died at his home in
Connersville in the fall of 1916, was a native son of Fayette county and lived
here all his life. He was born on the old Chrisman farm in Harrison town-
ship, August 29, 1839. a son of Jacob and Nancy (Swisher) Chrisman,
the former a native of Gifford county. North Carolina, born on November
27, 1795, and the latter of Mason county, Kentucky, born on July 27, 1803,
who were early settlers in the northern part of this county. Upon coming
here they made their home in the woods of Harrison township and there
developed a good farm, on which they spent their last days. They were
the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was
the last survivor.

Reared on a pioneer farm, Jesse S. Chrisman grew up familiar with the

' KAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. -J IJ

trials and hardships of pioneer living. He received his schooling in the little
old log school house in the neighborhood of his home and from boyhood
was a valued aid to his father in the labors of developing and improving the
home place. After his marriage he bought a tract of land near his old home
and there established his residence, gradually adding to his holdings until he
became owner of two hundred ami thirty-two acres, on which he quite
successfully carried on general farming and stock raising, and where he made
his home until his retirement from the farm and removal in 19 15 to Con-
nersville, where he spent his last days, his death occurring on November 29,
191 6, he having been in ill health for some time before his retirement from
the farm. Mr. Chrisman was a Republican and had for years taken an active
part in poHtical affairs. He served as trustee of Harrison township for seven
years and in other ways contributed of his time and his energies to the public
service. He was a member of the Grand Avenue Methodist Episcopal
church at Connersville, as is his widow, and ever took a proper interest in
church work.

It was on November i, 1865, that Jesse S. Chrisman was united in mar-
riage to Catherine \'. Price, who was born in the neighboring county of
Franklin, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Clements) Price, the former
of whom also was born in that county, son of Irons and Eleanor Price, who
came to this state from Maryland and became early settlers in Franklin county.
Irons Price w^as a substantial farmer and he and his wife spent their lives
in the Blooming Grove neighborhood. They were the parents of twelve
children, William, Mary, Rebecca, Susan, Unity, Harriet, Margaret, Edward,
Jackson, James, David and L3'dia. Elizabeth Clements was a daughter of
Richard Clements, of Maryland, who also settled on a farm in Franklin
cotinty in pioneer days and there spent his last days. He and his wife had
live children, Sarah. Nancy, Elizabeth, James and Caleb.

To Jesse S. and Catherine V. (Price) Chrisman six children were born,
namely: Edward Robert, Laura A., Albert L., Minnie M., Oliver Perry
Morton and Nona Grace. Lieut.-Col. Edward R. Chrisman, United States
Army, is now stationed at Panama. Colonel Chrisman was graduated in 1888
from the United States Military Academy at West Point, which institution
he entered at tlie age of eighteen, and participated in the battle of Vera Cruz,
with the rank of second h'eutenant. He later was promoted to a lieutenant-
colonelcy. Colonel Chrisman married Florence Ryan and has two children,
Catherine and Albert O. Laura A. Chrisman married Robert Henry, of Har-
rison township, this county, and has one child, a daughter, Ouidabon. Albert
L. Chrisman, a well-known attorney at Connersville, married Rebecca L. Lock-

;28 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

hart and has two children, John and Dorotha. Minnie M. Chrisman married
J. L. Bush, of Ft. Wa3'ne, this state, and has two children, Mary, Grace and
Edward Robert. Oliver P. M. Chrisman is unmarried and continues to make
his home with his widowed mother at Connersville. Nona Grace Chrisman
married Harry Stephens, of Ft. Wayne, and has one child, a son, Maynard
Moody. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Chrisman has continued to make
her home at Connersville. She has a pleasant home at 1947 Ohio street and
takes a warm interest in the general affairs of the community.

L. T. BOWER.

In the memorial annals of the city of Connersville and of Fayette
county there are few names held in better remembrance than that of the
late E. T. Bower, organizer and president of the Connersville Buggy Com-
pany, one of the organizers of the Fanners and ^Merchants Trust Company,
for 3'ears a member of the Connersville city council and in many ways one
of the city's most active and industrious factors in his day and generation.
Mr. Bower was for years actively identified with the industrial and com-
mercial interests of his home, city and did much to start Conners^'ille on
the path of its present remarkable industrial development.

L. T. Bower was born in the old village of Centerville, in the neigh-
boring county of Wayne, July 2, 1844, a son of Jacob Bower and wife,
early residents of that county. Jacob Bower was born in Pennsylvania, in
which state he grew to manhood, later going to Cleveland, Ohio, coming
thence to Indiana and locating at Centerville, where he married and for
some years made his home. He then moved over into Preble county, Ohio,
where he remained until after the Civil War period, when he returned to
Wayne county, locating on a farm there, and there spent the rest of his
life.'

Having been but a child when his parents moved from Centerville to
Preble county, Ohio, L. T. Bower grew up on the paternal farm in the
latter county and when the family returned to Indiana he started a saw-
mill at Harrisburg, continuing thus engaged for a number of years, at the
end of which time, in 1875, he moved to Beeson and engaged in the saw-
mill business there. A year later he moved his plant to Connersville and
there engaged in the manufacture of sash and door material, building up
quite a plant in that line. About five years later Mr. Bower recognized the

I.. T. BOWER.

FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 729

Opportunities of tlie buggy Inisiness and he organized the Connersville Buggy
Company, converting his sash-and-door plant into a plant for the manufac-
ture of buggies. L'jMn the organization of the company Mr. Bower was
elected president of the same and continued serving in that capacity, acting
as general manager of the com])any, until his death. Starting the factory
in a modest way he gradual!)- built it up, as the business of the company
was extended, until he had one n\ the most important industries of that
kind in the state. Mr. Bower was an active and energetic business man
and as his interests dexeloped found himself engagirig in more than one
line designed to promote the industrial and commercial development of his
home town. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers and Merchants
Trust Company of Connersville and was elected to the first board of direc-
tors of that sound old financial institution. He also was a member of the
board of directors of the Glenwocjd State Bank of Glenwood and of the
board of directors of the Monarch Stone Company of Bloomington, this
state. In his political \ie\\s Mr. Bower was a stanch Republican and for
some time ser\-ed as a member of the Connersx'ille cit)- council, represent-
ing his ward in that bod\- for years, b'raternall}-, be was a Mason. Mr.
Bower was ever a liberal su]jporter of the Methodist F.piscopal church, of
which he was a member, and for years was a member of the board of trus-
tees of the local congregation, as well as one of the stewards, ever doing all
in his power to promote the church's interests in this community. His
widow, who still .survives him, still living at her pleasant home in Conners-
ville, also is a member of the Methodist church, in the \arious beneficences
of which she ever has taken a warm interest, as well as in all local good
works.

It was in 1869. at Alilton, in the neighboring county of Wayne, that
L. T. Bower was united in marriage to Harriet A. Zell, who was born in
that village, daughter of John and Anna (\\'allick) Zell, both of whom
were born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, \vhere tlie\- were married,
coming thence to Indiana and locating at Mih<ni, where for years John
Zell was enga.ged in the blacksmith business, later becoming a hardware
merchant, giving particular attention to blacksmiths' su])])lies. John Zell
and bis wife were the parents of se\'en children, of whom two are still liv-
ing, Mrs. Bower having a brother. Henry Zell, of l"t. ^^'ayne, this state.
To T. T. and Harriet A. (Zell) Bower six children were born, of whom
but two are now living, Gerie\ie\e .Adella, who married .\rthur Darling, of
Big Rapids, Michigan, and has one child, a son, Edson Bower Darling, and
Claude C. Bower, who is now located at Pontiac, Michigan. Claude C.

y30 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Bovver married May Wright, who died, leaving one child, a son, Robert,
and he later married Mrs. Irene Teeter. L. T. Bower died at his home in
Connersville on June lo, 191 2.

JOHN G. POWELL.

John G. Powell, proprietor of the corner hardware store at Connersville,
is a native of the neighboring state of Ohio, born at Granville, one of the most
beautiful college towns in Ohio, August 10, 1872, son of William R. and
Rachael Ann (Jones) Powell, both of whom were born in Licking county,
Ohio, and the former of whom is still living on the farm in the immediate
•vicinity of Granville, where he and his wife started housekeeping in the early
days of their married life. His wife died on Christmas morning, 1898. They
were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having a brother,
William ]"ranklin Powell, who is farming the old home place, and a sister,
Minnie, who also continues to make her home there.

Reared on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Granville, John G. Powell
completed his schooling in Dennison University at that place and upon leaving
college became employed in the hardware store of William Geachs & Son at
Granville, and was thus engaged for something more than three years, at the
end of which time he transferred his services to the hardware store of Jones
& Sons at that same place, and was engaged there for three years. He then
went to Toledo, where for some time he was employed in a wagon-works and
later in Johnson Brothers' furniture store. His health then failing, Mr. Powell
made a comprehensive trip through the South, visiting all the Southern states,
and after a year of travel returned to his old home at Granville and served
there as township assessor for a ■couple of years. He then spent a year in
California, returning then to Granville, where he resumed his former position
in the hardware store of Geachs & Son, remaining there until in March, 1910,
when he bought his present store in Connersville and has ever since been
engaged in business in the latter city. Mr. Powell's store, which is situated at
the southeast corner of Central avenue and Fifth street, was established prob-
ably forty years ago and was owned by Joseph M. Webster & Son when Mr.
Powell bought it. Mr. Powell handles a general line of hardware, stoves and
agricultural implements and has one of the best-stocked stores in his line in
eastern Indiana. Mr. Powell also owns a pleasant home at 1306 North Central
avenue and he and his wife are verv comfortablv situated there.

KAYETTE COHNTV, INDIANA. 73 1

It was in 1907 that John G. Powell was united in marriage to Maude
Finley, who was born in Iowa and whose father died about the time she was
born. Her mother, Letitia Finley, later moved to Illinois and at Oneida, that
state, was married to J. W. Ronald, who owned a farm in Delaware county,
Ohio, the Ronalds making their home on that farm until they presently moved
to Delaware, where Maude l-'inley was living at the time of her marriage to
Mr. Powell. Mr. and Mrs. Powell are members of the Presbyterian church
and i\Ir. Powell is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. While living at
Granville he served for s^nie time as a member of the city council of that place.

WILLIAM NEWKIRK.

The late William Newkirk, organizer of the Connersville Furniture Com-
pany and founder of that company's extensive manufacturing plant, for years
one of the most important industrial concerns in eastern Indiana, was a native
of the old Keystone state, but had been a resident of Indiana since the days
of his boyhood. He was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May
18, 1828, a son of Jacob and Julia (Burt) Newkirk, natives of New Jersey,
who later came to Indiana, becoming early settlers of this county, and whose
last days were spent in Connersville.

Jacob Newkirk for some years was engaged in business in Philadelphia
as a hatter, later moving to Cincinnati, \\here for a time he was engaged in
the hotel business. He also was a manufacturer of shoes. In 1834 he came
up into Indiana with his family and located at Connersville, presently moving
from that place to Harrisburg, a few miles north, but in later years returned
to Connersville and there he and his wife spent their last days, honored pioneer
residents of this county. They were the parents of seven children, those
besides the subject of this sketch having been Francis, Louise, Emily, Azell,
Julia and Charles, none of whom are now living.

AVilliam Newkirk was about eight years of age when his ])aVents came to
Fayette county and his schooling was completed in the schools of Harrisburg.
As a youth he was a great reader and the lines of his education were much
wider than those offered in die schools of that period. When little more than
a boy he began clerking in the Frybarger store at Cnnners\il]e and there laid
the foundation for his successful mercantile career. After several years of
experience as a clerk iMr. Newkirk embarked in business for himself, starting
a store at Bentonville, in this county, but presently returned to Connersville

73^ FAYETTF. COL'NTV, INDIANA.

and there opened a hardware store, which he successfully conducted for
several years, or until he conceived the organization of the Connersville Furni-
ture Company, he having early recognized the advantage that a furniture fac-
tory in Connersville would possess. Upon the organization of this company
Mr. Newkirk was elected president of the same and thereafter gave his whole
time to the development of the concern which has meant so much for the
industrial development of Connersville, until failing health compelled his
resignation and retirement from business. Upon his retirement Mr. Newkirk
continued to make his home in Connersville. His death occurred at Daytona,
Florida, where he had gone to spend the winter, on December 9, 19 11, he then
being eighty-three years of age. Mr. Newkirk was for many years an active
worker in the Methodist Episcopal church and twice was elected a delegate
from the local conference to the general conference of that church. An earn-
est supporter of DePauw University, he was for years a member of the board
of trustees of that sterling old sectarian institution and during much of that
time served as the president of the board. Few men in this community were
better or more favorably known throughout Indiana than was William New-
kirk and at his passing he left a good memory, for he had done his part well.

William Newkirk was thrice married. His first wife, Mahala Hansen,
died in Connersville, without issue. He then married Matilda Demerist, of
Dayton, Ohio, who also died without issue. In June, 1882, Mr. Newkirk was
united in marriage to Ida L. Mcintosh, who was born in Connersville, daughter
of James C. and Elizabeth (Martindale) Mcintosh, both now deceased, the
former of whom also was born in Connersville and the latter in the city of
Indianapolis. James C. Mcintosh, who for years was one of Connersville's
most prominent lawyers, began practice in that city following his graduation
from old Asbury (now DePauw) University, and for some time was asso-
ciated in practice with Samuel W. Parker, later maintaining his ofiSce alone,
and continued in practice in his home city until his death in 1880. He was an
ardent Republican and was actix'e in the vvork of the Methodist Episcopal
church, as was his wife, who survived him many years, her death occurring on
November 16, 1916. They were the parents of six children, four of whom
are living, those besides Mrs. Newkirk, the second in order of birth, being as
follow : Horace Parker Mcintosh, a retired officer of the United States navy,
now living in Washington, D. C. ; James M. Mcintosh, a banker, of Indian-
apolis, president of the National City Bank, and Charles Kenneth Mcintosh,
a banker, of San Francisco, California.

To William and Ida L. (Mcintosh) Newkirk two children were born,
daughters both, Elizabeth, who married Carl P. Houghton, a mechanical

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 733

engineer, of Connersville, and has one child, a son, Horace N., and Helen
Louise, who married Herbert McFarlan and is now living at Colorado Springs.
Colorado. Mrs. Newkirk has a very pleasant home at 319 Western avenue.
Connersville, and Mr. and Mrs. Houghton and their son make their home
with her.

ADAM SCHOENHOLTZ.

Adam Schoenholtz, a well-to-do retired grocer of C(.)nnersville and one of
the best-known residents of that city, is a native of Germany, born in the
Rhine country on August 3, 1853, a son of Frederick and Katherine (Geiler I
Schoenholtz, natives of that same countr)-. He lived in his native land until
he was seventeen years of age, when, in 1871, he came to the United States,
arriving at the port of New York on August i, 1871. Some years before, in
1866, his brother, Fred Schoenholtz, had come to this country and was engaged
in the bakery business at Connersville. Adam Schoenholtz had been trained to
the trade or a tailor and his brother, Fred, met him at Cincinnati and there
secured for him a place in a tailor shop, where he remained until 1875. when
he came on up to Connersville and rejoined his brother.

Upon coming to Connersville Adam Schoenholtz secured work in the
establishment of William H. Beck, who was operating a clothing store and
tailor shop in that city, and was there engaged when, on March 3. 1882, he
married Kate V/eisel. of Connersville. who was born in Hesse-Da.nnstadt,
Germany, and who was l)ut a ba1>y when her parents, Henry and Wilhelmina
(Uhl) Weisel, came to the United States in 1855 'i"*^ located at Cincinnati,
whence, in 1865, they moved to Connersville. where Henry Weisel continued
his trade as a cooper. About 1878 Henry Weisel started a little grocery store
at the northwest corner of Eighth street and Western avenue, at that time on
the very outskirts of Connersville, believing ♦^hat the natural increase of i>opu-
lation out that way soon would make that a good trading point. Mr. Weisel
started the store merel\- as an investment, installing his daughter, Kate, as
manager of the same ; he continuing his vocation as a cooper. After Mr.
Schoenholtz's marriage his wife continued to conduct the store, which by that
time was making quite a success, and as business improved Mr. Schoenholtz
got in the way of bringing his tailoring work home with him in order that he
might be of assistance to his wife in the store. Business continued to improve
and presently he gave up tailoring and thereafter devoted his entire attention
to the store. On August 5, 1885, he bought the store from Mr. Weisel and

734 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

thereafter he and his wife continued to conduct the same for thirty-three years,
or until they sold out and retired from business on January i, 1915, since
which time they have been "taking things easy," enjoying the ample reward of
their long and diligent application to business.

Mr. and Mrs. Schoenholtz are earnest members of the German Presby-
terian church, of which Mr. Schoenholtz has been a member of the board of
trustees since 1878 and of which he has been treasurer for the past fifteen
years. He also is a member of Guttenl^erg lodge. Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, a memljer of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and of the
Improved Order of Red Men, and in the affairs of these several organizations
takes a warm interest.

SAMUEL S. MERRIFIELD.

Samuel S. Merrifield, a well-known and substantial retired farmer of
Harrison and Posey townships, this county, now living retired at Conners-
ville, was born at Laporte, Indiana, August 14, 1838, son of Roberts and
Eliza Jane (Shipley) Merrifield, who were married in Connersville in 1832.
Roberts Merrifield was a lawyer and shortly after his marriage established
himself in practice at Laporte, where he remained for several years, at the
end of which time he moved to Marion, this state, and was there engaged in
the practice of law until his death in 1842, leaving a widow and four chil-
dren, of which latter the subject of this sketch was the third in order of
birth, the others being Mary Ann, Elizabeth and Charles.

Following the death of her husband Mrs. Merrifield returned to Fay-
ette county with her children to make her home with her brother, Charles
E. Shipley, at Connersville, and in 1844 moved with him to a farm in Har-
rison township, this county, and it was on that farm that Samuel S. Merri-
field grew to manhood, receiving his schooling in the old Broadus school house.
From the days of his boyhood Mr. Merrifield was a valuable help to his
uncle in the labors of improving the farm and upon his uncle's death his
mother received eighty acres of the place. As the elder son, the management
of tlie place fell upon the shoulders of Samuel S. Merrifield and he remained
there, farming the place for his mother, until his marriage in 1865, when
he located on a farm in Posey township, where he remained until 1871, in
which year he moved to Indianapolis, where for eight years he was engaged
in tlie coal business with lii'^ brother, Charles Merrifield. He then returned
to Fayette county and took over the home place in Harrison township, the

I'AYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. -35

place now comprising- the south half of Roherts Park, and farmed there until
1912, when he retired and moved to Connersville where he and his wife have
since made their home and where they are ven- pleasantly situated. Mr.
Merrifield is the owner of a quarter of a section of well-improved land in
Posey township, besides otlier property, and is very comfortably circum-
stanced.

As noted above, it was in 1865 that Samuel S. iMerrifield was united
in marriage to Harriet Huston, who was born at Bentonville on December
9, 1838, daugliter of John and Mary Huston, furtlier mention of whom
is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this union were born three chil-
dren, Roberts, Alice and Charles, all of whom are now deceased. Mr. and
Mrs. Merrifield are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have
ever taken an active interest in church work. Mr. Merrifield is a Republican
and has always given a good citizen's attention to local civic afifairs.

ROV CLINTOX McKENNAN.

Ro)' Clinton McKennan, manufacturing chemist and head of the Maxine
Company at Connersville, is a native of the state of Illinois, but has been a
resident of Connersville since the days of his boyhood. He was born at
New Holland, Illinois, December 28, 1880, son of S. O. and Flora (Lucas)
McKennan, both natives of Indiana, now residing at Connersville, where
tlie former has been engaged in business since the early nineties.

Roy C. McKennan was about eleven years of age when his parents moved
from Illinois to Connersville and he was graduated from the high school
in that city in 1896. He then entered Purdue University and was graduated
from the pharmacy department of that institution in 1900, immediately there-
after forming a partnership with his father in the drug business at Con-
nersville. that connection continuing, under the firm name of S. O. McKen-
nan & Son, until 1912. when Roy C. McKennan engaged in the manufacture
of a dental .specialty which he had compounded and to which he gave the
name of "Maxine." He formed a company for the manufacture of that
preparation, the Maxine Company, which is very successfully engaged in
manufacturing and marketing "Maxine" to the dental trade. Mr. McKen-
nan also is a stockholder in several other local enterprises and is treasurer
of the Home Loan Association of Connersville, a position he has held for
about ten vears.

736 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

On February i, 1905, Roy C. McKennan was united in marriage to
Madge Kensler, who was born in Connersville, daughter of P. H. and
Isabel (Morrison) Kensler, and who also was graduated from the Conners-
ville high school, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter,
Isabel Flora. Mr. and Mrs. McKennan are memters of the First Methodist
church and Mr. McKennan is a Mason and a member of the Knights of
Pythias and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

JOSEPH R. MOUNTAIN, M. D.

Dr. Joseph. R. Mountain, dean of the medical profession in Connersville,
liax'ing been engaged in practice in that city longer than any other physician
now ]5racticing there, is a native of .Michigan, but has been a resident of this
state and of Connersville for nearly twenty years. He was born at St. Johns,
Michigan, September 15, 1871, son of Robert S. and Cecelia M. (Pruden)
Mountain, both natives of the state of New York, who moved to Howell,
Michigan, in 1872, remaining there until about 1887, when they returned to
St. Johns.

Doctor Mountain received excellent scholastic foundation for the prac-
tice of his exacting profession. He was about a year old when his parents
moved to Howell and was about fifteen years of age when they returned to
St. Johns, his elementary schooling thus having been secured partly in the
former place and partly in the latter. In the fall of 1892 he entered the Uni-
versity of Michigan, starting in the scientific course, and the next year went to
Chicago, where he was engaged in teaching school, as a means of securing
further funds for his maintenance in the university. In the fall of 1894 he
entered the medical department of the Unix'ersity of Michigan and was gradu-
ated from that in.stitution in 1898, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
During his college course. Doctor Mountain practically made his own way,
acting as a tutor in other departments of the university during much of his
term, acting also as demonstrator in laboratory work and in his senior year
was assistant instructor, under Dr. J. M. Martin, in diseases of women and
children, serving later as an interne in the hospital under Doctor Martin, this
later practical experience being of more value to him than a post-graduate
course.

I'pon receiving his diploma Doctor Mountain returned to St. Jolms
and was there engaged in practice until January 19, 1899, when he located

y^:^)

FAYtlTTE COUNTY,

7Z7

at Connersville, where he ever since has been engaged in practice. During
one or two of his vacation jjeriods while in college he had clerked in a drug
store at Connersville and was then so greatly taken with the place that when
he was free to settle down definitely he chose that city as the scene of his
practice. Doctor Mountain has been very successful in his practice and is
one of the busiest practitioners in eastern Indiana, the demands upon his
professional services keeping him going- constantly. He keeps fully abreast
of tlie latest advances in the practice of his profession and his office is usually
well equipped, this equipment including one of the most complete X-ray out-
fits in Indiana, a valuable adjunct both to diagnosis and therapeutics. In
191 3 he took a post-graduate course in London and Paris, in the former
place giving his special attention to physical diagnosis, and in 191 5 took
another post-graduate course in New York City, giving there his special atten-
tion to the X-ray. Though the period of Doctor Alountain's practice in Con-
nersville has not yet covered twenty years, he has I^een there longer than any
other physician now in active practice in that city and therefore very properly
may be called the dean of his profession in Connersville. He is a member
of the Fayette County Aledical Society, of the Union District Medical Society,
an organization older than the Indiana State Medical Association, of which
later he also is a member, and is likewise affiliated with the American Medical
Association, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes an active
interest. The Doctor gives his close attention to the general business affairs
of the city and is an active supporter of all movements having to do with
the advancement of the general welfare. He helped to organize the Central
State Bank of Connersville, established in March, 1907, and was a member
of the first board of directors of that institution. He is likewise interested
financially in several other local enterprises and is a member of the board of
directors of the Elmhurst School for Girls.

On October 16, 1900, Dr. Joseph R. Mountain was united in marriage
to Elizabeth C. Clark, who was born and reared in Cincinnati, a daughter of
Frazee and Margaret (Arthur) Clark, and to this union two children have
been born, both sons, Joseph C. and Francis B. Doctor and Mrs. Mountain
are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper
interest in church work. Mrs. Mountain is one of the leading members of
the Carey Literary Club and is otherwise interested in the city's cultural
actixities. The Doctor is a thirty-second degree Mason, affiliated witli the
consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, at Indianapolis ; a Knight Templar,
^47)

;38 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

affiliated with the commandery at Connersville, and a noble of the Ancient
Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Murat Temple), at Indian-
apolis. He also is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias,
of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Improved Order of Red
Men and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.

VIRGIL J. BARKER.

Virgil J. Barker, proprietor of a hardware store at Connersville and one
of the best-known merchants in that city, is a native son of Fayette county
and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm two miles east of
the city of Connersville on June 15, 1876, son of Barton and Mary (McCann)
Barker, both now deceased, the former of whom was born in England and the
latter in this county.

Barton Barker was born in Lincolnshire, England, and was but eight years
of age when his parents came to this country and located on a farm in this
county, east of Connersville, where they spent the remainder of their lives
and where he spent his early manliood There he married Mary McCann, who
was born in Jennings township, a daughter of James and Barbara (Dary)
McCann, who had come to Indiana from western Virginia about the time
Indiana was admitted to statehood and had settled in the woods, not far from
the junction of Fall creek and White river, building a cabin at a point now
occupied by the Claypool Hotel, in the very heart of the city of Indianapolis ;
but coming to the conclusion that that locality never would amount to anything
moved over to Conner's settlement and after looking about a bit established
their home in Jennings township, this county, before 1819, and remained there
on the farm now known as the old Spivey farm, three and one-half miles east
of Connersville, for a number of years, at the end of which time they moved
to a farm north of East Connersville, where they spent the remainder of their
lives. After his marriage Barton Barker continued to make his home east of
Connersville for some years, at the end of which time he moved to Harrison
township, where he lived until old age, when he retired and moved to Conners-
ville, where he spent his last days, his death occurring there on April 4, 1913.
His wife had preceded him to the grave about eighteen years, her death having
occurred on June 6. 1805. Barton Barker was an honored A'eteran of the Civil
War, having served for four years as a member of the Sixteenth Regiment,
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, during which service he was wounded three times,

FAYETTE COT'NTY, INDIANA. 739

once in the arm, once in the leg and another time a bursting shell deafened his
left ear. Mr. Barker was mustered out as a non-commissioned officer. For
three years during his residence in Connersville he served as chief of police
of that city.

Virgil J. Barker grew to manhood on the home farm and completed his
schooling in the schools of Connersville, graduating from the high school there
in 1895. He then spent a few years on the farm with his father and then
became employed with the hardware, furniture and undertaking firm of
Thomas L. Smith & Son, at Connersville, and remained with that firm for
thirteen years, at the end of which time he bought the hardware and stove
department of the concern, the same having been conducted by Carl Smith,
son of Thomas L. Smitli, and has since been the proprietor of the same, oper-
ating a very well-conducted and amply-stocked store, dealing in all kinds of
shelf hardware, stoves, ranges, paints, oils, harness, blankets and farm imple-
ments, and is doing very well.

On April 15, 1902, Virgil J. Barker was united in marriage to Lola
Paxton, who was born at Liberty, in the neighboring county of Union, a
daughter of \\^illiam J- and Sarah (Brown) Paxton, the former of whom
for many years was a teacher in the schools of Union and Fayette counties.
Mr. and Mrs. Barker are members of the Central Christian church and take
a proper interest in church affairs. Mr. Barker is a member of the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, affiliated with both the subordinate lodge and
the encampment of that order, and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the
same.

WILLL/\M HENRY MOYER.

One of the well-known and prominent retired citizens of Connersville,
who has met with much success during his long life of usefulness and
activity, is William Henry Moyer, who was born at Port Jefferson, Ohio,
on November i, 1838, a son of David and Ruth (Venemon) Moyer, who
were both born in the state of Ohio. The former, who was born on January
2, 1813, died on April 16, 1877, and the latter, lioni on March 3, 1813, died
on July 4, 1853. They were born near the town of Sidney and there they
were educated and were later married. As a young man the father learned
the cabinet-maker's trade, and continued in that line of work in the Buckeye
state until 1842, when he and his family came to Indiana, with horses and
wagon, and located in Fayette county. During the first few years of his

740 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

life in this county David Meyer worked on the canal and later in a stone
quarry and brick yard. Mr. Moyer was three times married. His first
wife died at Benton, Indiana, and after her death he married Amanda
Thompson, and at her death, Susan Stephens. By his first wife he was the
father of four children: Deliah Jane, William H., Alex. Marshall and
Charles Edgar. By the second wife one child was born, Amanda, who is
now deceased. There were no children by the third marriage.

William Henry Moyer received a limited education in the early schools
of his home community and remained at home until his marriage on Septem-
ber II, 1861, to America Crosson, who was born on March 4, 1841, daugh-
ter of James and Susan (Johnson) Crosson, who were natives of the state
of Ohio and who came to Indiana in 1830 and settled in Fayette county.
They established their home on a farm on Williams creek, where they made
for themselves a home in the wilderness, and had much to do with the gen-
eral development of the district. It was there that the mother died. The
father died at Connersville, to which place he had moved after the death of
his wife. They were the parents of ten children, only two of whom are
now living.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Moyer established their home in the
city of Connersville, where for a number of years Mr. Moyer was engaged
in the grocery business and later in the brick business. He met with much
success as a business man, and on liis retirement from the brick business
he engaged in tb.e furniture business until the time of his retirement from
the more active duties of life. Today lie is known as one of the men who
has helped to make Connersville the hustling and progressive little city that
it is today. Few of the present residents of the city had more to do with
its early life and later development.

To Mr. and Mrs. Moyer five children have been born, only one of
whom is now living, Clara E., wife of George E. Reese, one of the well-
known and highly respected citizens of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Moyer
are active members of the Grand Avenue Methodist Episcopal church, with
which they have been connected for many years, and have ever taken an
active interest in the services of the church and the growth and success of the
society.

William Henry Moyer and his wife have lived in Connersville and in
this vicinity for many years, during which time they have seen many changes
and many improvements. Coming to the county as he did, a mere child,
when the territory surrounding Connersville was for the most part an
undeveloped wilderness, he has seen the dense forest become a thing of the

FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 74T

past, and lias witnessed the making of one of the great farming districts
of Indiana, with splendid homes and hustling and progressive towns and
cities. In all this he has his part. His advent into the business world was
as a poor boy, who had to depend upon his own resources for his advance-
ment. His life has been an active one and he has made good, so that
today the name of \\'illiam Henry Mover is synonymous with progress and
success.

MIXOR E, LEFFINGWELL.

Minor E. Leffingwell, member of the firm of M. Holberg & Company,
clothiers and shoe dealers, at Connersville. is a native son of Fayette county
and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Jennings
township, this county, August lo, 1864, son of Jonathan Avery and Lucy
(Ellis) Leffingwell, the former a native of the state of New York and the
latter of Indiana, a member of one of the pioneer families of Fayette county.

Jonathan Avery Leffingwell came to Indiana from New York state with
his parents when a boy, the family settling in Harrison township, this county,
in the thirties. His father died not long after coming here, leaving a widow
and eight children, among whom, besides Jonathan A., were Artemas, Lem-
uel. Lavant, Amanda and Hannah. The widow retained the home farm and
there Jonathan A. Leffingwell grew to manhood, assisting his brotliers in
the development and improvement of the same. He married Lucy Ellis,
who was born in Harrison township, daughter of Lewis and Samantha
(Thomas) Ellis, natives of New York state and early settlers in this county.
Lewis Ellis inherited the farm which his father, Moses Ellis, had settled
in Harrison township and there he and his wife sijent their last days, both
living to ripe old age, he being eighty- four years of age at the time of his
death and she, seventy-six. Lewis Ellis and wife were the parents of sixteen
children, CaroHne, Lucy, Alelvin, Eliza, Ellen, Hewitt, Nancy, Minor, who
died while serving as a soldier of the Union army, and seven others. After
his marriage Jonathan .\. Leffingwell began fanning on his own account
in Jennings township and there developed an excellent farm of one hundred-
acres, to which he added until at the time of his death he was the owner of
two lumdred acres. He died in 1884, at the age of fifty-eight years, and his
widow survived him until iqoi, she being sixty-seven years of age at the
time of her death. They were devoted members of the Primitive Baptist
church and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of

742 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order
of birth, the others being as follow: Lewis, of Posey township, this county;
Ada, who married Mathias Neff and is now deceased; Emma, of Conners-
ville; Elmer, who is living on the old Leffingwell farm in Harrison town-
ship; Minnie, wife of S. D. Lynch, of Kennewick, Washington; Edgar, who
died at the age of seven years, and twins, who died in infancy.

Reared on the paternal farm in this county, Minor E. Leffingwell
received his elementary schooling in the district schools in the neighborhood
of his home and supplemented the same by a course in the Central Normal
School at Danville, this state. He continued on the farm until 1887, when
he took employment as a clerk in the shoe store of L. C. Everton at Con-
nersville. A year later he transferred his services to the store of M. Hol-
berg, clothier and shoe dealer, at Connersville, and has ever since been con-
nected with that establishment, a partner in the firm since 1900, the firm
doing business under the style of M. Holberg and Company, one of the best-
known and most firmly established commercial concerns in this part of the
state. Mr. Leffingwell is a Republican and has ever given his thoughtful
attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.

On January 22, 1889, Minor E. Leffingwell was united in marriage
to Clara Rieman, who was born in Germany and who was but three years of
age when her parents, Henry and Gretchen ( Pernon ) Rieman, came to this
country with their family from their native Hanover in 1866 and located
at Hamilton, Ohio, moving thence to Oxford, that same state, and thence,
in 1876, to Connersville, where they established their home. Henry Rie-
man's parents spent all their lives in their native Hanover. Their three
sons, Ernest, Henry and Charles, came to this country, 1)ut their daughters
remained in their native land. Henry Rieman was a landscape gardener,
employed on the royal estate in the Fatherland, and upon coming to this
country became engaged as a florist. Upon locating at Connersville he
established there a greenhouse and remained engaged as a florist the rest
of his life, his death occurring in May, 1913, he then being eighty-six years
of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave many years, her death
having occurred in 1884. She was the only child of her parents, her father,
a sea captain, having been lost at sea when she was a small child. Henry
Rieman and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church and their
children were reared in that faith. There were seven of these children,
those besides Mrs. Leffingwell being Andrew H., Charles A., Geredena,
widow of E. E. Lewis, and Clara (first), Ernest and Nettie, who died in
youth.

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 743

To Minor E. and Clara (Rienian) Leffingwell one child has been born,
a son, Carl, who died when twelve years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Leffingwell
are members of the Presbyterian church, in the affairs of which they take
an active interest, Mr. Leffingwell being one of the elders of the local con-
gregation. Mr. Leffingwell is a thirty-second-degree Mason, being affiliated
with \\'arren Lodge Xo. 15, JMee and Accepted Masons, at Connersville, and
with the consistory of the \'alley of Indianapolis, Ancient Accepted Scot-
tish Rite, and is a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mys-
tic Shrine, affiliated with Murat Temple of that order at Indianapolis. He
also is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and of the
Modern Woodmen of America and in the affairs of these several fraternal
ors-anizations takes a warm interest.

lASPER L. KENNEDY

Jasper L. Kennedw former auditor of Fayette count\ and now engaged
in the hardware and farm-implement business at Connersville, senior mem-
ber of the mercantile firm of Kennedy & Lewis, is a native Hoosier and
has lived in this state all his life, his residence having been confined to
Fayette county and the neighboring county of Franklin. He was born
at Metamora, in the latter county, August 9, 1866, son of John R. and Tempa
.\. (Thomas) Kennedy, Ix)th now deceased, the former of whom, an hon-
ored veteran of the Civil War, was a native of the state of Ohio and the
latter of Indiana, and who were for years well-known residents of Frank-
lin county.

John R. Kennedy was Ijorn and reared on a farm near New Richmond,
in Clermont count}-. Ohio, son of Milton C. Kennedy and wife, both natives
of that same state and who spent all their lives there. They were the parents
of four sons, .\aron, Benjamin. John R. and Milton. .\s a young man, John
R. Kennedy came over into Indiana and settled at Metamora, where he
opened a coojier shop and where he married and established iiis home. He
was living there when the Civil War broke out and in 1861 he enlisted as a
private in Company C, Sixty-eigiith Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry,
and served with that command until the close of the war, his period of
service being but two days less than four years, and was mustered out with
the rank of lieutenant. Upon the completion of his term of military service
Mr. Kennedy resumed his cooperage business at Metamora, but cooperage

744 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

timber presently becoming exhausted in that vicinity, in 1872 he located on
a farm in the near vicinity of Blooming Grove, in that same county, and
there was engaged in farming for some years, at the end of which time
he sold his farm and moved to Blooming Grove, where he spent his last
days, his death occurring there on June 9, 19 12, he then being seventy-eight
years of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave about eighteen months,
her death having occurred in December, 1910, she then being sixty-eight
years of age. She was a daughter of John L. Thomas, whose wife was a
Rothrock, natives, respectively, of Kentucky and of South Carolina, who
had come to Indiana with their respective parents in the days of their youth,
the two families settling in the Aletamora neighborhood in Franklin county,
where they were married and where they reared their family of three
daughters, Mrs. Kennedy having had two sisters, Lucinda and Indiana.
John R. Kennedy and his wife were ver}' active and earnest members of
the Methodist church, their home for 3'ears being noted as a stopping place
for itinerant preachers of that denomination, and their children were reared
in that faith. There were six of these children, of whom the subject of
this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow :
Edward W., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Emanuel P., of Blooming Grove,
in the neighboring county of Franklin; Cora B., wife of W. L. White,
also of Blooming Grove; Clifford M., of South Sharon, Pennsylvania, and
John K., of Dunreith, this state.

Jasper L. Kennedy was but a child when his parents moved from Meta-
mora to the farm near Blooming Grove and there he spent his boyhood,
receiving his elementary schooling in the neighboring district school. He
supplemented that course of schooling by a course in a private school and
in a business college at Richmond, and then took up the trade of carriage
blacksmithing and followed the same at Connersville until 1906, in which
year he was elected to the office of county auditor. So acceptably did he
perform the important duties of that office that he was re-elected in 1910
and served a second term of four years, thus serving the public in this capacity
for a period of eight years, his term of service expiring on December 31,
1915. A few days later, on January 3, 1916, Mr. Kennedy engaged in the
hardware and farm-implement business at Connersville, in partnership with
C. S. Lewis, and has ever since been thus engaged, the fimi doing busi-
ness under the style of Kennedy & Lewis. Mr. Kennedy is also the head
of the blacksmithing firm of Kennedy & Loper. Mr. Kennedy is a stanch
Republican and has for years been looked upon as one of the leaders of
that party in this county. In addition to his public service rendered as

FAYETTE COL'NTY, INDIANA. 745

auditor of Fayette county, he for eleven years served as a menil^er of the
board of trustees of tlie East Connersville schools.

On September ij, 1890, Jasper L. Kennedy was united in marriage to
Cora B. King, who was Ixjrn in Clinton county, Ohio, daughter of William
H. and Mary (Acre) King, natives of that same state, who are now living
in East Connersville. William H. King served for four years as a Union
soldier during the Civil War and he and his wife have three children, Mrs.
Kennedy having a sister, Nettie, an<l a brother, J. Dillon King. To Mr. and
Mrs. Kennedy two children have been born, Madge L. and Clyde C. The
Kennedys are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Ken-
nedy is a Mason, a member of Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted
Masons, at Connersville, and is likewise a member of the local lodge of
the Improved Order of Red I\Ien.

UTILES K. MOFFETT.

Miles K. Moffett, a well-known druggist at Connersville, former post-
master of that city, former clerk of the Fayette circuit court and for years
actively identified with the commercial interests of his home town, is a
native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was born
on a pioneer farm in Fairview township, September 21, [860, son of John
and Fannie J. (Hamilton) Moffett, the former a native of the state of
Pennsylvania and the latter of Indiana, both now deceased, who were for
years well-known among the old settlers of this county.

John Moffett was but two years of age when he came to Indiana with
his parents, Thomas and Salome (Heller) Moffett, from Pennsylvania in
1822. Thomas Moffett entered a tract of "(longress land" in Fairview
township, this county, and there established his home, one of the earliest
settlers in that part of the county. He established the first grist-mill on
Williams creek and also kept a general store there. He took an active part
in tlie civic affairs -of the comity in early days, was a memlier of the board
of count)- commissioners when the old court house was erected and also
served for years as trustee of Fairview township and as a justice of the
peace in and for that township. His wife died in 1865 and he survived her
for some years, living to a ripe old age. Those of their children who grew
to maturity, liesides John, were Rachel, Thomas. Robert, William C, Jane
and Sarah. It was on that pioneer farm in Fairview township that John

746 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Moffett grew to manhood and there he spent his last days, in addition to
his farming being also actively engaged for years as a carpenter. He also
took an active interest in local pulilic^affairs and for six years served the
county as appraiser of real estate. John Moffett died on the home farm
in 1874, he then being hfty-four years of age, and his widow sun-ived him
for nearly twenty years, her death occurring in 1892. She was born in
this county, a daughter of George Hamilton and wife, pioneer settlers in
Connersville township, whose last days were spent there, both living to
advanced ages, George Hamilton living to the extraordinary age of ninety-
six years. Besides Mrs. Moffett there were two sons of the Hamilton family
who grew to maturity, Stephen and William Hamilton. John Moffett and
wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their children
were reared in that faith. There were eight of these children, of whom the
subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth, the others being
as follow: Oliver P., deceased; Almarinda. who married Philander Wymore
and is now deceased ; Nancy, who married Hiram Rees and is now deceased ;
Florence, who married Samuel M. :\therton and is now deceased; John E.,
deceased; George T., of Huntsville, Alabama, and Charles O.. of Harrison
township, this county.

Miles K. Moffett was reared on the home farm in Fairview township
and received his elementary schooling in the district schools of that neigh-
borhood, suppkmenting the same by a course in the Central Normal School
at Danville, this state, after which for twelve years he was engaged in
teaching school, spending his summers on the farm. He then v\'as elected
clerk of the Fayette county circuit court and was re-elected to that office,
thus serving in that important capacity for eight years and at the end of
that term of service was commissioned i>ostmaster of Connersville, in which
capacity he further served the public for a period of eight years. At the
completion of his term of service as postmaster Mr. Moffett engaged in
the drug business in Connersville, in 1910, and has ever since been thus
engaged. Mr. Moffett is a Republican and lias long been looked upon as one
of the leaders of that party in this county.

On May 4. 1886, Miles K. Moffett was united in marriage to Anna
Hoak, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1865,
daughter of Henr}- and Christina (Keen) Hoak, natives of that same state,
who came to Indiana with their family in 1866 and settled in Hendricks
county, where Henry Hoak, who was a school teacher, spent the rest of
his life. His widow is still living. They were the parents of two children,
Mrs. Moffett having a brother, Benjamin M. Hoak. Mr. and Mrs. Moffett

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 747

have two children, Claire, who married Mary Conoway and is assisting in
the management of his father's drug store at Connersviile, and Christine,
who married Fred Leeds, of Connersviile, and has one child, a son, Frederick
M. The Moffetts are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take
an active interest in the affairs of the same, Mr. Moffett being a member
of the board of trustees of the local congregation. Fraternally, he is affiliated
with the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd h'ellows, of the Knights
of Pythias, of tlie Impro\ed Order of Red Men and of the Fraternal Order
of Eagles, and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm
interest.

FREDERICK C. NEAL

Frederick C. Neal, of the firm of Neal & Stoll, plumbing and heating, at
Connersviile, and long recognized as one of the most enterprising business
men in that city, is a native Hoosier and has lived in this state all of his life.
He was born in the little Quaker village of Westfield, in Hamilton county,
Indiana, March 20, 1867, son of the Rev. Jabez and Mary E. ( Bowman)
Neal, the former of whom was born in Texas and the latter in North Caro-
lina, whose last days was spent in Noblesville, this state.

The Rev. Jabez Neal was an itinerant circuit-riding Methodist preacher,
who continued active in the service of the church as long as he was able
to do so. As a young man he came to Indiana from Texas and settled in
Hamilton county, where he married Mary E. Bowman, daughter of Edwin
W. Bowman and wife, who had come to Indiana from North Carolina
and had settled on a farm in Hamilton count}-, where they spent the rest
of their lives, both living to ripe old age. Edwin W. Bowman and wife
"were the parents of eight ciiildren, those Ijesides Mrs. Neal being George W'.,
Phoebe, Martha, Augusta, Emily, Anna and Alice. During the last twenty
years of his life the Rev. Jabez Neal resided at Noblesville, to which city
he had moved from Westfield, and there he died in 1896, at the age of
eighty-one years. His widow survived him until 191 5 and was eighty-four
years of age at the time of her death.

Frederick C. Neal was about ten years of age when his parents moved
from Westfield to Noblesville and in the latter city he ci^npleted his school-
ing. He early learned the plumbing trade and after awhile started in busi-
ness for himself in that line in Noblesville, where he remained thus engaged
until 1903, when he moved to Connersviile and there formed a partner-

;48 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ship with A. J. Stoll, in the pkimbing and heating hne, and has ever since
been thus engaged, the firm doing business under the style of Neal & Stoll.
This firm carries a large stock of goods in its hne and has an extensive
and growing business. Mr. Neal has other business connections in Con-
nersville and is regarded as one of the public-spirited men of that city. He
is a stockholder in the Central State Bank of Connersville and a member
of the board of directors of the Fayette Savings and Loan Company. He
is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs,
but has not been a seeker after public ofifice.

On December 29, 1897, Frederick C. Neal was united in marriage to
Freda Stoll, who was born in Germany, March 18, 1875, daughter of John
and Catherine ( Sweikley ) Stoll, natives of that same country, the former
of whom died in the Fatherland, after which his widow and her four chil-
dren came to this country and located at Connersville, where she still resides.
Mrs. Neal has three brothers, John, Jacob and Adam Stoll. To Mr. and
Mrs. Neal two children have been born, John F. and Arthur E. The Neals
are members of the Presbyterian church, in the affairs of which they take
a warm interest. Mr. Neal is a thirty-second-degree Mason and a Knight
Templar, being affiliated with Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted
Masons; with Maxwell Chapter No. 18, Royal Arch Masons; with Con-
nersville Commandery No. 6, Knights Templar, at Connersville; with the
Indianapolis consistory. Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and with Murat
Temple. Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Indian-
apolis. He also is a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Pro-
tective Order of Elks, and in the affairs of all these organizations takes an
active interest.

SAMUEL O. McKENNAN.

Samuel O. McKennan, secretary of the Home Loan Association of
Connersville and formerly and for years engaged in the drug business in
that city, was born on a prairie farm six miles west of the village of Reynolds
in White county, Indiana, August 27, 1854, son of Thomas A. and Anna
(Fleeger) McKennan, natives of Pennsylvania, both now deceased.

Thomas A. McKennan was born and reared in Pennsylvania and there
learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed for some time, in addition
to farming, after he came to Indiana and settled as one of the pioneers in
the prairie section of \\ bite county. He later moved to New Holland, Illi-

vayi:tte colntv, Indiana. 749

nois, where his death occurred in 1884, he then being- sixty-four years of
age. His widow survived him ior years, her death occurrint^ in 191,^ she
then being seventy-nine years of age. Thomas A. AIcKennan and his wife
were members of the Presbyterian church, of which he was an elder for
many years, and their children were reared in that faith. There were four-
teen of these children, seven sons and seven daughters, namely: Howard A.,
deceased; Edward M., of Garrett, Indiana; Elmira, who married David
Earhart, of Indianapolis, and is now deceased; Samuel O., the immediate
subject of this biographical sketch; Elda J., wife of V. N. Hinkle, of
Decatur, Illinois; Altona \'., wife of John Everson, of Peoria, Illinois; Frank
B.. of Ouincx'. lUinciis: James L., of Kinney, Illinois; Josie, wife of Samuel
Keys, of Lincoln county, Illinois; Sylvia B., wife of George Warren, of
Aliddletown, Illinois; Madge, wlio married Jcjhn Colvin and died at Eau
Claire. Wisconsin: Sylvester, of Chicago; Flora, wife of E. L. Prather, liv-
ing near Chicago. Illinois, and Joseph T., of Alinneapolis, Minnesota.

Samuel O. McKennan was twenty-one years of age when his parents
moved from Indiana to New Holland in Logan county, Illinois. In 1877
he engaged in the drug business at that place, remaining thus engaged in
that town until 1892, when he returned to Indiana and engaged in the drug
business at Connersville, owning a store in the McFarlan block, and was thus
engaged there for nineteen years. During that time he was made secretary
of the Home Loan Association of Connersville, a position which he still
occupies and to the duties of which of late he has been devoting the whole
of his attention, the expansion of the association's business in recent years
requiring the constant attention of the secretary. Mr. McKennan is a Demo-
crat and during his residence at New Holland served for four years as post-
master of that place, under appointment of President Cle\'eland, and also
sensed for six years as clerk of his home township.

On March 25, 1880, Samuel O. McKennan was united in marriage, in
Clinton county, Indiana, to Flora Lucas, who was born in that county on
December 9, 1858, daughter of Clinton and Julia ( Riclicy ) Lucas, natives
of Ohio, the former of whom died in 1864 and the latter of whom is still
living and who were the parents of four children, those besides Mrs. McKen-
nan having been John, Charles and Marm. The Widow Lucas married,
secondly, John Wainscott and to that union were born four daughters. Mr.
and Mrs McKennan have two sons, Roy C. and Jesse T. Roy C. McKennan
is engaged in the manufacturing business in Connersville. He married
Madge Kensler and has one child, a daughter. Jesse T. McKennan; who also
is married, is a traveling salesman and makes his home in Chicago. Mr.

750 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and Mrs. McKennan are members of the Presbyterian church at Conners-
ville and Mr. McKennan has been chorister in the Sunday school of the
same for twenty-three years. He is a member of the local lodges of the
Knights of Pythias, of the Improved Order of Red Men, of the Modern
Woodmen and of the Knights of the Maccabees and in the affairs of these
several organizations takes a warm interest.

CHARLES MONEYHON.

Charles Moneyhon, president of the Connersville Lumber Company at
Connersville and one of the best-known business men in that city, is a native
of Kentucky, born on a farm in the immediate neighborhood of Augusta,
that state. October 6. 1871, son of Alfred N. and Anna (Weimer) Money-
hon. both of whom were born in that same state and who are still living on
tlieir well-kept farm of two hundred and forty acres in the Augusta neigh-
borhood.

Alfred N. Moneyhon is a son of Patterson and Elizabeth (Cabler)
Moneyhon. natives of Kentucky, whose last days were spent in Bracken
county, that state, and who were tlie parents of eight children, George W.,
William H., Alfred. Johnson, Hamilton, John, Henrietta and Lewis. Alfred
N. ^loneyhon married .\nna ^^'einler, daughter of Lewis F. and Julia
(Nichols) Weimer, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Ken-
tucky, who were the parents of ten children, George, William, John, Louis.
Frank, James, Elizabeth, Josephine, Eliza and Anna. Lewis F. Weimer was
a miller. Alfred N. Moneyhon and wife are members of^the Baptist church
and their children were reared in that faith. There were ten of these chil-
dren, namely : Julia, umnarried, who has taught school in her old home
district for twenty-six years: Charles, the subject of this biographical sketch;
George, also of Conners\'ilIe : Ada. who is at home with her parents ; Lida,
wife of George Cablish, of Charleston. West Virginia; Nicholas, of Bracken
county, Kentucky; Edith and Edna (twins), the former of whom is a teacher
in the schools of Covington, Kentucky, anrl the latter of whom is the wife
of Granville Richards, of Pineville, Kentucky, and two who died in infancy.

Charles Moneyhon was reared on the paternal farm in Kentucky and
completed his schooling in old Augusta College, from which he was gradu-
ated in 1888. For four years thereafter he remained on the home farm and
lie then engaged in the lumber business at Augusta, acquiring a thorough

FAYKTTE COUNTV, INDIANA. "5 1

knowledge of tlie details of that Inisiness. In 1903 he was made the manager
of the plant of the Connersville Lnniher Company at Connersville and moved
to that city, where he ever since has made his home. The year following
his connection with that concern he honght an interest in the company and
in 1906 became the ])resident of tiie same, a concern capitalized at thirty
thousand dollars, and is now occupying that [losition, long having been
recognized as one of tlie leading lumbermen in this part of the state. Mr.
Moneyhon also is a member of the board of directors of the Fayette Loan
and Savings Association at Connersville and in other ways has displayed
his interest in the general business affairs of the city. He is a Republican
and gi\-es a good citizen's attention to local ])olitical affairs, but has not been
included in the office-seeking class.

On September 30, 1S9S, Charles Moneyhon was united in marriage to
Anna Han.son, who was born ni Bracken county, Kentucky, daughter of
FYank and Alice ( Weldon ) Hanson, also natixes of that state, the latter of
whom died at .\ugusta, l\entuck\'. in 1906, and the former ni whiini is still
living, now making his home in Connersville. Frank Hanson is a son of
John Hanson and wife, who died in Kentucky. ]\[rs, ^Vloneyhon is the third
in order of birth of the four children born to her parents, the others being-
Sarah, Florence and William. To Charles and .\nna ("Hanson) Moneyhon
two sons have been horn. Stanley and Charles, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Monevhon
and their elder son are members of the Christian church and take a warm
interest in church work. Mr. .Moneyhon being a deacon of the local congrega-
tion. He is a Ma.son, a member of \\'arren Lodge Xo. 13, Free and .\ccepted
Masons, and also of the Connersville lodge of the order of Knights of Pvthias,
and in the aft'airs of these (organizations takes an actix'e interest.

T. X. \\'Tiri:EIS, D. O.

Dr. J. X^. \\'hiteis (osteopath), wlio has been practicing his profession
at Connersville since 1904, is a native of the state of Ohio, but has been a
resident of this state ever since childhood, with the exception of some years
spent in Missouri during the days of his youth. He was -born in Logan
county. Ohio, April 19, 1856, a son of Boyd and Jane Whiteis, the former
born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Wales. Boyd Whiteis was a brick-
laver and after a sometime location in Ohio moved to Indiana and lived in

752 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Cass and Fulton counties for some years, at the end of which time he moved
to Missouri, where he spent the rest of his Hfe as a farmer.

J. N. Whiteis was but a child when his parents moved from Ohio to this
state and his early schooling was received in the schools of Cass and Fulton
counties. He completed his schooling- in Missouri and there learned the
trade of painter, w liich he followed for about thirty years. After the death
of his father he had moved Ijack to Indiana and was living in Connersville
when, in 1901, he entered upon the study of osteopathy and entered the
Columbia College of Osteopathy at Chicago, from which institution he was
graduated in 1902. Upon receiving his degree Doctor Whiteis returned to
Conners\'ille and opened there an office for the practice of his profession.
In ic)05 he took a supplementary or post-graduate course in the Bennett
School at Lima, Ohio, and was thus enabled to add some valuable additional
electrical eciuipment to his office paraphernalia. Doctor Whiteis is one of
the oldest practicing osteopaths in this part of the state and during his prac-
tice at Connersville has become widely known throughout this and adjoining
counties, having built up an extensive practice.

In 1 901 Doctor Whiteis married Emma Woodfield. He is independent
in his political views and ever takes a warm interest in local civic affairs, but
has not been a seeker after office.

H. W. SMELSER, M. D.

Dr. H. ^\'. Smelser. a well-nown young phycician of Connersx'ille, was
born on a farm not far northeast of Rushville, in the neighboring county
of Rush, September 4, 1891, a son of J. F. and Ida (Bowles) Smelser, both
members of old families in that community. Reared on the home farm in
the vicinity of Rushville, he received his elementary schooling in the dis-
trict schools of that neighborhood and then entered the high shool at Con-
nersville, from which he was graduated in 19 10. He then entered Earlham
College and some time later entered the Universit}- of Indiana. After two
years spent in the liberal arts department of the university he took up the
work in. the medical college of the same and -was graduated from that
institution, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, in 1915, he having
previously, in 1914, received his Bachelor of Science degree.

Upon receiving his diploma Doctor Smelser was appointed an interne
at the Deaconess Hospital at Indianapolis and after a year of valuable

H. W. SMELSER, M. D.

' FAVKTTE COl-.VTV, INDIANA. 753

practice in that institution located, in 1916, at Connersville, where he since
has been engaged in the practice of his profession. Doctor Smelser is a
member of the college fraternities Phi Chi and Delta Upsilon and continues
to take a warm interest in the affairs of the same. He is a member of the
.Masonic fraternity and of the Christian church. His wife is a member of
the Methodist church.

It was on October 18. 1916, that Dr. H. W. Smelser was united in
marriage to Frances Shera. a daughter of C. P. and Sallie (Bennett) Shera,
of Laurel, Franklin countv.

JAMES M. HEROX.

James M. Heron, secretary and treasurer of the Rex Manufacturing
Company of Connersville and formerly and for years one of the best-known
merchants in that city, was born in Connersville and has lived there all his
life. He was horn on October 30. 1S57, son of James and Caroline
(McCarty) Heron, the former a native of Maryland and ):he latter of Indi-
ana, for many years well-known and influential residents of Connersville and
the latter of whom is still living.

James Heron was born in the city of Baltimore and was but twelve
or thirteen years of age when his parents, James and Barbara (Kevin)
Fleron. came to Indiana and settled on a farm in this county, one mile south
of Connersville. The elder James Heron and his wife were natives of Scot-
land and u])on coming to ibis countr)- located at Baltimore, where James
Heron engaged in the dry -goods business and where he and his family
remained until 1837, when they came out to what then was regarded as the
"wilds" of the \\'esl and settled in this county. Here James Heron died
two years later, in 1839. His widow survixed liini many years, living to
the age of eighty-hve years. They were the parents of six children, James,
Alexander, Samuel, Nathan, Helen and William. The junior James Heron
grew to manhood on the home farm in the vicinity of Connersville and early
became engaged in the pork-packing business, an industry with which he
remained connected practically all the rest of bis life, for many years secre-
tary and treasurer of the \\'hite Water Canal Company. He married Caro-
line McCarty, who was born at Brookville, this state, daughter of the Hon.
Enoch McCarty and wife, pioneers of Brookville and among the most prom-
(48)

754 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

iiient early settlers of that part of the state. Judge McCarty was one of the
early land agents in Indiana, was a member of the state's first constitutional
convention, was for years judge of the court in Franklin county and was a
large landowner. Both he and his wife spent their last days at Brookville,
in Franklin county. They were the parents of a good-sized family. Caro-
line McCarty was a twin, her twin sister, Catherine, dying young, however.
She has besides three other sisters, Jane, Desdemona and Helen, and three
brothers, Monroe, Milton and Frank. James Heron died in 1876, at the
age of fifty-one years, and his widow, who still survives, is now past eighty-
seven years of age. She is a member of the Presbyterian church, as was
her husband, and their children were reared in that faith. There are three
of these children, the subject of this sketch ha\ing two sisters, Katherine,
unmarried, and Nora, wife of Samuel Johnson, of Portsmouth, Ohio.

James M. Heron was reared at Connersville, the city of his birth, and
received his early schooling in the schools of that city, supplementing the
same by a course in Chickering Institute at Cincinnati, after which, in 1875,
he began clerking in a shoe store in Connersville. About four years later,
in 1879, he bought the store in which he had been engaged as a clerk and
continued business at the southwest corner of Fifth street and Central avenue
imtil 1903. A few years previous to this latter date, in November, 1899,
he had become treasurer of the Rex Buggy Company at Connersville and
thereafter de\-oted the greater part of his time and attention to the affairs of
that company, presently becoming secretary and treasurer of the concern,
which employed about three hundred persons and sold its product in all parts
of the United States. In July, 191 6, the Rex Buggy Company discontinued
the manufacture of buggies and was reorganized as the Rex Manufacturing
Company, Mr. Heron continuing secretary and treasurer of the same, and
is now devoting its whole attention to the manufacture of sedan tops for
automobiles and the painting and trimming of automobile bodies, the reorgan-
ization of the business necessitating the employment of several hundred addi-
tional persons in the factory. Mr. Heron is also treasurer of the Hoosier
Castings Company at Connersville, secretary of the Central Manufacturing
Company, in that city, and a stockholder in the Lexington-Howard Motor
Car Company, one of the chief industrial concerns in Connersville. Mr.
Heron is an independent voter and has -ever given his close .attention to the
civic affairs of his home town, though never a seeker after public office.

On June ly, 1882, James M. Heron was united in marriage to Nancy
Dolph, who was born at Paris, this state, daughter of the Rev. E. L. and

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 755

Is;il)el (Ault) Dulph. Ixuli now deceased, wlio were the parents of six chil-
dren, those hesides Mrs. Heron l)eing Anna, Kate, Edward, William and
May. Mr. and Mrs. Heron have two dang:hters. Xora, who married J(jsep!i
T. McKinney. of Memphis, i'ennessee. and Isabel, who married Frank B.
Ansted. a well-known lawyer and manufacturer of Connersx'ille. Mrs.
Heron is a member of the Church of Christ ( Scienti.st) and Mr. Heron is
affiliated with the Knii^hts of Pythias. They have a very pleasant home at
507 Western avenue and ha\e ever taken an earnest interest in the city's oen-
eral social activities.

.\LBERT L. CHRIS^r.W.

-Vlbert L. Chrisman, former clerk of h'ayettc count}' and one of the
best-known law\'ers practicing at the bar of the l^'ayette circuit court, is a
native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a
farm in Harrison township, four miles north of the city of Connersville,
December 17, 1S71, .son of Jesse and Catharine Chrisman, prominent resi-
dents of that i)art of the county and further and fitting reference to whom
is made elsewhere in this volume, and received his elementary schooling in
the district schools of that neighborhood. He later attended school at Rush-
ville and then took a course in Valparaiso { Indiana ) L'niversity, after which
he engaged in teaching in the public schools of this count v and was thus
engaged for seven years, at the end of which time he was appointed deputy
county clerk, under William F. Downs. L'pon the death of Mr. Downs he
was appointed to fill the unexpired tenii of the clerk and ser\ed the public
in that capacity until the expiration of that term. In the meantime Mr. Chris-
man had been gi\ing his earnest attention to the reading of law and when
he left the clerk's otifice he took up the systematic study of law in the ofifice
of Reuben Conner, and under that able preceptorship presentlx- was (|ualified
for practice and in 1907 was admitted to the bar. h'ollowing his admission
to the bar Mr. Chrisman opened an office for the practice of his ])rofession
at Connersville and has ever since been thus engaged in that city.

In 1894 .\lbert L. Chrisman \^■as united in marriage to Rebeccu Relle
Lockhart. daughter of John Lockhart and wife, further mention f)f whom is
made elsewhere in this volume, and to diis union two children have been
I)orn, John J. and Dorothy V. Mr. Chrisman is a Republican. l^Vaternally,
he is affiliated with the local lodge of the Iniproxed Order of Red Men.

756 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

CHARLES MENMUIR.

Charles MenMuir, electrical engineer for the Roots Company at Conners-
ville, was born at Cedarville, in Greene county, Ohio, January 6, 1863, son of
James and Jean (Dick) MenMuir, natives of Scotland, who came to this
country on their wedding trip, locating at Cedarville, Ohio, whence they later
moved to Kearney, Nebraska, where they spent their last days.

James MenMuir was born and reared within twelve miles of Edinburgh.
Following his marriage in 1856 he and his bride came to the United States
and for awhile were located in New York City. Mr. MenMuir had been
trained in the linen industry and in line with that form of training presently
moved to Cedarville, Ohio, where he engaged in the buying of flax and was
thus engaged there for years, becoming one of the well-known citizens of
that community. Upon the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted in the
One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for
the ninety-da}' service, and served through that term of enlistment. He
was one of a family of seven children born to his parents, the others having
been Jonathan, Hannah, Charles, Robert, John and Mrs. Butcher. Of these
children, John and Jonathan MenMuir also came to this country and settled
in New York state. The parents of these children spent their lives in their
native land, both living to ripe old ages, the mother living to the great age
of eighty-four years. Mrs. Jean MenMuir was one of a considerable family
of children born to her parents. One of her brothers, Walter Dick, came to
this country and when the Civil War l>roke out enlisted for service in the
Union army and went to the front with his regiment. He was not heard
from afterward by his family and the presumption was created that his body
fills a nameless grave on some battlefield of the South. From Cedarville,
Ohio, James MenMuir and wife moved to Kearney, Nebraska, and there
their last days were spent. They were reared in the Presbyterian faith, but
upon coming to this countr\- united with the Methodist Episcopal church.
They were tine ])arents nf nine children, those besides tlie subject of this
sketcli l)eing as follow: jolm, of Kearney. Nebraska; Lyda, wife of Charles
Keyes, of Springfield, Ohio; Mattie, of .Anderson. Indiana; Ella, also of
Anderson ; James, of Cohille, Wasliington. and three who died in infancy.

Cliarles MenMuir completed his schooling in the schools of Cedarville,
Ohio, and then took up the calling of a stationary engineer, which he fol-
lowed for a number of years, at the end of which time he turned his atten-
tion to electrical engineering and since 189^ has followed that \'ocation, ha\--

■ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 757

ing become ;m expert electrical engineer. In 1900 Air. MenMuir was made
electrical engineer for the plant of the P. H. & F. M. Roots Company at
Connersville and has since occupied that responsible position, making his
home in Conners\ ille, where he has become prominently identified with the
general industrial life of that thri\ing city, in the affairs of which he takes
a warm interest.

(~)n June uS. 1)^95. Charles MenMuir was united in marriage to Luetta
V. Krom, who was born in Franklin county, this state, daugliter and only
child of William I', and linima (Xolan) Krom, the latter of whom died
when her daughter was four years of age. William P. Krom, who is now
living at Richmond, this state, later married Mrs. Mattie E. (Burk) Chit-
wood and to this latter union two daughters have been born, Jennie and
Alice. \\'illiam P. Krom is the second of the three children born to his
parents, Charles Krom and wife, tiie latter of whom was a Goble, natives of
\ew Jersey, the other children being Smith and Mar}' Krom. Mrs. Men-
.Muir's Grandfather Xolan and his wife were natives of Ohio and their last
days were spent at Oxford, that state. Mr. and Mrs. MenMuir have one
child, a daughter. Helen .\. The AfenMuirs are members of the First Meth-
odist Episcopal church at Connersville. Mr. MenMuir is a member of
Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and .Vccqited Afasons, at Connersville, and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of that ancient order. He and his family
have a very pleasant home at Conners\ille and take a proper interest in the
general social activities of the city.

\\1LLT.\AI H. KING.

\\'illiam H. King, a well-known and prominent retired farmer and an
honored veteran of the Civil War, now living at East Connersville, this
county, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, a son of John R. and Mary C.
(\\"est) King, natives of Virginia, who located in the state of Ohio, where
they were married. After their marriage they established their home on a
farm, where they lived for many years, and where the father was a suc-
cessful farmer and one of the well known men of his county. Air. and Mrs.
King continued to live in Ohio until the time of their deaths some years ago.
They were active members of the Alethodist Episcopal church and their lives
were living examples of the true Christian man and woman. They were
devoted to their family and were always interested in the moral improve-

758 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ment of the community in which they hved. They were the parents of the
following children: Nancy Ann, William H., Wyatt C, George S. and
Elijah Sanford. Nancy Ann is now deceased and Elijah Sanford and George
S. are living retired in Clinton county, Ohio. Wyatt C. King gave his life
in the defense of the flag of his country. He enlisted in Company C, Seventy-
ninth Regiment, Ohio \^3lunteer Infantry, was wounded at the battle of
Peach Tree Creek and died at Kingston, Georgia.

William H. King received his education in the schools of Clinton county,
Ohio, and was reared on the home farm, where as a lad and young man he
engaged in farming with his father. He remained at home until 1862,
when he offered his services to the government in the defense of the Union.
He enlisted in Compan\- C, Se\enty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry,
and was at once sent to Camp Dennison and later to the South where, he
joined the Army of the Tennessee under General Hooker. He saw much
active service and was at the battles of Peach Tree Creek and Resaca. On
July 20, 1864, he was wounded in the hip, and was at first taken to the field
hospital, and then to Nashville, after which he was transferred to the hos-
pital at Jeffersonville before being returned to Camp Dennison, Ohio, where
he remained until the spring of 1865, when he received his discharge, on
May 30. Having received his discharge he returned to the old home in
Clinton countv and remained with his parents until the fall of 1867, when
he was united in marriage to Mary C. Achor, of Highland county, Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. King are the parents of three children, Cora, Nettie B.
and J. Dillon. Cora is the wife of J. L. Kennedy, a well-known resident
of Connersville ; Nettie B. is at home and J. Dillon is now deceased, having
died in Feliruary. 191 6, at the age of forty-two years. He was a druggist
at Terre Haute, Indiana, and was married to Eleanor Schonefeld.

Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. King located on a farm in
Clinton county, Ohio. They purchased forty-eight acres, of splendid land
and there they continued to live until some years later when they sold the
place and jiurchased one hundred acres near Midland City, Ohio. That
farm they developed and im])roved into one of the ideal farms of that sec-
tion, and there Mr. King was successfully engaged in general farming and
stockraising until 1882, in which year the family moved to Blooming Grove,
Franklin county, Indiana, where a farm of two hundred and twenty-nine
acres was purchased. Mr. King there became one of the prominent and
substantial men of the district and there he lived until 1903, when he sold
the farm and moved to East Connersville, where he and his wife now reside.

I AVKTTIC COUNTY, INDIANA. 759

.Mr. ami Airs. King have a beautiful home at 309 Vine street. They are
devoted members of the .Main Street Methodist Episcopal church, and are
prominent in the general activities of their home city. Mr. King is a mem-
ber of the Independent Order of Odd l-'ellows and ni the Knights (jf I'ythias.
Beginning life in a niodesl way. Mr. and Mis. King have by hard \V(irk
and close ec(jnomy risen In places df jinmiinence and have acconii)lishcd in
their lix'es that which is worlhy nf emulation. Their lives have been well
si)ent and todax' the\- arc held in the highest I'cgard b\- all who know tlicni.

l()ii.\ T. rirrERS.

John J. Peters, councilman-at-large for the cit\- of Connersville and
for many years engaged in the retail meat business in that city, is a native of
the kingdom of Bavaria, in central Europe, but has been a resident of this
country since h.e was sexenteen years of age and of Connersville since the
year 1880. He was born on May 1 i, 1849, son of Frank Joseph and Eliza-
beth Peters, both of whom died when he was a boy.

Thus or])haned early, Jnlm J. Peters determined to make a home for
himself in the newer land across the sea and in Xoxember. 1866, he then
being sex'enteen years of age, he took passage for the United States, .\fter
a voyage of sixty-eight days on a slow sailing vessel he landed at the port
<if New "N'ork in January, 1867, and with little delay made his way to Cin-
cinnati, jiresently .going thence on down the river to Madison, Indiana.
In his native Bavaria Mr. Peters had worked some at the trade of butcher
and upon his arrival at Madison found employment in that line. He later
workefl at the same line in Columbus, this state, at Chicago, Indianapolis
and Brookville and about 1870 obtained employment at Connersville and was
there engaged for two or three years, at the end of which time he went to
Indianapolis and in 1874 started a butcher .shop of his own in that city.
While living there, in i87(). he married and in 1880 he disposed of his inter-
ests in Indianapolis and with his family returned to Connersville, where, on
August 7 of that year he started a butcher shop in West Fifth street, later
buving the place where he is now engaged in business in East Fifth street,
and has ever since then been engaged in the retail meat trade in Conners-
\-ille. Mr. Peters has for years given his earnest attention to local political
affairs and in 1904 was elected as a member of the city council from his

760 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ward. In 1913 he was elected councilmaii-at-large for the city of Conners-
ville and is now serving the pubHc in that capacity.

As noted above, it was in 1876, at Indianapoh's, that John J. Peters was
united in marriage to Catherine Hill, who was born in North Vernon, this
state, daughter of George and Mary Hill, and to this union eleven children
have been born, all of whom are living save two, George, who died at the
age of thirty-three years, unmarried, and Mary, who married Charles Wan-
ley and died on May 30, 1916, leaving three children, John, Marguerite and
Charles. The surviving children are as follow : Joe, who is an assistant
to his father in the meat business ; Frank, who married Jessie Hazelrigg and
has four children, and who is engaged in the railroad service, making his
home at Indianapolis ; Joseph, a meat cutter, now living at Red Lake Falls,
Minnesota, who married Gladys George and has one child, a son, Floyd ;
Henry, who is assisting his father in the meat business at Connersville ;
William, who is a professional wrestler, now making his home at Savannah,
Georgia: Carl, who is at home, also assisting in the work of the meat market;
Kate, who married O. P. Brussard and now li\es at Abbeville, Louisiana,
and Helen and Marguerite, who are at home with their parents. The Peters
family are members of the Catholic church and take an active interest in
parish affairs. Mr. Peters is a member of the local council of the Knights
of Columbus and of the local branch of the Catholic Knights of America and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of both of these organizations.

PRESTON HALL KENSLER.

Preston Hall Kensler, president of the Fayette National Bank of Con-
nersville and former treasurer of Fayette county, ,was born at Connersville
and has lived there all his life. He was born on January 12, 1855, son of
John and Priscilla (Krater) Kensler, and the house in which he was born,
up on the west hill, is still standing and in a good state of preservation.

John Kensler was but a child when his parents, Peter Kensler and wife,
moved from his native state, Virginia, to Indiana and settled in this county.
He grew to manhood on a farm in this county and then began working in
a brick yard in Connersville and was thus engaged when the Civil War broke
out. He enlisted as a private in the Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer
Infantry, and went to the front. During service with his regiment at the
siege of Vicksburg he lost a foot and was given a discharge, returning home

Tliey wen

^ nienihei

-s of llie Metliodist

ere reared

in that

faith. 'I'here were

c. lived to I

naturity,

the suhject of tliis

I. M. Wide

l.nvs. of

lenniii.<j^s township.

FAYF.TTK Cdl'NTV, INDIANA. 76I

when al)Ie to travel. l'])c)n iiis recovery he re-enli.sted fur detail .service in
the One Hundred and 'rwenty-fourth Regiment, Indiana Vokinteer Infantry,
and was mustered nut at the close of the war with an officer's commission.
Upon the completion of his military service John Ken-skr was variously
engaged at Connersville mitil the time of his api)ointment as postmaster of
that city, a ])osition he held for eis^hi \ears. lie afterward was for some
years engaged in commercial ])ursuils. hm li\ed retired for many years hefore
his death, which occurred on ;i farm near Lexington, in Scott county, this
state, in i()i3. he then heing eighty-two \ears of age. Mr. Kensler for many
years had taken an acti\e i)art in the affairs of the (irand .\rmy of the
Repuhlic. Department of Indiana, and he also was affiliated with the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd I''ello\vs. one of the oldest memhers of that order
in Indiana. His wife, who was a native of Pennsylvania, had jireceded him
to the. grave ahout two years, her death having occurred in 11)13, ■'^'ic t'^^'i
being ahout eighty-twD \ ears of
Episcopal church and their child
fii\-e of these children, of whom 1
sketch having a sister, .Mice, wil
this county.

Preston II. Kensler was reared in I'onnersville and there recei\ed his
schooling. Upon leaving school he entered the postoffice with his father
and for sixteen years was connected with the postoffice, or until his election
to the office of county treasurer. He was re-elected to this latter office and
thus served for two terms, at the end of which time he hecame a h(iokkeeper
in the office of the Indiana l-'urniture Company at Conners\ille and was thus
em])loyed for three years. He then, in t8qj, hecame interested in the organ-
ization of the Fayette Banking Company at Conners\ille and was the first
assistant cashier of that concern, later being promoted to the position of
cashier, a position he retained when the bank l)ecame nationalized and
reorganized as the h'ayette National Bank and continuefl to occupy the same
until his election to the presidency of the bank in iqiA. The I""avette National
Bank of Connersville was established on November Jj. 1892. as the Fayette
Banking Company, with a caj^ital stock of $50,000. In 1904 when it was
nationalized and its name changed to that it now hears the cajjital was increased
to $100,000. The bank's latest report shows ;i surplus of $40,000. Mr.
Kensler has always taken an active interest in the welfare and development
of the city of his birth and in addition to his banking interests has a Hnancial
connection with various other enterprises in Connersville. Mr. Kensler is a
lifelong Republican and takes a warm interest in local civic affairs. I-'or

702 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

more than thirty-six years lie lias been a member of the local lodge of the
Knights of Pythias. Dmnng his active business life of nearly a half cen-
tury in Connersville ^Ir. Kensler has been located practically all the time
on one street. Central avenue, and has witnessed the wonderful industrial and
commercial development of the cit}- during- that period. He has the utmost
faith in the future of Connersville and no one sings the praises of the city
more enthusiastically than he.

On December t8, 1883, Preston H. Kensler was united in marriage to
Isabel Morrison, who was born in Hancock county, this state, and to this
union one child has been born, a daughter. Madge, who married Roy C
McKennon, of Connersville, and has a daughter. Isabel. Mr. and Mrs.
Kensler are members of the Alethodist Episcopal church and Mr. Kensler is
a member of the board of trustees of the local congregation and treasurer of
the same. He also has been treasurer of the Sunday school for more than
hfteen years.

Since the foregoing sketch was written, the death of Air. Kensler has
been announced. He died at his home in Connersville on March 13, IQ17.

b"oll(3wing the death of Mr. Kensler the Connersville newspapers car-
ried very appreciati\'e comments concerning the life and the character of the
deceased and of the valuable service he had rendered the community. After
giving an extensive review of Mr. Kensler's life from a biographical point of
view the Daily Examiner continued : "This honored citizen occupied a place
in the commercial, industrial and social life of Connersville that none save
he can fill. He was a careful, shrewd and trustworthy business associate.
He accepted and carried out a prominent part in the industrial advancement
of his city and no man in Conners\ille took a more genuine interest in the
city's welfare than did this worthy gentleman. * * * j^g ^^.^g always
loyal to all trusts. Never was he known to betray a confidence. He looked
upon the acts of his fellowmen as they should have been considered, and even
tliough he knew of points open for criticism, he was never heard to speak
other than with respect of anyone. * * * ;\fr. Kensler was charitable.
In his business dealings he was rigidly honest and he expected the same busi-
ness courtesy returned. Whenever the community's needs were presented
before him he was among the first to respond. In later years Mr. Kensler
gave much more attention to benevolent causes and during the past ten years
he was considered the leader of all such movements."

.\fter giving an exhausti\'e re\'iew of the chief incidents in the life of
Mr. Kensler, the Evctiiiis: Xczcs concluded as follows; "About the frame-

KAYKTTF. COL'NTY, INDIANA. 763

work of Mr. Kensler"s career the mincl.s of his friends long ago constructed
a fabric of good opinion wliich struck deeper than any single act of his life
accounts for. It was a good ojMnion founded upon knowledge that through
all his business — and he was essentially and fundamentally a business genius
— there beat the pulse of a warm heart and li\-ed the soul that was large and
friendly. Mr. Kensler Imed business. He found pleasure in the success of
undertalcings. f-Te dex'oted himself to tlin.se policies which, since the beginning
of organized .society, have made for nmnetary success, and he won such suc-
cess in liberal measure, and was (|uietly delighted as his \ictor\- accumulated.
But he loved nothing better th;ui his own home and fireside: he was dexoted
to all of his family, and his friends meant more to him than lie could have
found words to express."

In that same issue of the .Vru'.v there was carried a thoughtful a])precia-
tion from the pen of one of the most intimate friends of the deceased, Hvatt
L. Frost, from which the following excerpt is made: "He was trulv broad
ganged in his views of business and the afTairs of others. He had the faculty
of .seeing the other fellow's rights. His sym])atliy was with the weaker
antagonist. If he e\er obtruded an unwelcome sentiment the manner of its
saying was so kindly as to leave no sting. Perhaps none lived in f-'avette
county who hurt others' feelings fewer times in proportion t(j the occasions
when such could have been done by manner other than the most kindlv —
than did Preston H. Kensler."

T. O. MASSEY.

J. O. Alassey, superintendent of the city waterworks at Connersville,
was born on March 7. 1868, son of James M. and Matilda Massey, the
former of whom was born in b'ranklin county, this state, and the latter in
the state of Ohio. James M. Massey grew to manhood in I'rankliii county
and became an expert horseman, following that line of business at Brook-
ville until the early se\-enties, when he moved to Conners\-ille, where he is
still living and where he ever since has made his home.

Having been but a child when his parents moved to Connersville, J. O.
^klassey was reared in that citv and received his schooling in the local schools.
U]xin lea\ing school he for awhile followed the barber trade in his home
town and then became a machinist in the employ of the P. H. & V. M. Roots
Company of Connersville and presently became so proficient in that line that

764 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

lie was made a traveling- expert machinist for the Roots company and served
in that capacity for a number of years, later taking employment with the
W'ainwright Machine Company and still later with the McFarlan Automo-
bile Company. In January. 1914, Air. Massey was appointed superintendent
of the Conners\-ille city water\\orks plant and now has full charge of the
local waterworks system, rendering acUnirable service in that important
capacity. Mr. Massey is a Democrat and has ever taken an active interest
in local political affairs, long having been regarded as one of the leaders in
his party in this county.

In 1897 j. O. Massey was united in marriage to Florence Smith, daugli-
ter of Edwartl Smith and wife, and to this union live children have been
born. Edward J., liveret L., Thelma M., Bernice O. and Glenn L. Mr.
Massey is a member of the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and
of the local lodge of the Im])roved Order of Red Men and in the affairs
of these organizations takes a warm interest.

WARDEN HALLADAY.

\Varden Hallada}-, secretary and general manager of the National
Moorish Tile Mooring Company, of Connersville, and for years one of the
most actixe figures in the industrial life of that city, was born at Cincinnati,
Ohio, June 19, 1869, son of James ?I. and Jennie (^^'■arden) Halladay, both
now deceased.

James H. lialladay, an honored veteran of the Civil War, was born in
.Albany, New ^'ork, as was his wife, and they were married in that city.
L'pon the breaking out of the Civil War James H. Halladay enlisted for
service in the Twentj^-seventh Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry,
and .served with that command for four years and seven months, being pro-
moted from tir.-t lieutenant to regimental quartermaster and during the last
seven months of bis service was quartermaster under General McClellan.
During his service he was captured by the enemy on one occasion and served
for a time as a prisoner of war in Virginia. .\s a mark of appreciation for
the excellence of his service there was presented to him a valuable gold watch,
the inscription on the back of which reads as follows: "Presented to James
M. Halladay, March. 1865, as a testimonial of the regard and esteein of many
friends." Among these "many friends" were General McClellan, Colonel
McClung, FI. R. Saffin, a first lieutenant in Colonel McClung's regiment.

FAVKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 765

and Others. Tliat watch lias been carried by tlie recipient's son. Warden
Halladay, tlie subject of th's sketcli. for t\vent\-five years and in all that
time has never required tiie attention of a watchsniith. L'pon the comple-
tion of his nnlitary service -Mr. Halladay located in Cincinnati and for five
years was cashier of the First Xational Bank of that city. He then became
secretary-treasurer of 'the lunerson-lMshcr C'arriatje Comi^any and was
engaged in that capacity at the time of his death in 187O. His widow sur-
vived him many years, her death occurring on November i, iqij.

Warden Haliada}- was about seven years of age when iiis father died.
He grew u]) in Cincinnati nnd there completed his schooling, being gradu-
ated from the Woodward high school in that city in 1885, that school at
that time being one of the most famous high schools in the country, students
from all over the Middle West seeking entrance to the same. Upon leaving
school Mr. Halladay became eng;igcd as a clerk in the Third Xational Bank
in Cincinnati and was thus engaged for three \'ears. at the end of which time
he transferred his services to the office of the auditor of the Adams Express
Company in that city. I-ater he was employed in an official ca])acit\' in the
offices of the Emerson-h'isher Carriage Com[)an\- and was thus engaged f<ir
six years. He tiien .s]jent two \ears in the South as representati\e in Atlanta
for the Proctor & Gamble Comjiany, of Cincinnati. .\.t the end of that
service he returned to Cincinnati and remained there until 1899, '" wdiich
year he located at C<innersville. taking there a i)osition with the Central
Manufacturing Company, as sui)erintendent of the plant, .\bout 1908 he
became a stockholder in that coni]>any and continued his connection with
the same until the fall of I9r('i, when he and others organized the Xational
Moorish Tile l-'looring Compan\- of Connersxille. Mr. Hallada\- being elected
secretary of the com])any and general manriger of the plant, which positions
he now occupies.

The National .Moorish Tile Mooring Company of Connersville is the
only concern of its kind in the I'nited Stales and its product alreadv has
created a wide market. '".Moorish" tile, liowexer. is not a new product for
it has been manufactured for centuries in lun'o|)e. particularh' in tienuanx',
Italy and France, and also is manufactured in japan, while for two lumdred
years its manufacture has been an ini])ortant industry in Ha\ana, Cuba. The
Grecians used this form of tile e\tensi\ely in the construction of their tem-
l)les and tb.e art of its manufacture was ac(|uired from tliem b\- the Roiuans.
The ])rocess of making this tile has been guarded closely b\- the descendants
of tlie ancient tilew rights so that today there are only a few persons whi>

/66 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

liave tlie formula. These tiles are highly ornamental and the claim is made
by their manufacturers that they surpass in wearing qualities any known
flooring. It was in the latter part of September, 1916, that the National
Moorish Tile Flooring Company was organized by E. P. Hawkins, Charles
Rieman, V. R. Leeds and ^V^rden Halladay. The company is capitalized
for fifty thousand dollars and its officers are as follow: President, E. P.
Hawkins; vice-president, Charles Rieman: treasurer, Marion Jemison, and
secretary and general manager. Warden Halladay.

In 1895 \\'arden Halladay was united in marriage to Lulu Ross, of
Cincinnati, daugliter of Abner L. and Elizabeth S. (Stoker) Ross, the
former of whom was bcMii at Lebanon, Ohio, and the latter in Liverpool,
England. Abner L. Ross, an honored \eteran of the Ci\-il War, was at
one time the owner of Lookout Inn at Lookout jMountain : Rossmore Hotel,
at Rome, Georgia, and of Kennedy Hotel, Chattanooga, and became quite
wealthy. He moved from Cincinnati to Los Angeles, California, seeking
in the latter city restoration of health and there died in 1883. His .widow
married L L. Hite, now deceased, president of the Leaf Tobacco Association
and former president of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, and is still
living at Cincinnati. Mr and Mrs. Halladay are members of the Presby-
terian church and take a proper interest in church affairs and in the general
s(icial acti\'ities of their home city. ^Ir. Halladay is a ReiJublican, an active
worker in the ])arty ranks, but has ne\'er been a seeker after public office.

CLARENCE E. PORTER.

Clarence E. Porter, the well-known photographer at Connersville, was
l-orn in the vicinity of that city and has lived in this county all his life. He
was born on a farm three miles southwest of Connersville on March 10,
1878. son of W. R. and Alice (Martin) Porter, both of whom also were
born in this county, members of pioneer families, and who are now living
pleasantly retired.

Reared on the home farm, Clarence E. Porter received his schooling in
the district schools in the neighborhood of his home and as a young man
turned his attention to photography, in which he had been much interested
from childhood. After working three years in a local photograph studio he
took a course in the F. W. Guering School of Photography and upon his
return to Conners\ille entered the studio of J. M. Kellum, which establish-

' FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 767

ment lie purchased in 1900 and has since been ojierating tlie same. Mr.
Porter lias been Ycry successful in his line and has remodeled and refurnished
his place at the cost of several thousand dollars since taking possession of
the same, now lia\inc;- one of the most up-to-date and completely e(|uii)])ed
photograph studir.s in eastern Indiana. His work possesses that distinctive
qualitv so highly desired in modern piiotography and he thus has naturally
built up a large business. Porter photographs being widely recognized
throughout tliis part of the state for their general excellence of tone and
execution.

Mr. Porter is a member of the Chri.stian church. Politically, he gives
his allegiance to the Republican party and, fraternally, he is affiliated with
the local lodge of the Imi)roved Order of Red Men. He takes an active
interest in the general business atil'airs of his home city and is one of Conners-
ville's faithful "boosters", helpful in promoting the city's advancement in
all proper ways.

KRWIN H. H.AHN.

iM-win H. Halm, president and manager of the Hahn Accessory Com-
])anv at Connersville and one of the best-known and most enterprising young
business men in that city, was bom at Batesville, Indiana, December 5, 1891,
son of ^^'illiam and Bertha ( Schaefer ) Hahn, the former a native of this
.state and the latter a native of Oliio, who were the parents of two children,
the subject of this sketcli having a sister. Xorma.

AVilliam Hahn was born in Ripley county, son of Henry Hahn and wife,
who came to this country from Germany and became pioneers in Ripley
county, this .state. Henry Flahn is a cal)inet-maker and is still living. His
wife died some vears ago. Thev had two children, William and .\nna.
William Hahn also was trained to the tratle of a cabinet-maker and worked
in furniture factories most of his life, the l;i.tter years of his life being spent
at Batesville, where he died on March 28. 1898, at the age of thirty-three
vears. He was a member of the German Lutheran church as is his widow,
and their children were rearetl in that faith. His widow is now living at
Connersville with her son and daughter and her brother. Joseph C. Schaefer,
makes his home with her, the family making their home at 1931 Vermont
avenue. Mrs. Halm's parents were born in Germany and upon coming to
this country located at Cincinnati, where her father worked in a planing mill
and where he died when well past middle age.

-68 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Erwin H. Hahn was about six years of age when his father died and
shortly afterward his mother left Batesville \vith him and his sister and
moved to Cincinnati, where the family lived for about fi\'e years, at the end
of which time they returned to Indiana and located at Connersville, which
has been the family home ever since. Upon completing the course in the
pultlic schools Birwin H. Hahn returned to Cincinnati and there took a course
in a commercial college, after which he returned home and began working in
tlie oflice of the Lexington-Howard Motor Company and was presently placed
in charge of the ser\ice department of that company's plant. After having
been thus engaged for some lime he made a trip to California and upon his
return to Connersville interested 1"". H. Ansted, one of the city's leading law-
yers and manufacturers, in the organization of a garage and automobile-
accessory companv at that place and has since been engaged in that business,
the firm doing business under the style of the Hahn Accessory Company,
incorporated. Erwin H. Hahn is president of the company; F. B. Ansted,
vice-president, and \\'illiam F. Thomas, secretary-treasurer.

Mr. Hahn is a Republican. Though reared in the Lutheran faith he
attends the services of the Christian church. He is a meinber of the Improved
Order of Red Men and in the affairs of that organization takes a warm
interest.

WILLIAM H. SHERRY.

The late \\'illiam H. Sherry, for years one of Connersville's best-known
milJmen, was a native son of this county and lived here all his life. He was
born on a pioneer farm two and one-hal/ miles east of Connersville, Novem-
ber 19, 1853. son of Daniel and Sarah (George) Sherry, both natives of
Fayette county and members of old families here, the Sherrys having come
here from Pennsylvania and the Georges from Ohio. Daniel Sherry was
a farmer and saw-mill man and also operated a threshing-machine. He was
a member of the Lutheran church and his wife was a member of the Meth-
odist church. He died in East Connersville on March 16, 1912, and his
widow survived him but little more than eighteen months, her death occurring
in November. 191 3. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the
subject of this memorial .sketch was the last in order of birth, the others
being as follow : Edward, who is li\'ing on a farm near Everton. this county ;
Emma, wife of Frank Scholl, of the neighboring county of Rush; Rozzie,

MR. AXD MRS. WILLIA.M H. SMKRRY

- FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 769

wife of John "Madison, of Chicago: Ella, wife of Isaac Still, of East Conners-
ville, Marshall, deceased, and Ouincy, of East Connersville.

Reared on the paternal farm, William H. Sherry received his schooling
in the neighboring district school and from the days of his boyhood was a
valued aid to his father in the labors of the farm and the mill. For three
years after his marriage in 1875 he continued to reside on the old home
farm and in 1881 moved to Conners\ille, where he engaged in the saw-mill
business, gradually extending his operations until he became a general dealer
in lumber, coal, cement and builder's supplies and was thus actively engaged
until his death on April 13, 1914, long having been recognized as one of
the most energetic and progressive business men in Connersville. He also
for years operated a threshing-machine outfit. Mr. Sherry was an ardent
Democrat and for years took an active part in local political affairs, but was
not a seeker after public office. He was a member of the jMethodist church
and took a proper part in church work. Fraternally, he was affiiliated with
the Masons and with the Knights of Pythias and was a member of the uni-
formed rank of the latter order.

It was on April 22, 1875, that \Villiam H. Sherry was united in mar-
riage to Emma C. Scholl, who was born in Jennings township, this county,
daughter of Benjamin and Melinda (Gise) Scholl, both of whom also were
born in this county, members of pioneer families, and who lived on the one
farm for sixty-five years. Benjamin Scholl was originally a Democrat, but
later a Republican. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church
at Lyons and their children were reared in that faith. There were seven of
these children, of whom Mrs. Sherry was the second in order of birth, the
others being as follow : Frank, of the neighboring county of Rush ; Lizzie,
now deceased, who was the wife of Judge George Stewart, of Boise, Idaho,
former justice of the supreme court of that state; Newton, who married
Lizzie Williamson and is living on the old Sciioll home place in Jennings
township; George, who married Mary Mays and is living on the old Sherry
homestead, which he bought: Addie, deceased, and Rozzie, wife of M'illiam
Brown, of Lyons.

To William H. and Emma C. (Scholl) Sherry three sons were born,
namely: D. W. Sherry, a Connersville coal dealer, formerly engaged with
his father in the mill business, who married Edith Hill, of College Corner,
Ohio; Carl Sherry, who is engaged in the cement and construction business
at Connersville and who married Frances Foley, and W. R. Sherry, who
(49)

770

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

married Sylvia Fiant and owns a farm which he looks after, as well as assist-
ing in the coal business. Since her husband's death Mrs. Sherry has con-
tinued to make her home in Connersville. She has a very pleasant home
at 334 East Tenth street and has ever taken a warm interest in the city's
general social activities.

EDGAR K. WETHERALD.

The late Edgar K. Wetherald, for many years proprietor of a flour-mill
at Connersville and one of the best-known men in Fayette county, was born
in Connersville and lived in that city the greater part of his life. He- was
torn on March 4, 1838, son of Flenry and Ann (Kirby) Wetherald, the
former a native of England and the latter of Wilmington, New Jersey, who
were prominently identified with affairs in this county in an early day.

Henry Wetherald was bom in 1812 and grew up in his native England,
later coming to the United States and locating at Richmond, this state, where
he married Ann Kirby, whose parents, earnest Quaker folk, had located there
upon coming to this state from New Jersey. Henry Wetherald was trained
in his youth as a blacksmith and was a skilled mechanic and millwright.
For a time after his marriage he continued to reside at Richmond, where he
kept a blacksmith shop and a store, and then moved to Connersville, where
he engaged in the milling business and was thus engaged there until 185 1,
when he moved to Thorntown, this state, where he was engaged in the mill-
ing business imtil some little time after the close of the Civil War, when he
returned to Richmond. His wife died in that city and he later went to
Nebraska, where he established three of his sons in the milling business, two
of them at Hebron, that state, and the other, at Beatrice. While assisting in
the operation of one of these mills Heniy Wetherald was caught in a belt
and was so badly injured that he died from the effects of his injuries. Henry
Wetherald was an energetic, active business man and was quite successful in
his operations. During his residence in Connersville, in addition to operat-
ing a mill, he also was engaged in the drygoods business there, in partner-
ship with John Groft, and also owned a restaurant. He and his wife were
the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the
second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Mary, who married
P. B. Wood and is now deceased, as is her husband ; Amanda, now living at
Tincoln, Nebraska, widow of Anthony Gordon ; Henry, who was killed dur-
in"- the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, while serving as a soldier of the Union

FAYETTE COrXTV. IXDIANA. 77I

durin.i^ tlie Civil War; Oscar, wlio receixed a fatal wouiul while scr\in^' as
a soldier at the battle <>1 Lookout .Mountain, his death later occmrint^- at
Nashville, Tennessee; Newton, now deceased, a fanner, who li\e(l in
Nebraska; Charles, also retired, now living at VVenatchee, Washington;
Frank, who is the i)resident of a hank at Hebron, Nebraska, and Emma, who
died in infancv.

Edgar K. \\'etherald completed his schooling at the Thorntown Acad-
emy and at Earlham College and at the age of twenty-one years became
engaged in the milling business with his father at Thorntown and was thus
engaged at that place until about i86fi. wdien he returned to Connersville. the
place of his birth, and was there engaged in the milling business for about
thirty years, or until his retirement about ten years before his death, which
occurred on July 14, 191 1. Mr. \\'etherald was an active business man and
for many years took an interested part in local afifairs, a strong factor in the
development of Connersville's extensive industrial side. He was an earnest
member of the Christian church, as is his widow, and was ever active in local
good works, braternally, he was affiliated with the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, of which he was a member for fifty years, and with the Knights
of Pythias, a charter member of the local lodge of the latter order, and took
a warm interest in the affairs of these two organizations.

In 1870 Edgar K. Wetlierald was united in marriage to Elizabeth Mor-
rison, who was born in Connersville, daughter of Daniel and Susan
fBroaddus^ Morrison, the former a native of Mandand and the latter of
this county, prominent residents of Conners\ille a generation ago. Daniel
Morrison was born in the city of Baltimore and came to Indiana about the
year 1832, locating at Connersville, where he found employment as a book-
keeper and general accountant and also for some time was engaged in clerical
labor about the court house. He was successful in his business and became
the owner of a fine farm of fi\'e hundred acres in this count\'. It was not
long after his arrival in Connersville that Daniel Morrison married Susan
Broaddus, who was born on the old Broaddus farm in this county, a place
that remained in the possession of the family for eighty-five years, and to
this union four children were born, those besides Mrs. \\'etberald, the second
in order of birth, being Helen, widow of C. W. McLaughlin, of Greensburg,
this state; George AV., of Indianapolis, a bookkeeper, and Belle, widow of
Daniel B. Milliken, of Cincinnati. Daniel Morrison originally was a Whig,
but upon the formation of the Republican party espoused the principles of
that party and remained an ardent Republican. He and his wife were charter
members of the Christian church at Connersville and were among the lead-

FAYETTE COUNTY,

ers in good works in that city. He was admitted to the bar by Judge Wil-
son, but he never practiced. He was often sought after for advice and coun-
sel, especially about real estate and land titles. For sixty-five years he lived
at the corner of Fifth and Western avenues ; he was one of the honored
pioneers of Connersville, respected by all.

To Edgar K. and Elizabeth (Morrison) Wetherald two children were
born, Irene, who married H. H. Vawter and is living at Tipton, this state,
and Lillian, who married the Re\-. (jeorge B. Van Arsdall, now of Denver,
Colorado, and had two children, Burdette and Irene, the latter of whom is
deceased and the former of whom is now a senior in the University of Colo-
rado, yiis. Wetherald has continued to make her home at Connersville since
the death of her husband and has a very pleasant home at 621 Western
avenue. She is an earnest member of the Christian church and has for
years taken an active interest in the various beneficences of the same, as
well as in the general social and cultural activities of the city. Her daugh-
ters are accomplished musicians and she has for years been recognized as one
of the leaders in the literary clubs of the citv.

RAYMOND S. BEAVER.

Raymond S. Beaver, a progressive young farmer of Fairview township,
was born on the farm on which he is now living, though on the other side
of the road, over in Union township. Rush county ( the Beaver farm being
divided in half by the county line) and has lived there all his life. He was
born on October 25, 1886, son of John M. and Mary E. (Stewart) Beaver,
prominent residents of that community, who are still living on their farm
over the line in Rush county, not far south of the village of Glenwood, where
they have made their home since 1876, and further and fitting reference to
whom is made elsewhere in this volume in a biographical sketch relating to
John M. Beaver, both he and his wife being members of pioneer families
in this part of the state.

It was on that farm that Raymond S. Beaver grew to manhood. He
was well trained in the ways of farming and has always followed that voca-
tion, either in partnership with his brother or his father, and is now farming
with his father, since his marriage having made his home on the east half
of the farm, over the line in this county, in Fairview township. He was
married on August 9, 191 1, to Etna Tinder, who was born in Scott county,

KAYF.TTE COrNTV. INDIANA. 7-3

Kentucky, a (laughter of Thomas N. and Dora (Darnaby) Tinder, who came
to this county in Xovemher, i8qo, and IcKated at I'^ahudutli. wliere Thomas
N. Tinder became engaged in blacksmithing and general shop work of a
kindred character, and there the daughter, Etna, lived until her marriage
to ^Ir. Beaver. To this union two children have been born, a son, Robert
Harold, and a daughter, Margaret Jeanette. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver have a
very pleasant home and take an interested part in the general social activi-
ties of the community in which they live. Mr. Beaver is a member of the
Methodist church, in the faith of which he was reared, his parents for many
years having lieen devoted members of the Methodist church at Glenwood,
and his wife is a memljer of the Christian church.

MORTON L. BILBV

Morton L. Bilby, one of Fairview township's best-known and most sub-
stantial farmers, was torn on the farm on which he is now living and has
lived there practically all his life. His birthplace was a house which is still
standing on that farm, west of the barn, some little distance removed from
the present substantial farm house. He was born on October 4, 1867, son
of Francis Marion and Dorcas A. (Atherton) Bilby, the former of whom
w^as born in this county and the latter, in Ohio, both of whom are now
deceased.

Francis Marion Bilby, who for years was one of the best-known farm-
ers in Fairview township, was born on a pioneer farm northeast of Longwood,
in this county, June 5, 1833, son of Stephen C. and Jane (Ludlow) Bilby,
the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio, who became use-
fid and influential pioneers of this county. Stephen C. Bill>y was born on
September 26, 1802, a son of John Bilby, a native of England, whose father,
a very wealthy man, was an officer of the King's Bench. During the days
of iiis young manhood John Bilby was one evening invited to participate in a
ball given on board a vessel lying in port, the occasion being the christening of
the vessel. A large crowd of wealthy young people were present, all intent
upon having a good time, and they did not notice when the vessel set sail. In
the morning they found themselves out of sight of land and on their wa}' to
the American colonies, then at war with England. The young men were
relieved of their fine clothes and upon their arrival on this side were
pressed into the service of the British army. At the close of this service

774 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

John Bilby elected to remain on this side and he settled in Pennsylvania,
where he spent the remainder of his life. He was twice married and was
the father of a large family of children. One of his sons, Stephen C. Bilby,
went to Cincinnati upon attaining his majority and there became engaged as a
blacksmith. At New Richmond, Ohio, a few miles up the river from Cin-
cinnati, he married Jane Ludlow, who was born there on March 3, 1805, a
daughter of Henry and Sarah (Williamson) Ludlow, who had moved from
New Jersey to that place, where they spent their last days.

In 1828. not long after his marriage, Stephen C. Bilby came to Indiana
and located in Fayette county. He later entered land in the "New Purchase,"
in the vicinity of Indianapolis, and developed a farm there. In the mean-
time he had located in the southwestern part of Harrison township, this
county, and there, in 1846, started a saw-mill, a short distance north of Long-
wood, which he operated for years. It was from that mill that his son,
Francis M. Bilby, then sixteen years of age, hauled the timbers that entered
into the construction of the barn tliat is still in use on the old Bilby fami,
now owned by Morton L. Bilby. Tlial old barn is a wonderfully substantial
structure. One of the timbers in it, a poplar beam, twelve by fourteen inches
and sixty feet in length, is apparently as sound as the day on which it was
laid. Stephen C. Bilby and his wife were Presbyterians of the "old school"
and were active in all local good works in. the early days of the settlement,
doing much to help bring about proper conditions of living in the then pio-
neer communit}'. He died in 1873 and his widow survived him for more
than ten years, her last days being spent in the home of her son, Francis M.
Bilby, where her death occurred in the year 1884.

Francis M. Bilby evinced an unusual interest in his studies in his youth
and upon the completion of the course in the rural schools of his neigh-
borhood, began teaching school and was thus engaged during the winters for
several years, the money thus earned being devoted to tuition in the old
Fairview Academy, where he received what then was regarded as an excel-
lent education. On December 10, 1854, he married Dorcas A. Atherton,
who was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, February 17, 1832, a daughter
of Stout and Mary A. (Safer) Atherton, pioneers of Fayette county and
further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. After his
marriage he lived for a year in Harrison township and then moved to Posey
township, where he made his home until 1866, in which year he bought a
farm in the southeast part of Fairview township, where he established his
home and where he spent the remainder of his life. Francis M. Bilby was
not only an excellent farmer, but he was an extensive buyer and shipper of

KAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. -75

live stock. He took pride in handling only the best stock the county could
afford and did \ery well in his operations. As he prospered he added to this
land holdings until the original one hundred and twenty acres with which
lie started in section 2-, of Fair\icw townsliip had been expanded by holdings
there and elsewhere in the county to the extent of about one thousand acres.
Francis M. Bilby died at his home in Fairview township on November lo,
1908. His wife had preceded him to the grave about four years, her death
having occurred on August 28, 1904. They were the parents of ten children,
namely: Charles Marion, born on September 15, 1855; Emerson Atherton,
November 13, 1856; Florence Jane, September 19, 1858; Clara Olive, Sep-
tember 25, i860; Elmer Winfield. January 27, 1862; Marianna, December
21, 1863; Alva Ellswortli, September 23, 1865; Morton Levering, Octol^er
4, 1867; Palmer Tennyson, June 18. 1870, and Sherman Evans, August 13,
1872.

Morton Levering Bilby grew up on the old home farm in Fairview town-
ship, where he is now living, and has lived there practically all his life,
engaged from the days of his youth in farming. On May i, 1902, Morton
L. Bilby was united in marriage to Nora D. Rogers, who was born in Scott
county, Kentucky, daughter of George and Mary (Noel) Rogers, both natives
of that same county, the former of whom died when his daughter, Nora,
was two years of age. His widow now lives at Harrodsburg, Kentucky.
She was born near Georgetown, Kentucky, a daughter of James and Sarah
(Bailey) Noel, both natives of that same state. From the time she was six
vears of age Nora D. Rogers was taken care of by her maternal aunt, Ange-
lina, now the wife of James Ludlow, a well-known farmer of Harrison town-
ship and a veteran of the Civil War, further reference to whom is made
elsewhere in this volume. Following her graduation from the Connersville
high school in 1892 she began teaching school and was thus engaged for
five years at the Poplar Grove school, in the southwestern part of Conners-
ville township; the Hamilton school, west of Connersville; the Moffitt school,
one and one-half miles east of Glenwood, and one term in the Fairview
schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Bilby two children have been born, Dorothy, who
died in April, 1904, when eight days old, and Freda Marian, who was born
on September 15, 1910. The Bilbys have a very pleasant home and take
an earnest interest in the community's general social activities. Mr. Bilby
is the owner of one hundred and thirteen acres of excellent land and has his
farm in an admirable state of cultivation. The place is well improved, the
farm plant being modeled along modern lines and Mr. Bilby has done very
well in his farming operations.

776 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

GEORGE CREELMAN LEONARD.

George Creelman Leonard, well-known grocer at Orange and a substantial
landowner of Orange township, was born in that township and has lived
there all his life, being one of the best-known residents of the southwestern
part of Fayette county. He was born on the old Creelman fami, one mile
north of Orange, in Orange township, March 9, 1880, son of Orange and
Kate J. (Alexander) Leonard, both natives of Indiana, the former born in
Marion county and the latter in Fayette county.

Orange Leonard was born on a farm near the village of Acton, in the
southeastern corner of Marion county, eight or ten miles from Lidianapolis,
in 1848, a son of Lindsey and Frances (Mann) Leonard, the former a
native of North Carolina and the latter, of Kentucky, who moved over into
Shelby county when he was a boy and in the latter county he lived until
his youth was passed, when he went to Indianapolis and there became employed
as a mechanic. In that city he married and then, in the late seventies, came
to Fayette county and settled on the William G. Creelman farm in Orange
township, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in
April, 1896. It was on Christmas Day, 1875, that Orange Leonard was
united in marriage to Catherine J. Alexander, who was born in Orange town-
ship, this county, in 1846, daughter of William and Mary (Ritchie) Alex-
ander, the former a native of the state of Ohio and the latter, of Ireland.
William Alexander was born in Preble county, Ohio, and was but three or
four years of age when his parents, John and Jane Alexander, came over
into Indiana and settled on a pioneer farm on the line between Fayette and
Rush counties, south of Glenwood. John Alexander entered a tract of
"Congress land" in the northern part of Orange township, in the north
half of section 11 of that township, and there William Alexander estab-
lished his home after his marriage to Mary Ritchie, at that time there being
no improvements on the place save a small cabin and but a small portion of
the place had been cleared for cultivation. There William Alexander and his
wife spent the remainder of their lives, the latter dying about 1890 and the
former in July, 1900. On that farm Catherine Alexander made her home
vmtil her marriage to Orange Leonard. To that union six children were
born, of whom the subject of this sketch is the fourth in order of birth, the
others being Alvin, Lindsey, Ethel, Lucien and Dennis. Of these, Lindsey,
Lucien and Dennis live in Connersville township, and Alvin and Ethel near
Indianapolis.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. "J-JJ

George C. Leonard grew up on the Creelman farm, where he was horn,
and when twenty-two years of age rented that farm and hegan farming on
his own account. He was married shortly afterward and then estabhshed
his home there, continuing to make his home on that farm vmtil in January,
1916, when he moved to Orange, where he engaged in the grocery business
and has ever since been thus engaged. Upon starting in business there he
bought the store property and put in a well-selected stock of merchandise and
has built up an extensive trade. Air. Leonard is now the owner of the Creel-
man farm and which he rented for years. L'pon the death of the late \\^illiam
G. Creelman in 1913 he inherited forty acres of the place and he later bought
the remainder, but in January, I916, sold a "forty" out of the place and
still owns one hundred and twenty acres, a well-improved farm. Mr. Leon-
ard is a progressive Republican and in 1916 was the nominee of the Pro-
gressives of Fayette county for county commissioner from his district.

J\lr. Leonard has been twice married. On December 24, 1903, he was
imited in marriage to Elizabeth Stevens, who was born near Laurel, in the
neighboring county of Franklin, a daughter of Charles and Josephine (Elli-
son) Stevens, the former of whom was born and reared in the southwestern
part of Columbia township, this county, a son of Abner M. Stevens and wife.
Mrs. Elizabeth Leonard died in 1905, leaving one living child, Clarissa Ozella,
and in 1906 Air. Leonard married Edith Stevens, his deceased wife's sister.
To this latter union three children have been born, two daughters and a
son, Alice Louise, Ruby Leona and Roy George Creelman. Mr. and Mrs.
Leonard are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper
part in church work as well as in the general social activities of the com-
munity in which they live.

Charles Stevens, the father of Mrs. Leonard, was born at Laurel, in
the neighboring county of Franklin, but has been a resident of Fayette
county since his childhood, for many years a farmer in Columbia township,
but now living retired in the city of Connersville. His father, Abner M.
Stevens, was born and reared in Harrison township, this county, a son of
Charles and Letitia (Thorp) Stevens, early settlers in that part of the county,
the former of whom was born in Virginia and was but a child when his
parents moved from that state to Kentucky, where he was reared. As a
young man he came up into Indiana, locating two miles north of Conners-
ville in 1820. There he married Letitia Thorp, a member of one of the
pioneer families of this county, and after his marriage entered a tract of land
in the southwestern part of Columbia township, where he lived until his retire-
ment in old age, his last days being spent in the home of his daughter, Mrs.

778 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Cotton. Abner M. Stevens was but a child when his parents moved from
Harrison township to Columbia township and on the home farm in the latter
township he grew to manhood. After his marriage to Elizabeth Hires he
located at Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin, and there made
his home until three of his children were born, when he returned to this
county and located on the old home farm in Columbia township, where
his wife die.d in 1900. She was born in Pennsylvania and was but a child
when her parents, John and Sarah Hires, came to Indiana and located at
Laurel, where for years her father was engaged in the grocery business. After
the death of his wife Abner Stevens retired from the farm and thereafter
made his home with his children, his death occurring at ConnersviUe in 1908.
He and his wife were the parents of six children. Mary Ellen, the only
daughter, died at the age of seven years, but the five sons, Charles, William
J., Alonzo, Curtis and Franklin, all lived to maturity.

JOHN P. THRASHER.

The late John P. Thrasher, a one-time lawyer, a veteran of the Civil
War and for years a substantial and influential farmer in Fairview town-
ship, this county, was born in that township and there spent practically all
his life, his death occurring near the old Thrasher homestead on March 9,
1906. He was born on November 22,, 1838, a son of the Hon. Woodson W.
and Barbara (Daubenspeck) Thrasher, natives of Kentucky and representa-
tives of pioneer families in this part of the state, both having been but chil-
dren when their respective parents came to Indiana and settled in Rush
county, near the Fayette county line.

The Hon. Woodson W. Thrasher was for many years one of Fayette
county's most prominent citizens, having served as a member of the board of
county commissioners, as representative in the Legislature from this district
and in other positions of public trust. He was born in Pendleton county,
Kentucky, February 4, 1812, son of John and Elizabeth (Rush) Thrasher,
natives of Kentucky and of English and Irish extraction. John Thrasher
was a son of Josiah Thrasher, a native of Maryland, and the latter was a
son of John Thrasher, one of three brothers who emigrated from England
to the American colonies during the progress of the Revolutionary War
and settled in Maryland. John Thrasher, the immigrant, served as a soldier
of the patriot army during the struggle of the colonies to throw off the yoke

FAYKTTE COTNTV, INIHANA. 779

of British rule and afterward moved to Kentucky, then a county of Virginia,
and there spent the remainder of his hfe. He married Elizabeth Hooker,
of Maryland, and was the father of a large family, Josiah being his eldest
son. Josiah Thrasher was reared in Pendleton county, Kentucky, and there
married Nancy Bonar, who bore him four children, John, Josiah, Sarah and
Stephen. About 1830 the elder Josiah Thrasher came to Indiana with his
family and settled on the eastern edge of Rush county, where his wife died
shortly afterward and where he spent the remainder of his life, surviving
her several years. John Thrasher also was reared in Pendleton county,
Kentucky, and there married Elizabeth Rush, daughter of Peter and Mary
Rush, who bore him ten children, Woodson W., Mary, Nancy, William,
Josiah, Maria, Lucinda. Caroline, Joseph and an infant, who died unnamed.
In 1824 John Thrasher came to Indiana with his family and settled in Rush
county, near the eastern border of the county, where he established his home.
His wife died there in 1855. He subsequently married Mary Copeland and
continued to live on his farm until his death in 1876, for fifty years having
been regarded as one of the leading citizens of that part of the countn,-.

Woodson W. Thrasher was twelve years of age when he came to
Indiana with his parents in 1824 and he grew to manhood on the pioneer
farm in Rush county, remaining there until his marriage in 1831, when he
settled on a farm just over the county line from his father's place, in Fair-
view township, this county, where he established his home and where he
spent the remainder of his life, becoming one of the extensive landowners
and most substantial farmers in that part of the county. For years he was
extensively engaged in the raising of pure-bred live stock and in that con-
nection did much to improve the strain of hve stock in this part of the state.
In educational and religious matters he also took an active part, and \yas one
of the leading promoters of the old Fairview Academy and one of the most
liberal supporters of the Christian church nearby, of which for many years
he was an elder. His eight children were given the benefits of college, all
graduating from some higher institution of learning. One became a physi-
cian in Cincinnati, another a professor of mathematics in Butler College
at Indianapolis and another a graduate student of law. Mr. Thrasher's
father was a Whig and in his early life he also was identified with that
party, his first vote having been cast for Henry Clay. Upon the organization
of the Republican party he became an ardent advocate of its principles and
remained a stanch supporter of the same the rest of his life. He was early
elected a member of the board of county commissioners from his district ana
in 1867 was elected representative from this district to the lower house of

760 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the Indiana General Assembly. During his service in the Legislature Mr.
Thrasher became one of the conspicuous figures in that body, was chairman
of the committee on roads and highways and served as a member of the com-
mittee appointed to report on conditions at the old southern Indiana prison
at Jeffersonville. He declined to accept the majority report of that commit-
tee and in conjunction with another of his colleagues drew up a minority
report, which was adopted by the Legislature. He was largely instrumental
in securing the passage of the ditch law, enacted during that session and was
also connected with the promotion of much other valuable legislation. Wood-
son W. Thrasher died at his home in Fairview township on January 31, 1888,
and his widow survived him about five years, her death occurring in 1893.
She was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, February 14, 181 1, the daughter
of Philip and Barabara (Smelser) Daubenspeck, of German descent, and had
come to Indiana with her parents about the time the Thrashers came up
here, the Daubenspecks also settling in the eastern part of Rush county,
where the family still is prominently represented. To the union of Woodson
W. Thrasher and Barbara Daubenspeck eight children were born, of whom
the subject of this memorial sketch was the third in order of birth, and all
of whom grew to maturity, the others being William M., Elizabeth, Marion,
Harriet, Sarah, Allen B. and Olive.

John P. Thrasher grew up on the home farm at Fairview and after
completing the course in the old Fairview Academy entered the Cincinnati
Law School, from which he was graduated in due time, and in 1859 opened
an office for the practice of his profession at Kokomo, this state, and was
thus engaged there at the time of the breaking out of the Civil War. He
enlisted in Captain Hanna's company of the Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana
Volunteer Infantry, and served for nearly two years as a soldier of the
Union, the most of this time being attached to the quartermaster's depart-
ment, with headquarters in Maryland. It was during the progress of the
war, September 11, 1862, that Mr. Thrasher was married, at Cincinnati, to
Rebecca L. Walker, of that city. At that time Cincinnati was being threatened
by a raid under Gen. Kirby Smith and a rigid guard had been thrown
around the cit}', no one being permitted to enter or depart save under the
strictest military regulations and Mr. Thrasher was compelled to give bond
in the sum of three thousand dollars before being permitted to enter the
city to claim his bride. Instead of resuming his law practice at Kokomo,
upon completing his military service, Mr. Thrasher established his home on
the old Thrasher homestead in Fairview township, this county, after his
marriage and there spent the remainder of his life successfully engaged in

- FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 781

farming. He was a member of the Christian church and, fraternally, was
affiliated with the Masonic order, in the affairs of which he took a warm
interest. John P. Thrasher died on March 9, 1906, and his widow is still
living at Fairview. She was born at Cincinnati, a daughter of Robert and
Elizabeth (Beasley) Walker, natives of England, both born in the city of Man-
chester. Robert Walker was left an orphan in childhood and his future
wife's brother was appointed his guardian. The Beasleys came to America
and proceeded on out to Indiana, settling on a farm near Brookville, in Frank-
lin county, where they later were joined by young Walker. After their
marriage Robert Walker and his wife went to Iowa, but presently retvirned
to Indiana and not long afterward located in Cincinnati, where Mr. Walker
became proprietor of a dyeing establishment and where he spent the remainder
of his life. To John P. Thrasher and wife two children were born, George
W., who married Mrs. Margaret DePoute and now lives in Los Angeles,
California, where he is engaged in the railway service, and Ada, who mar-
ried Miles H. Daubenspeck, now farming the old Thrasher farm, and has
one child, a son, Walker.

Miles H. Daubenspeck was born near Glenwood, over the line in Rush
county, October 2, 1871, a son of Harvey and Margaret (Hinchman) Dau-
benspeck, the former of whom was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and the
latter, in Rush county, this state. Harvey Daubenspeck was born on April
5, 1825, and was not yet three years of age when his parents, Jacob and
Elizabeth (Mock) Daubenspeck, left their home in Bourbon county, Ken-
tucky, September 12, 1827, and came up here into the then "wilds" of
Indiana, settling on a farm just west of Glenwood, in Rush county, where
they established their home and where Harvey Daubenspeck has ever since
lived, being now in his ninety-second year and a continuous resident of that
one farm for a period of nearly ninety years. His wife, who died on April
3, 1915, was born in Rush county, daughter of John and Margaret (Nichols)
Hinchman, who came from Virginia to Indiana in pioneer times and entered
a tract of "Congress land" about two miles southwest of Fairview, in Rush
county. Jacob Daubenspeck, grandfather of Miles H. Daubenspeck, was
born in Bourbon county. Kentucky, December 9, 1797, son of Philip and
Barbara (Smelser) Daubenspeck, of German descent and early settlers in
Kentucky. Jacob Daubenspeck was not able to obtain the advantage of a
formal schooling in his boyhood days, yet he was an ardent student and early
learned to read and write and accjuired an excellent working knowledge of
arithmetic. He was a great lover of books and after his marriage got
together quite a library, his children never being without plenty of reading

782 FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA.

matter. It was on November 3, 1822, that Jacob Daubenspeck married
Elizabeth Mock and on September 12, 1827, he settled with his family on
section 24 of Union township, Rush county, close to the former camp of the
old Indian chief, Ben Davis. Later in life he moved to near Raleigh, where
his last days were spent. Upon coming up into this country he was a rather
wild and profane man, but not long afterward he determined to alter his ways
and to that end joined the church and became one of the leaders in church
and other good works in the community, few persons thereabout being
more influential in bringing about a proper social order in the pioneer com-
munity than he. For nineteen years Jacob Daubenspeck was engaged in the
hog trade and in the pork -packing business, in association with W. N. Thomas
& Company, of Cincinnati, and was an extensive dealer in live stock. It is
still said of Jacob Daubenspeck that he never drank whiskey nor used tobacco
and that he would not talk disparagingly of his neighbors nor permit others
to do so and that he invariably was as polite in his home conversation with
his wife and children as when out "in company." His son, the venerable
Harvey Daubenspeck, inherited many of the same strong characteristics and
is also a lover of books, a great reader, and keeps closely informed on cur-
rent events. Harvey Daubenspeck and his wife celebrated the sixty-fifth
anniversary of their marriage on November 9, igi2, he then being eighty-five
years of age and she, eighty-two. The latter was the only daughter in a
family of thirteen children born to John Hinchman, Jr., and wife. It was on
November 24, 1897, that Miles H. Daubenspeck married Ada Thrasher. For
ten years after their marriage they lived in Rush county and then moved
to the farm at Fairview, where they now live with Mrs. Daubenspeck's
mother. Mr. and Mrs. Daubenspeck are members of the Christian church
and the former is an active member of the Masonic fraternity.

MARSHALL HINCHMAN, Jr.

Marshall Hinchman, Jr., a well-known Fairview township farmer, was
born on a farm in Union township, in the adjoining county of Rush, and has
lived in that vicinity all his life. He was born on November 10, 1875, son
of John Flarvey and Amanda (Moffett) Hinchman, the former of whom was
also born in Union township, Rush county, and the latter in Fairview town-
ship, this county, and the latter of whom is still living, making her home in
Howard county, this state, which has been her place of residence for the past
eighteen or twenty years.

1-AYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 783

Joliii Harvey Hinchman was a son of John and ATarg^aret Hincliman,
Virginians, who came out to this part of Indiana many years ago and set-
tled on a tract of "Congress land" in l^nion township. Rush county, about
a mile and a half west of the place where their grandson, the subject of this
sketch now lives. There John H. Hinchman was born and reared and there
he remained, continuously engaged in farming, until about 1899, when he
moved to Howard county, where his death occurred on March 8, 1914, and
where his widow is still living. She was born, Amanda Moffett, in Fair-
view township, this county, daughter of Andrew and Rachel (Rees) Moffett,
the former of whom, one of the pioneers of Fayette county, came here with
his parents from Pennsylvania back in the days of the early settlement of
this region.

Marshall Hinchman, Jr., grew up on the paternal farm in Rush county
and about thirteen years ago began farming on his own account on a tract
of rented land in the neigiiborliood of his old home in Union township, along
the line of Fayette county. In 191 3 he liought the farm on which he now
lives, in l"air\'iew township, this count}', two and one-half miles north of
Glenwood, and tliere has since made his home, he and his family being very
pleasantly situated there. Mr. Hinchman has a well-improved farm of fifty-
seven acres and is doing quite well in his farming operations. He is a
Republican and gives close attention to local political affairs, but has not
been a seeker after office.

On March 10, 1896, Marshall Hinchman. Jr., was united in marriage to
Sarah Carr, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, daughter of John and
Melinda (Hanna) Carr, and who lived in that county until she Vas four-
teen years of age, when she came to this county to make her home with her
aunt. Mrs. Green Thompson, and was living there when she married Mr.
Hinchman. Jolm Carr was born in llutler county, Ohi(), August 23, 1849.
son of Guy .\. and Elizabeth ( Blue) Carr, the former a native of Pennsyl-
vania and the latter of New Jersey, and after bis marriage made liis home
in Warren county, Ohio, until his wife died about twenty-five years ago.
He is now making his home with Mr. and Mrs. Hinchman. His wife,
Alelinda Hanna, was born at Westchester, in Butler county, Ohio, a daughter
of Richard and Rebecca (Tanner) Hanna, the former of whom lost his life
while serving as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War. For many
years John Carr has been a plasterer and contractor and continues to follow
that vocation.

Mr. and Airs. Hinchman have three children, Frank, Don and Josephine.
Thev are members of the Christian church, as is their eldest son, and take

784 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

an earnest interest in church work. Frank Hinchman was graduated from

the Fairview township liigh school in 1916 and then took a course in the

Normal School at Muncie. He is now teaching in the Moffett school in
Fairview township.

GEORGE HEINEMANN.

George Heinemann arrived in Connersville in the fall of 1850 and
soon became one of the business men of the village. At a point corre-
sponding with the present street east of the Big Four freight depot (the
canal landing-place covered the latter site) he opened a general store, in
partnership with Paul Grosse. In the early spring of 1854 the partnership
was dissolved, and he bought the old Sample Inn, southwest corner of
Fifth street and Eastern avenue, where he opened up a grocery business
for himself. He made some improvements on the building immediately
and about a dozen years later greatly enlarged it by adding to its length.
His business place proved to be a permanent asset in the Connersville busi-
ness world, for it has remained in action continuously since that date. At
George Heinemann's death in November, 1885, the business was taken over
by his son Charles, who still conducts it, making a record of sixty-one
years uninterrupted business at a given location.

George Heinemann was born at Dingelstaedt, Germany, October 9,
1817. On the 25th of August, 1845, he married Sophie Schwerdt of the
same place. Two children were born at their old home — Elnora, who
became Mrs. Joseph Fischer in this country, and Frances, who died in
Connersville about 1853.

The coming of Mrs. Heinemann to the new home set up by her husband
in Connersville, contains a traveling experience somewhat unique. From
lier inland village, in central Germany, about an hour's ride by wagon, she
brought her with two small daughters and the usual Ijaggage of emigrants
of those days, to the river Weser. This river is navigable for small boats,
by which means she reached Bremen. At Bremen she took sail for the
port of New Orleans. From there she took a river boat to Cincinnati,
and at Cincinnati used the canal boat to get to Connersville. As she left
home on August 25, 1852, and reached Connersville on Thanksgiving Day,
the unusual water voyage, central Germany to southeastern Indiana, covered
a period of more than ninety days. Mrs. Sophie Heinemann died at the old
home in Connersville on July 29, 1906.

GEORGE HEIXE.MAXN.

FAYKTTE COrNTV, INDIANA. 785

Of George Heinemann's family, born in Connersville, four daughters
died in infancy. Those growing to maturity are as follow : EInora, being
six years old when arriving here in 1852, married Joseph Fischer, of Day-
ton, Ohio, in 1867. EInora Fischer died in New York City on October 4,
1902, leaving two sons and two daughters.

Mary Heinemann, born on December 30, 1853, became a member of
the religious order of the Sisters of Providence in 1880 and died at their
home, St. Alary of the Woods, September 16, 1903.

Theodore P. Heinemann, born on March 5, 1856, first associated him-
self with his father's business, and later originated one of Connersville's most
unique industries — the triple sign, an advertising novelty used the world
over between the years of 1888 to 1908 — and still later giving his attention
exclusively to the real-estate holdings he possesses. He married Emma
Woods on October 4, 1888.

Charles F. L. Heinemann was born on December 22, 1862, and after
some years of experience in other retail stores of Connersville, took over
the grocery business of his father in October, 1885; and with such eminent
success, that he has created an envious reputation, reaching out into a mul-
titude of directions among the oldest families — the old corner being one
of the familiar landmarks to which they all gravitate — as well as to com-
parative newcomers, who quickly find a most valuable asset of his every
transaction to be sterling worth.

J. L. Heinemann, the youngest of the family, was born, as were all
of the others named, at the home adjoining the old business corner. May
17, 1865. Of an active nature, his boyhood and youth and young man-
hood were connected with many of Connersville's doings, but in a business
way he finally settled his efforts to the creation of the Connersville Mirror
Works about 1894 which has grown to be one of the community's special
industries, covering most of the field wherein plate glass finds uses, and
w^hich is his individual property.

On January 8, 1903, J. L. Heinemann married Mary McLaughlin, of
this city, and their children are: Teresa, William, George, and Elizabeth.

Aside from the association the members of this family have constantly
maintained with the business activities of the neighborhood, there has Ijeen
also a perceptible effort on their part to influence on all possible occasions
every department of human endeavor looking towards the better things
of life. In art, literature and the practical workings of religion, several pages
of Connersville's story would be shortened indeed except for their partici-
pation in the events which enter into its telling.
(50)

786 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

THOMAS FITZGERALD.

Thomas Fitzgerald, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers
of Fairview township, this county, is a native of the Buckeye state, but has
lived in Indiana since he was fourteen years of age. He was born on a farm
in Stark county, Ohio, November 19, 1858, son of John and Hanoria (Shea)
Fitzgerald, natives of Ireland, whose last days were spent in Jennings county,
this state.

John Fitzgerald was born in County Cork and when a young man left
Ireland and came to the United States, locating in Stark county, Ohio, where
about two years later he married Hanoria Shea, also a native of County Cork,
who had come to this country from Ireland about two years before her
marriage. After his marriage John Fitzgerald remained in Stark county
until 1872, in which year he moved to Indiana with his family and settled
on a farm in Jennings county, where he followed farming the rest of his
Hfe, his death occurring in 1893. His widow survived him until 191 1. They
were the parents of eight children, of whom five are still living. Two of the
children died in infancy and another, Mrs. Mary Cox, died about 1899.
Besides the subject of this sketch those living are Timothy, of Indianapolis;
William, of North Vernon, and John and Cornelius, who are farming near
Butlerville, in Jennings county, this state.

Thomas Fitzgerald was the third son of his parents and was about
fourteen years of age when the family moved from Ohio to Indiana and
settled in Jennings county. There he completed his schooling and as a
young man worked at farm labor in that county, in Bartholomew county
and in Fayette county. While working in this county he became acquainted
with a young woman who lived just over the line in Rush county and in
1887 he married her. After his marriage he rented a farm in Union town-
ship. Rush county, and there made his home for ten years. When he was
moving onto that farm neighbors tried to tell him that he would find his
landlord a hard man to get along with and that he would not stay on the
place a year. On the contrary, he found his landlord most agreeable and
conditions so much to his liking that he remained on the place until 1897
and might have remained longer had not he met with the misfortune of
being burned out of house and home on October 15 of that year, with an
almost total destruction of his household effects. When the fire broke out a
strenuous effort was made to remove the household goods from the burning
building, but the piano became jammed in the doorway and thus barred

FAYETTE COUNTY, INOTANA. 787

the way of further salvage, verj- few of the liousehold effects lieing sa\eil.
After the fire Mr, Fitzgerald moved over into this county and (jccupieil tlie
farm which he now owns in Fairview township, a well-improved and profit-
ably cultivated place of one hundred and fifty-one and one-third acres, and
there he has made his home ever since. In 1907, about ten years after mox -
ing there Mr. Fitzgerald and his family again 'were burned out, their
farm house being destroyed by fire. Following this second misfortune Mr.
Fitzgerald built his present substantial house and there he and his family are
now very comfortably situated. Mr. Fitzgerald is a Democrat and takes due
interest in local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public oflice.
He is a member of the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.

On January 19, 1887, Thomas Fitzgerald was united in marriage to
Kittie Belle Wright, who was born on a farm near the eastern line of Rush
county, across the line from Fairview, and to this union three children have
been born, namely : Hanoria, who married Edward Keller, of Connersville,
and has two children, sons, Francis and Marion ; Mary Helen, who married
Joseph Theobald, a farmer of the Strawns Station neighborhood and has two
sons, Joseph and Maynard, and John Thomas, who married Bertha Johnson
and has remained on the home farm, farming with his father.

Mrs. Fitzgerald is a member of one of the old families in this part of
the state, her parents, Thomas M. and Matilda C. (Groves) Wright, having
been prominent residents of the Fairview neighborhood, where their last
days were spent. Thomas M. Wright was a Kentuckian, born near Millers-
burg, in Bourbon county, June 22, 1833. and there grew to manhood. When
a young man he came up into Indiana on a visit to the Bakers, kinsfolk of his,
who lived then, as now, in the northeastern part of Fairview township, this
county, and there he met Matilda C. Groves, a member of one of the pioneer
families of that neighborhood, and from that time on she was "the only
girl in the world for him." They were married on November 30, 1859, and
established their home on a farm at the west edge of Fairview, where Mrs.
Fitzgerald was born, the old Donovan Groves homestead, where Matilda C.
Groves also was born, a daughter of Donovan and Eleanor (Baker) Groves,
pioneers of that section and further mention of whom is made elsewhere
in this volume. In addition to his general farming Thomas ]\I. \\'right als(5
was widely known as a buyer and shipper of live stock and became one of the
well-to-do citizens of that part of the county. He was for years a justice
of the peace in and for his home township and he and his wife were members

788 FAYETTE COINTY, INDIANA.

of the Christian church, in the various beneficences of which they were
-uch interested. Mrs. Wright died on February 4, 1898, and Thomas M.
Wright survived her for nearly three years, his death occurring on December
15, 1900.

JOHN W. HACKLEMAN.

John W. Hackleman, one of the best-known farmers of Fairview town-
ship, former trustee of that township and proprietor of "Spring View Farm,"
a well-improved and profitably cultivated place of eighty-five acres on rural
mail route No. 2 out of Connersville, is a native of Fayette county and has
lived here all his life. He was born on a farm northeast of Harrisburg, in
Harrison township, March 15, 1843, son of William and Nancy (Hawkins)
Hackleman, substantial residents of that community and the latter of whom
is still living, being now past ninety-five years of age.

William Hackleman was reared in Harrison township, a son of Isaac
and Elizabeth (Hawkins) Hackleman, the former of whom, born on March
26, 1780, died on December 10, 1844, ^^d the latter of whom, born on May
22, 1783, died on July 30, 1835. Isaac Hackleman was born in South Caro-
lina, a son of Jacob and Mary Hackleman, the former of whom was born
in Germany and who, with two brothers, came to this country by way of
New Orleans, presently settling in what is now the state of Mississippi and
later making his way into South Carolina, where he married and reared his
family. It was on July 2, 1801, that Isaac Hackleman, in South Carolina,
married Elizabeth Hawkins. Immediately after their marriage they started
for the wilds of what then was the territory of Indiana, which at that time
included all the territory west of Ohio to the Mississippi river and north of
the Ohio river to the Canadian border, taking in the territory now included
in the states of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. They proceeded
down the Ohio river by flatboat and upon arriving at Lawrenceburg decided
there to stop. They picked out a farm about two miles and a half from
Harrison, in Dearborn county, and there they made their home until 181 5,
in which year they decided to dispose of their interests there and come on
up the White Water valley to Fayette county, this part of the territory at that
time beginning to attract a great deal of attention on the part of prospective
settlers. Upon coming up here Isaac Hackleman settled on a tract of land in
Harrison township and there established his home, he and his wife spending
the remainder of their lives there, useful pioneers of that community. Will-

lAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 7«9

iani ilackleman grew up on that pioneer farm and earl) Ijecanie a maker
of boots and shoes, a skilled workman in that line, a trade he continued to
follow as long as he was able to work. It is related of him that a neigh-
bor offered to "shuck" one hundred and forty bushels of corn for him from
sunrise to sunset, in consideration of a pair of boots. The man worked with
desperate haste and by noon his hands were bleeding from the chafing of
the corn husks. At sunset he had husked but one hundred and thirty-six
bushels, four bushels short of the mark; but Mr. Hackleman was so well
pleased with the pluck and skill displayed that he not only gave the man the
pair of boots that were at stake, but five dollars besides. William Hackleman
married Nancy Hawkins, who was born on a pioneer farm in the vicinity of
Longwood, this county, December 7, 1821, a member of one of the first
families in Fayette county, and to that union six sons were born, of whom
the subject of this sketch and his brother Edward, who is now Hving on the
old home farm with his mother, are the only survivors. One of these sons
died when two years of age. The other three, Oliver, Isaac and Sylvester,
all now deceased, served as soldiers of the Union during the Civil War.
William Hackleman died when he was thirty-six years of age and his widow
is still living on the old home farm in Harrison township, being now past
the ninety-fifth year of her age. She possesses an excellent memory and is
a \-eritalile mine of information regarding incidents of pioneer days connected
with this region.

John W. Hackleman was but a boy when his father died and he remained
on the home farm with his mother until he was twenty-five years of age, when
he married and started farming on his own account. During the Civil War
he did not enlist for the regular service, his three elder brothers having gone
to the front the family concluded that his place was at home with the widowed
mother, but during the excitement incident to the Morgan raid he took part
in the valiant operations of the home defenders and thus was able to feel
that he had done something in the way of active service. After his marriage
he lived for a year on the Broadus farm and then moved to the farm of
his father-in-law, the old Shortridge farm, and there lived for three years,
at the end of which time he moved to the Huston farm, where he lived for
nine years and six months. He then, in July. 1891, lx)Ught the farm on which
he is now living in Fairview township, moved there and has ever since made
that his place of residence. The farm when ]\Ir. Hackleman bought it con-
tained fifty-five acres, but he shortly afterward bought an adjoining tract
of thirty acres and now has a well-improved place of eighty-five acres, clear
of all incumbrance. On this farm there are a numljer of excellent springs

790 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and on this account Mr. Hackleman has given his place the name of "Spring
View Farm." He has a comfortable, two-story brick house, with a broad
lawn in front bounded by a neat iron fence, fine maple and locust trees grow-
ing about the house; altogether one of the most attractive places in that part
of the county. Mr. Hackleman has for years given his earnest attention to
local civic alifairs and twenty-five years or more ago served for some time
as trustee of his home township. During that incumbency he caused to be
erected the first graded-school building in Fairview township and possibly
the first such school house in the county. That school house was a four-
room, furnace-heated building which stood between Fairview and Falmouth,
at the point where the present handsome brick school building now stands.

John W. Hackleman has been twice married. In October, 1867, he was
united in marriage to Martha Shortridge, who was born in Fairview town-
ship, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (King) Shortridge, pioneers of
that community and further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this
volume. She died on February 13, 1892, leaving six sons and one daughter,
namely : Charles, who is living at Indianapolis, where he is engaged with the
Stafford Engraving Company, and who married Grace Lamberson, of Posey
township, this county, and has two daughters, Helen and Margaret; Frank,
trustee of Posey township, engaged in the hardware and blacksmithing busi-
ness at Bentonville, who married Jennie Patterson ; Fred, an extensive dealer
in live stock, living on one of his three farms one mile south of Benton-
ville, who married Alice Caldwell and has three children, Ina, Frances and
Chester; Emery, engaged in the undertaking and farm supplies business at
Falmouth and for the past three years secretary of the Falmouth Telephone
Company, who married Ruby Crawford and has two children, Mary and
Daniel; Huston, a jeweler and optician at Appleton, Wisconsin, who married
Bessie Miller, who died, leaving one child, a son, Willard, after which he
married Catherine Jones ; Carl, employed in Kahl's jewelry store at Conners-
ville, who married Helen Westburg, and Lillie, who died when twelve years
of age.

On February 8, 1894, Mr. Hackleman married, secondly, Lena Scofield,
who was born on a farm near Connersville, a daughter of Sherman and
Eliza (Ross) Scofield, the former of whom was born in 1810 at Stamford,
Connecticut, and who, at the age of eleven years, came to Indiana with his
parents, the family settling in Fayette county. Here Sherman Scofield grew
to manhood and in later life was variously engaged, for some time a brick-
mason, later a canal boatman, afterward a building contractor and for some
years a merchant, and was also a farm owner. He was twice married. His

FAYRTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 7gi

first wife, Eliza Milner, was the mother of six children, Eliza, who died in
infancy. Melinda, Thaddeus, Frank, Cecelia and Eliza Jane, the latter of
whom died in infancy, the mother dying at the birth of the child. Mr. Sco-
field's second wife, Eliza Ross, was born in Kentucky and also was the
mother of six children, Balzora, Ella, Lena, Sherman, Jr., Eugene and
Albert. The mother of these children died in October, i860, and the father
survived until October, 1877. He gave the ground on which to erect the
first Christian church in his community and was ever a pillar in that church,
an active contributor to all its works. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hackleman also
are members of the Christian church, which Mr. Hackleman joined when
twenty years of age and in which he has been an elder for the past quarter
of a century. All his sons save Carl are members of the same church and
the Scofields also have been leaders in the work of that denomination ever
since the first of that name settled in this countv back in the twenties.

ALFRED COLLYER.

Alfred Collyer, well-known merchant at Falmouth, this county, was
born in the neighboring county of Franklin on June 26, 1855, a son of
Ezekiel and Eliza (Coleman) Collyer, both of whom were born in that same
county, members of pioneer families in that section of the state. Ezekiel
Collyer grew up on a pioneer farm about eight miles southeast of Brook-
ville and his wife was born at Laurel. Late in life they moved to Wayne
county and there Ezekiel Collyer was killed by a log rolling off a wagon he
was helping to load. His widow afterward moved to Rush county, where
her last days were spent.

Reared in Franklin county, Alfred Collyer remained there until his mar-
riage in 1879, after which he began farming for himself in the southeastern
part of Rush county, where he remained about two years, at the end of
which time he came to this county and located at Falmouth, farming in that
vicinity until 1900. in which year he bought a store at Falmouth and has
ever since been engaged in business there, doing an extensive business in the
way of general merchandise, and long regarded as one of the leaders in the
general business activities of that village.

In 1879 Alfred Collyer was united in marriage to Hattie Quenzer, who
was born at Falmouth, a daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Quenzer, who
were born in the city of Strasburg. capital of Alsace-Lorraine, who located

792 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

at Cincinnati upon coming to this country about 1856 and there remained
until about i860, when they came up into Indiana and located at Falmouth,
where Mr. Ouenzer engaged in the shoemaking business and where he spent
the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1875. His widow survived
him for years, her death occurring on June 15, 1915, she then being eighty-
four years of age. They were the parents of four children, those besides
Mrs. Collyer, the second in order of birth, being Mrs. Emma Blesch, of
San Diego, California; Louis, of East Connersville, and Mrs. Rose Grose.
To Mr. and Mrs. Collyer five children have been born, Will, Fred,
Gertie, Gus and Lowell. Will Collyer is a successful farmer, living near
Falmouth, the owner of one hundred and fifteen acres of land, part of which
lies in this county and part in Rush county. Fred Collyer, a biographical
sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, is proprietor of the
greenhouse at Falmouth. Gertie Collyer married Fred Knotts and lives on
a farm one and one-half miles north of Falmouth. Gus Collyer, who lives
on a farm a half mile west of Falmouth, in Rush county, married Gleda Link
and has one child, a son, Deloris. Lowell Collyer is an able assistant to his
father in the management of the store at Falmouth. Mr. Collyer is a mem-
ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest in
the affairs of that organization.

MISS CAROLINE LOUISE SUMNER.

Miss Caroline Louise Sumner, one of the founders and owners of the
Elmhurst School for Girls at Connersville and a leader among the educators
in private schools in Indiana and throughout the Central States, is of dis-
tinguished lineage, on the paternal side of the family being related to the
great Charles Sumner and on the maternal side, is descended from Richard
Warren, who came o\er in the "Mayflower," and from Capt. Samuel Morey,
the inventor of the steamboat. She was born at Holyoke, Massachusetts, a
daughter of William James and Eveline Sturtevant Sumner, and grew up
amid the refining influences of New England, from youth evincing an extra-
ordinary interest in hei; studies and early devoting her life to the cause of
education.

Following her graduation from Smith College, Miss Sumner was
engaged as a teacher of Greek and Latin in the high school at Titusville,
Pennsylvania, and after five years of service there returned to Smith Col-

■ FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. 793

lege to teach Latin. At tlie end of six years she transferred lier services to
Miss Wheeler's school at Providence, Rhode Island, where she remained as
an instructor for three years. She then returned to Smith as instructor of
Latin and a year later she because a student in the American School of
Classical Studies at Rome and Atliens. She spent a summer in travel in
Germany and another summer in h'rance and England. In 1909 Miss Sum-
ner became one of the founders of the Elmhurst School for Girls at Con-
nersville and has ever since been thus engaged.

Miss Sumner is a member of the Unitarian church and is a member of
the Archaeological Institute of America, of the Association of Collegiate
Alumnae, and of the Smith College Alumnae Association, in the deliberations
of which learned societies she takes a warm and active interest.

NOAH CUMMINS.

Noah Cummins, one of the real "old settlers" of Fayette county and a
well-known and substantial farmer of Fairview township, former trustee of
that township and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and forty-
seven and one-half acres on the north edge of Fairview township, a little
more than a mile east of the Rush county line, is a native of the old Blue
Grass state, but has been a resident of Fayette county since he was five or
six years of age and may thus be accounted one of the pioneers of that part
of the county in which he lives. He was born on a farm in Bourbon county,
Kentucky, a son of John D. and Caroline (Williams) Cummins, both natives
of Kentucky, who came to Indiana nearly seventy years ago and settled in
this county, where they spent their last days.

In 1850 John D. Cummins and his family came up here from Kentucky
and settled on a farm in the southwest part of Posey township, this county,
the trip through from Kentucky being made in covered wagons. Upon com-
ing here John D. Cummins bought a tract of land that was for the most
part covered by timber and spice bush and it required years of toil to bring
that farm under proper cultivation. There John D. Cummins farmed the
rest of his life, his death occurring in 1885. His widow survived him for
nearly twenty years, her death occurring in 1904. They were the parents of
nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order
of birth, the others being as follow : Charles, who married Elizabeth Hood,
of Rush county, and spent his last days farming on a farm adjoining that

794 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of his father, his death occurring on November 27, 191 1; John T., also a
farmer, who lived near the old home place and who was killed by a train
at Dublin, Wayne county, leaving a widow and three children; Olivia, who
died when about eighteen years of age ; Sarah Elizabeth, who married James
Freeman and is living on a farm near the old home place; Amanda, who
died at the same time as her sister Olivia, both girls falling victims to the
dread spotted fever; Fillmore, who lives just east of the Maplewood school
in Connersville; Frank, who lives on a farm a half mile west of Bentonville,
in Posey township, and Grant, who died when about seven years of age.

As noted above, Noah Cummins was but a child when he came to this
county with his parents from Kentucky and be grew to manhood on the pio-
neer farm in Posey township, even from the days of his boyhood a valued
assistant to his father in developing and improving the home place. After
his marriage in 1869 he began farming on his own account on a farm near
the old home and in 1872 bought the place on which he is now living on the
north edge of Fairview township a little more than a mile east of the Rush
county line. That place then was a veritable swamp and Mr. Cummins's
father very strongly urged him not to invest in what then generally was
regarded as worthless land; but, with a clear idea of what could be done
with such land, Mr. Cummins took over the place and there established his
home. His original purchase there comprised one hundred and seven and
one-half acres, about half of which had been cleared and on which stood an
old log house back from the road. There was a regular lake of water almost
surrounding the house and the initial outlook was not very encouraging, but
Mr. Cummins went to work bravely and it was not long until he had his
place properly drained and cleared and was beginning to see his way clear to
the making of a fine farm. In 1881 he built a new barn out by the road
and the next year built the house in which he now lives. Ever since he has
been adding to his farm plant in the way of buildings and now has one of
the best-kept farms in that part of the county. As he prospered in his farm-
ing operations he bought an adjoining "forty" and now has a well-improved
farm of one hundred and forty-seven and one-half acres. In addition to his
general farming Mr. Cummins has given considerable attention to the raising
of pure-bred Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs and has done quite
well. Mr. Cummins has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic
affairs and for some time served as trustee of his home township, resigning
that office in 19 10.

Noah Cummins has been twice married. In 1869 he was united in
marriage to Jane Manlove, who was born on a pioneer farm in the south-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 795

western part of Posey township, this county, daughter of Jesse and Ann
(Colvin) Manlove, and to that union four children were horn, namely:
Carrie, who died when about five years of age; Edith, who married James
Clifton, a farmer, of Rush county, and has three children, Harold, Ray and
Paul; Emory, who died when about two 3'ears of age, and Estella, who died
in infancy. The mother of these children died in 1879 and in i(S8i Air.
Cummins married Ella F. Swift, who was born on a farm near Greenfield,
Hancock county, this state, a daughter of Asbury C. and Clarissa Jane
(Grubb) Swift, formerly and for years well-known residents of this county,
who later moved West and there spent their last days.

Asbury C. Swift was born at Connersville on December 25, 1836, a son
of John Swift and wife, the former of whom was one of the pioneers of
Connersville and who for some time conducted one of the first hotels in that
city, doing an extensive business with the drovers and canal boatmen of that
day. He left the hotel and bought a farm south of East Connersville, -now
known as the Jemison farm, which he later sold to the Jemisons. He not
only was the owner of a considerable tract of land in that section, but owned
four or five farms in other parts of the county and was long recognized
as one of Fayette county's most substantial residents. Asbury C. Swift grew
to manhood on his father's farm and from there went to Colmar, Illinois,
where he married Clarissa Jane Grubb, who was born on a farm near Lexing-
ton, Kentucky, and who had moved to Colmar with her widowed mother
when a girl, her mother afterward marrying a Hanks. After his marriage
A. C. Swift returned to this county and spent a year or two on his father's
farm, after which he moved to a farm west of Alquina, where he made his
home for about four years, at the end of which time he sold that place and
moved to one of his father's farms in the adjoining county of Rush, a mile
or more west of Fairview, where he lived for about ten years. He then
returned to the old home farm — the present Jemison place — and was there
probably five years, at the end of which time he cjuit farming and he and
Thomas Ruff opened a carriage shop at Glenwood, from which place Mr.
Swift presently moved to Colorado and was for some time engaged in the
hotel business in that state. He then moved to Topeka, Kansas, where he
engaged in the grocery business and where he spent the remainder of his life,
his death occurring on February 11, 1898. Flis widow spent her last days
in St. Louis, Missouri, where her death occurred on November 6, 1916, she
then being eighty-two years of age.

To Noah and Ella F. (Swift) Cummins six children have been born,
namelv : Eva Marie, who married Charles D. Ertle and now lives at Ft. Col-

796 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

lins, near Greeley, Colorado; Blanch Caroline, who married George F. Ertle,
a brother of Charles D., and who died in December, 1912, leaving her hus-
band and one son, Carl H. ; Murl Donald, a farmer, living in the south edge
of Posey township, across the road from his father's place, and a biographical
sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, who married Rhoda
Suter and has four children, Juanita, Murl Garnet, Donald C. and Webb
Suter; Fred C, now living in I<'almouth, who married Mary Suter, who came
from Owenton, Kentucky, a sister of his brother Mud's wife, Mary, and
has two children, Edna C. and Ercell S. ; Guerney, who also lives in Fal-
mouth and who married Maude Golden, of this county, and has two chil-
dren, Vivien E. and Eileen, and Maggie Grace, who married John Suter, a
farmer living in Rush county, six miles west of the Cummins place, and
has one child, a daughter, Nina Marie. Mr. and Mrs. Cummins have a very
pleasant country home and have ever taken a proper part in the general
social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting
all worthy causes thereabout.

JOHN THOMAS BLEVINS.

John Thomas Blevins, one of Fairview township's substantial farmers
and tlie pro])rietor of a well-improved farm of more than one hundred acres
about two and one-half miles northeast of Glenwood, is a native of the Blue
Grass state, but has been a resident of this county since his childhood. He
was born on a farm in Montgomery county, Kentucky, August 15, 1861, son
of James and Mary (Kinney) Blevins, also natives of K^entucky, who came
to this state during the days of the Civil War and settled in Fayette county.

James Blevins was the son of Virginian parents, who had settled in
Kentucky, and he grew up in the state of his birth and was there married.
About 1863 he and his family came to this county and located on the Bates
farm, east of Falmouth, in Fairview township, later moving to Cambridge
City and thence to Richmond, whence they later moved to Centerville, where
Mrs. Blevins died during the later seventies. About ten years later James
Blevins remarried and again established his home in Richmond, where he
spent practically all the remainder of his life. He died at the home of his
son, the subject of this sketch, in Fairview township, this county, February
15, 1912.

John T. Blevins began farming for himself at the time of his marriage

FAYETTE COimTV. INDIANA. 797

ill 1884, he and liis wife going to housekeeping on the farm on which Bert
Rich now lives in Iviirview township. After renting that place for two
years he nioxeil to the Ludlow farm on whicii he made his home for seven
years, at the end of wiiicii time he rented a farm southeast of Glenwood.
where he made his home for two years, or until 1898, when he moved to
the place on which he now li\es in the southwest quarter of section 23, about
two and one-half miles northeast of Glenwood, where he has lived ever since.
•About ten years ago Air. Blevins bought that place and is now the owner of
a well-kept and substantially improved farm of one hundred and fourteen
and one-half acres, on which he has two sets of buildings and on which he
has been quite successfully engaged in general farming.

On November 25, 1884, John T. Blevins was united in marriage to Vic-
toria McConnell, who was born on a farm al)out a half mile east of her
present home, a daughter of James ^\'ilson and Rachel (Reese) McConnell,
l)oth nati\-es of this county, members of pioneer families in l^'airview town-
ship. James W. McConnell was bc^rn on a farm just east of the Blevins
farm on March 2, 1826, a son of Ellis and Nancy McConnell, who had come
here from Ohio in pioneer days. Ellis McConnell and his brother, James,
came here together from Ohio and settled on adjoining farms, James on the
farm now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Blevins and Ellis, on the farm just east
of the same, each brother owning a tract of one hundred and fourteen and
one-half acres. They cleared the land, established their homes and there
spent the remainder of their lives.

James Wilson McConnell spent practical!}- all his life on the pioneer
farm where he was lx)rn and was both a farmer and a carpenter. He mar-
ried Rachel Reese, who was born on a pioneer farm about a mile east of the
Blevins farm on October 24, 1828, a daughter of Stephen Reese and wife,
and after his marriage established his home on the old home farm. There
he died on January 28. 1905. His wife had preceded him to the grave seven
years, her death having occurred on January 18, 1898. They were the par-
ents of seven children, namely : Mrs. Mary Hinchman, of Greenfield, this
state: Ellis, who lives southwest of Connersville ; Mrs. Nancy Kinder, of
Fairview township: Mrs. Belle Reese, of Connersville: Victoria, wife of Mr.
Blevins; Stephen T.. of Glenwood, and Oliver, also of Glenwood.

To Mr. and Mrs. Blevins seven children have been born, as follow :
Clyde, now living in Connersville. who married Bessie Cullins and has one
child, a daughter, AFerle : Clarence, also of Connersville : Claude, who lived
but nine months: Glen and Grace (twins), the former of whom is at home
and the latter of whom married Charles Stout, of Rush countv, and has one

798 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

child, a son, Howard ; Donald, who is at liome, and Edith, who died when
nine months of age. Mr. and Mrs. Blevins are members of the Christian
church and have ever taken an earnest interest in church work and in neigh-
borhood good works.

JOSEPH B. WILES.

Joseph B. Wiles, former trustee of Fairview township and the proprietor
of a well-improved farm in that township, was born on a pioneer farm near
his present place of residence and has lived in that neighborhood all his life.
He was born on June 11, 1853, son of Peter M. and Harriet (Goodwise)
Wiles, the former a native of the state of Pennsylvania and the latter of
Ohio, pioneers of that section, whose last days were spent there.

Peter M. Wiles was born not far from the city of Pittsburgh and grew
to manhood in Pennsylvania. He served as a soldier during the War of
181 2 and later moved to Butler county, Ohio. For his services in the War
of 1812 he was given a land warrant, but not being then ready to enter a
claim on the same sold it. Later he came up the White Water valley and
settled in Fayette county, buying a tract of land in Fairview township, one
and one-half miles east of Glenwood, established his home there and there
spent the remainder of his life, becoming one of the most substantial pioneers
of that part of the county. He took an active part in local afifairs and held
various township offices at one time and another. He was an earnest mem-
ber of the Christian church and although not an ordained minister of the gos-
pel frequently occupied the pulpit and was widely known throughout this
part of the state as a preacher of much power. Peter M. Wiles was a man
of sturdy and vigorous physique and retained his extraordinary physical
powers almost to the time of his death, at the age of eighty-five riding a horse
that younger men feared to ride. He was twice married. His first wife
bore him nine children. His second wife, Harriet Goodwise, survived him
for more than twenty years, her death occurring in 1904. She was born in
Butler county, Ohio, and was but a child when her parents came up the valley
of the White Water and settled in Fayette county. She was the mother of
five children, of whom two, Morton and Charlotte, are deceased, the others
besides the subject of this sketch being Ross and George Wiles.

Joseph B. Wiles was reared on the paternal farm in Fairview township,
receiving his schooling in the neighborhood school, and remained at home,
a valued assistant to his father in the labors of the home farm, until his mar-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

"99

riage when twenty-tliree years of age. when he started farming for liini-
self on the farm on which he now lives and where he ever since has made
his home. Mr. \\'iles is now the owner of a fine farm of about two hundred
acres and has made all the improvements on the same. In addition to his
general farming he has given considerable attention to stock raising and has
done very well. He is a Republican, as was his father, and has held various
local offices, including that of township trustee, which latter position he held
for a little more than four years, his term of office expiring in 1904. Air.
Wiles also has served on numerous occasions in a fiduciary capacity, as exec-
utor, administrator or guardian, and at one time held guardianship papers
in the cases of seven different wards.

On January i, 1878, Joseph B. Wiles was united in marriage to Armilda
Worsham, who was born on a farm in the west half of section 25 of Fair-
view township, this county, daughter of P>anklin M. and Mary S. (New-
bold) Worsham, members of pioneer families in this county. Franklin M.
^^'orsham was born on a pioneer farm in the White Water valley a few-
miles south of Connersville, a son of Jeremiah and Nancy (Fullen) Wor-
sham, the latter of whom was descended from one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence. There is also a family tradition that Jeremiah
Worsham had the blood of one of the signers of that immortal document in
his veins. He was a Virginian, born near the Natural Bridge, who came
out here to Indiana in pioneer times and settled in Fayette county, buying a
tract of land west of Bunker Hill, in Fairview township, where he spent
the remainder of his life, his death occurring nearly seventy years ago. He
became a considerable landowner, possessing, in addition to his home farm,
lands south of Connersville and in the southeast part of Fairview township,
in this county, as well as a tract of land ten miles southwest of Indianapolis,
in Marion county, and another tract in Kosciuski county. His son, Frank-
lin M. Worsham, grew to manhood on the home farm and spent the
remainder of his life as a farmer in Fairview township. He married Alary
S. Newbold. who was lx)rn on the old Wotten farm on the south side of
the Rushville pike, several miles west of Connersville, a daughter of Roljert
and Jemima (Messersmith) Newbold. pioneers of that part of Fayette county
and the former of whom was a direct lineal descendant of one of the sign-
ers of the Declaration of Independence. In the old days of the stagecoach
Robert Newbold drove a stagecoach from Connersville to Rushville. his
stopping place for the night being the Frybarger stone house about midway
between the two towns. Later he moved to Kosciusko county, this state,
but a few years later returned to this part of Indiana and settled in Rush

800 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

county, where he spent the remainder of his Hfe and where his daughter,
Mary, Hved until her marriage to Frankhn M. Worsham.

To Joseph B. and Armilda (Worsham) Wiles five children have been
born, namely : Allen, who married Mary McClure and now lives in Con-
nersville; Frank, who died at the age of seventeen years; Maude, who is at
home with her parents; Iva, who lives at Indianapolis, and Ernest, who
lives at Indianapolis. Mr. and Mrs. Wiles are members of the Christian
church and have ever taken an earnest interest in church work, as well as
in the general good works of their community, ever helpful in advancing
all movements designed to better local conditions.

THOMAS M. LITTLE.

The late Thomas M. Little, an honored veteran of the Civil War, for
years one of the best-known and most able of the members of the Fayette
county bar, former clerk of Fayette county, former treasurer of the city of
Connersville and for years a justice of the peace in and for his home town-
ship, was a native son of this county and lived here all his life, doing much
during his active and useful career to advance the best interests of the com-
munity in which his heart was wrapped up. He was born on a farm in
Orange township on September 24, 1840, son of Samuel and Frances
(Russell) Little, the former a native of the state of South Carolina and the
latter of this county, a member of one of the pioneer families of Orange
township, and whose last days were spent in Pawnee, Nebraska.

Samuel Little was born in Chester, South Carolina, and in the days of
his young manhood moved from there to Ohio, locating in Greene county,
whence he came to Indiana and settled in Orange township, this county,
where he lived until late in life. Samuel Little had taught school in his
early manhood and was a man of intelligence and excellent judgment. He
was an active Republican and for some time, many years ago, represented
this district in the state Legislature. He also served for some time as a
doorkeeper in the national capitol at Washington. About thirty years ago
he moved to Pawnee, Nebraska, where he spent his last days, his death
occurring about ten years later. His wife, Frances Riissell, was reared in
this county, a daughter of William Russell and wife, who came to this county
from Adams county, Ohio, and were among the pioneers of Orange town-
ship.

MR. AND MRS. THOMAS .M. LITTLK.

- FAYETTE COUNTV, INDIANA. 8oi

Thomas M. Little was reared on the farm on wiiicli he was l)orn, in
Orang-e townslii]), and was li\in»- there when tlie Civil War broke out. On
July 2~,, i8(ii, he enlisted as a private in Company F, Third Indiana Ca\--
alry, and served with, that command until lie was honorably discharged as
a corporal in Mt. Pleasant Hospital, \\'ashington, D. C, November 15,
1862, he having been sent to the hospital on account of a serious wound in
the shoulder received in a skirmish before the battle of South Mountain — a
wound from the effects of which he suffered all the rest of his life. At the
time he was wounded Mr. Little was captured by the enemy, but was paroled
and later exchanged. His family still has his parole, signed by order of
Brig.-Gen. \\'ade Hampton. L^pon partially recovering from his wound
and after his exchange, Mr. Little enlisted for the hundred-day service and
served during that period as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-
seventh Regiment, Lidiana Volunteer Infantry.

L^'pon the completion of his military service Air. Little returned to
Fayette county. He previously had studied law in the ofifice of James C.
Mcintosh at Connersville and in 1865 was admitted to the bar. After his
marriage in 1866 he established his home in Connersville and there spent
the remainder of his life, one of the most useful and influential citizens of
that city and a lawyer of wide repute throughout this part of the state. Mr.
Little took an acti\-e part in local politics and for years was accounted one
of the leading Republicans of Fayette county, his activities being extended
also to district and state political affairs. On June 30, 1881, he was
appointed clerk of the Fayette circuit court to fill an unexpired term and
after two years of such service was elected to the office of county clerk and
was re-elected, serving in that capacity, in all, about ten years. Upon the
expiration of his term as county clerk, he was appointed to the office of city
treasurer to fill an unexpired term and was re-elected at successive elections,
occupying that responsible position for about seventeen years. He later
was elected justice of the peace and was occupying that magisterial position
at the time of his death. Mr. Little was an able advocate in court and held
a high position in the estimation of his colleagues at the bar. He was a
brilliant orator and both before the court and jury and on the hustings com-
manded the close attention of his hearers. As a patriot he thought deeply
of his country and of its rights and its needs and as a public servant he was
faithful to his trust, even to the smallest fraction. Though Mr. Little
possessed a keen sense of humor, tenderness ever was his dominant char-
(51)

802 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

acteristic. He had a marvelous memory and this faculty he had cultivated
until he came to be regarded as well nigh a walking gazetteer of local events
and his recollection of affairs in this county usually was accepted as final and
conclusive. Thomas M. Little died at his home in Connersville on February
5, 1916. and at his passing left a good memory, for he had done well his
part in life. His widow is still making her home in Connersville, where .she
is very comfortably situated. She is a member of the First Methodist
church, as was her husband, and has ever taken an active part in church
work. Mr. I^ittle was reared in the Presbyterian church and for many
years and up to the time of his death taught a class in the Sunday schools
of both of these churches.

It was on February 20, 1866, in Orange township, this county, that
Thomas M. Little was united in marriage to Martha Huston, who was born
on a farm in that township, June 21, 1845, daughter of William and Jane
(Ramsey) Huston, early settlers in that township, whose last days were
spent there. William Huston was born in Ireland about 1807 and was left
an orphan at an early ag-e. When he was about twelve years of age he came
to the Ignited States with his aunts, the family settling in Ohio. In Preble
county, that state, he grew to manhood and there married Jane Ramsey, who
was born in that county, and shortly after their marriage they moved over
into Indiana and settled in the southeastern part of Connersville township,
this county, near the Village Creek church, moving thence, after a residence
there of about three years, to Orange township, where they spent the
remainder of their lives and where IMartha Huston was living at the time of
her marriage to Mr. Little. To that union five children were born, namely :
Samuel Calvin Little, now a resident of the city of Indianapolis, who mar-
ried Martha A. Miller and afterward married Ida Turner, to which union
nine children have been bom; George Little, who married Rebecca Blaine
and lived at St. Paul, Kentucky, until his death on December 30, 1915; Ethel
who Hves at Eaton. Ohio, widow of Thomas M. Buck, and has two children,
Thomas M. and Charles H. : Mary, who is unmarried and makes her home
with her widowed mother at Connersville, and William, also of Conners-
ville, who married Florence VV. Achey and has four children, William A.,
Mary Josephine, Frances Ellen and Thomas Allen. Miss Mary Little is a
graduate of Cedarville College at Cedarville, Ohio, and taught school one
year at Muncie and four years in Connersville. During the time of her
father's incumbency as city treasurer she acted as his deputy and attended
to much of the detail work of that ofifice.

FAYETTE COCNTY, INDIANA. 803

JOHN MELX'IX WHITE.

John Melvin White, a well-known retired farmer and stockman of Jack-
son township, former county assessor and a former member of the l)oaril of
county commissioners of Fayette county, now living at Everton, is a native
son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was torn on a
farm about two miles southwest of Everton, in Jackson township, March 12.
1866, son of William Madison and Sarah (Kerr) White, both of whom also
were born in Jackson tow-nship and who spent all their lives there, honored
and respected by all in that part of the county during" the past generation.

William Madison White was born on the same farm as was his son,
the subject of this sketch, and spent his whole life in that neighborhood.
He was born on March it^. 1838. a son of .\lexander and Deborah (Lake)
White, pioneers of this county, further reference to whom is made else-
where in this volume. .\leNander White was liorn in Kent cnuntw Delaware,
January 22. 1808, and was earl\- orphaned, his father dying when he was
two years of age and his mother a few years later. He was thus early put
on his own resources and at the age of twelve years began to make his own
living. In 1827, when eighteen or nineteen years of age, he located at Harri-
son, Ohio, and there l)egan working in a tavern, also being employed to
carry the mails on the stage Hue out of that place, and while there drove the
canal boat for two or three }ears on the old White Water canal. Vov seven
years he resided at Harrison and while there, December 10. 1831, married
Deborah Lake, a member of the Lake family well known in this county
and further reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume, and in 1834
he and his wife moved to Indiana, settling near Blooming (jrove. in I'^rank-
lin countv. A vear or two later they came up into b'a^ette county and settled
in the Everton neighborhood in Jackson township. U])on coming to this
county Alexander White entered from the government a tract of land in
Jackson township and there established his home, continuing to reside there
for manv rears. He did well in his farming operations and l)ecaine the
owner of about five hundred acres of land. He and his wife were members
of the Methodist church and were active in church work. They lived together
for nearly fiftv vears, her death occurring in 1883, .she then being about
sixty-eight years of age, and he survived until May 26, 1888, being then
seventy-four years of age. Mrs. Deborah White was born in Connecticut
and was about five vears of age when her parents, the Lakes, came to this
part of the country and located at Harrison. Ohio, down in the White Water
valley, just over the Indiana line.

804 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

William M. White was reared on the home farm in Jackson township
and there grew to manhood, a valued aid to his father in the labors of develop-
ing and improving the same. Before he was twent3'-two years of age he
married and established a home of his own on the place his father had entered
from the government and became a prosperous farmer, owning at the time of
his death about five hundred acres of land, the greater part of which was
under profitable cultivation. He and his wife were earnest members of j\It.
Zion Methodist Episcopal church and ever took an active part in church
work and in the advancement of all other good works in the community in
which they lived. Both he and his wife had been born and reared in that
community and watched its development from the days of their youth and
did what was in their power to aid in such development, so that at their
deaths they were sincerely mourned throughout that entire countryside.

On h>l)ruary 21, i860, William M. White was united in marriage to
Sarah J. Kerr, who was born on a pioneer farm a short distance south of
Everton, in Jackson township, this county, daughter of James and Margaret
(Grist) Kerr, well known among the early settlers of that neighborhood and
to whom further and more particular reference is made elsewhere in this
volume. James Kerr, who was the first school teacher in the Everton settle-
ment, teaching first at Fairfield and later near the present village of Everton,
was a native of Ireland, but had been a resident of this country since he was
eight years of age. Sarah J. Kerr was a twin. At the age of fourteen she
joined the Methodist Episcopal church at Everton and ever remained a faith-
ful and consistent member of the same. She died at her home in Jackson
township on May 26, 1901, aged sixty years, and her husband, William M.
White, survived her less than two years, his death occurring on August g,
1902, he then being sixty-four years of age: To their union eight children
were born, all of whom save one, William Earl, are still living, those besides
the subject of this sketch being Mrs. Catherine Elliott, Mrs. Mary Olive
Worster, Mrs. Ida Belle Funderburg, Mrs. May Funderburg, Mrs. Bessie
Goble and Mrs. Daisy Bohnenkemper.

John Melvin White, who, from the days of his boyhood, has been known
familiarly among his friends as "Mel" White, grew up on the home farm in
Jackson township and was early put to work at what is now regarded as
man's work. At the age of eleven he rode horseback to Cincinnati, helping
his father drive stock to market, and at thirteen drove the teams, hauling
all the material used in the erection of a house his father built in 1879 on the
home place southwest of Everton, and at sixteen was driving four- and six-
horse teams, even at thirteen having driven six-horse teams, getting timber

- i-.\yi-;ttk corNTV, Indiana. 805

(lilt of the wiHids. Ik' early liecaiiie an expert stockman and for years dealt
extensively in live stock, jony- heint^- rei^arded as one of tlie liest jndi^es of
mules, particularly, in this part of the state, his serxices heiui^' much in demand
as a jud,i,re at county fairs and stock shows. .Mr. White is an ardent Ivepuh-
lican an<l from the da\s of his l)o\hood has taken an interested part in
local politics. In iSy4 he was elected assessor of Jackson township, his
term to run four \ ears, hut hy reason of legislative changes made during
his incumbency he was kept in ofifice for five years. In 1902 Mr. White was
elected as a member of the board of count)- commissioners from his district
and was unanimously renominated for that ofifice and re-elected, thus serving
two terms in that important office, or six years, during which time nuich
bridge and road work was carried out in this county. During the past live
years Mr. White was matle his home in llverton, where he and his family
are very comfortably situated. He is a member of local lodge of the Knights
of Pythias and was a trustee of the lodge when the lodge building was
erected at Everton in 1892. He also is a member of the local lodge of the
Loyal Order of Moose and in the affairs of both of these organizations takes
a warm interest.

On January 17, 1889, John Melvin White was united" in marriage to
\'iola Terduie, who was born at Everton and who. like her husband, has
spent all her life in Jackson-township. She is a daughter of Harrison and
Lizzie (Hubbell) Perduie, the former a native of Ohio ami the latter of
Connecticut, who were for years well-known residents of iixerton. Harri-
son Perduie was born on November 9, 1835, at Harrison, Ohio, son of Rufus
and Polly Perduie, and his wife was a daughter of Joel Hubbell, who settled
at Mt. Carmel, in Franklin county, this state, in 1839. Harrison Perduie
was a painter and followed that trade at Everton until his death on July 17,
1894. He was a memljer of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and
of the Red Men. His widow, who was born on June 17, 1838, survived
him vmtil August 2"/, 191 1, she then being seventy-three years of age.
To Air. and Mrs. White four children have been l)orn. all of whom are liv-
ing save their only son, Dolph, who died when two years of age, the daugh-
ters being Ethel, who married Burleigh Durbin, of C'onnersville, and has one
child, a son, Burleigh Melvin ; Alary Catherine, who married Harry Griffith
and now resides at Los .\ngeles, California, and Mildred, who is still in
school.

"Mel" White is a member of one of the oldest families in b'ayette C()unty
and his grandparents on both sides, as noted above, took an active part in
early afTairs in the southeastern part of the county, his mother's parents

8o6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

James Kerr and wife, being particularly well remembered throughout that
section by reason of Mr. Kerr's early connection with the schools of the
Everton neighborhood. For several years he taught a school conducted on
the farm on which his daughter, Sarah, Mr. White's mother, was born and
where she spent all her life. James Kerr married Margaret, or "Peggy"
Grist, who came from North Carolina to Indiana when a child with her par-
ents, George Grist and wife, who built a home in the woods in the south-
eastern part of this county; their first habitation there being a mere pole and
brush lean-to, which they equipped with a bedstead made of poles stuck into
holes bored into the supporting posts of the cabin. Even after James Kerr
and "Peggy" Grist were married things were still in an unsettled state here-
about and wild animals occasionally invaded the settlements. One day when
Mrs. Kerr was going to the nearby spring for a pail of water she came upon
a bear lumbering up the path. It is doubtful which was more astonished,
Mrs. Kerr or the bear: but the bear, at least, was sufficiently startled out of
his bearings to seek safety in the .branches of a birch tree standing near the
spring. Mrs. Kerr called her husliand and the latter appeared on the scene
with a rifle, with which he speedily dispatched bruin, and the Kerrs and their
pioneer neighbors were thus provided with some very fine bear steak. James
Kerr died in 1877.

CHARLIE NEWLAND.

Charlie Newland, one of Fair\iew township's best-known and most pro-
gressive farmers, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his
life, actively engaged in farming with the exception of a couple of years
engaged in business in Connersville. He was bom on a farm one mile south
of Alquina, in Jennings township. March 24, 1858, son of John and Maria
f Edwards) Newland, both also natives of this county, the former born on
that same farm, where he spent all his life, with the exception of one year.

John Newland was born on March 12, 1819, son of James and Hannah
(Huff) Newland, who were among the early settlers of that part of the
county and influential factors in the development of the same. James New-
land was born in Washington county, Penn.sylvania, December 29, 1782,
and was early left an orphan.. When he was twelve years of age his place
of residence was changed to Bracken county, Kentucky, and later he moved
to Lexington, in that same state, -where he learned the trade of a cabinet-
maker, a trade he followed all his life. He was living in Lexington when

FAYETTK COLNTV. INDIANA. S07

the second war uf American independence broke out and he served during-
the War of 1812 as a member of Captain Smith's troop of the First Ken-
tucky Regiment, which performed \ahant ser\ice along the Indiana frontier
under the command of General Harrison. On January 18, 18 14, he married,
in Bracken county, Kentuck)-, Hannah Huff, of that county, whose parents,
John and Martha Huff, natives of the state of Pennsylvania, later came to
Indiana and settled in Union county, where they spent their last days. In
18 1 4, shortly after his marriage, James Xewland, in company with the twt)
Piggmans. Jesse and Adam, and John Huff, came up into Indiana Territory
looking for land and were so well pleased with the lay of the land up here
in the valley of the White Water that James Newland entered a tract of
three hundred and twenty acres, in what afterward came to be organized as
Jennings township, this county, and the otiiers entered one hundred and
sixty-six acres each. Upon securing the title to his land James Xewland
returned to Kentucky and in i8r8 came back up here with his family and
established his home on his half section in Jennings township. He was a
man of large views, sagacious and intelligent and he prospered in his under-
takings, soon coming to be regarded as one of the leaders in that community,
as he also was one of its most substantial citizens. He was one of the trustees
of the old county library board and in other wa\s did his part in developing
the social and cultural life of the new community. He was an ardent Mason,
having joined that order in the early days of the institution of Freemasonry
at Cincinnati, and all his life took an active interest in IMasonic affairs.
James Xewland died on his old home place in Jennings township in January,
1849. and his widow survived him but six months, her death occurring in
July of that same year.

John X^ewland was reared on the Imme farm in Jennings township and
there spent practically all his life. As a boy he was attentive to his studies,
the schooling he received in the primitive schools of that day being supple-
mented by valuable instructions received irom his parents, and he taught the
first school opened at .\k|uina. On .\pril 20. 1843, ''^ married Maria
Edwards, daughter of \\'illiam and Rachel Edwards, pioneers of that part
of the county, and after his marriage established his home on the old home
place, which, after the death of his parents five years later, he continued to
operate the rest of his life. "Uncle" John X'ewland, as he was known
throughout that whole countryside, was a good farmer and became the owner
of four hundred and twenty-five acres of land, one of the best-improved farms
in that part of the count\-. He was an ardent Mason and an equally ardent
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a member of both the

8o8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

subordinate lodge and the encampment of the latter order, to which latter he
was admitted on June 4, 1863. He was raised to the degree of master
Mason in Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons, December 11,
1869, and in the afifairs of both of these fraternal organizations ever took an
earnest interest. "Uncle" John Newland died at his home in Jennings town-
ship on November 15, 1893, l''*^ then being se\-enty-four years, eight months
and three days of age, survived by his widow and six of their seven children
and seven grandchildren.

Charlie Newland farmed on the home farm south of Alquina from the
days of his youth until recent years. .\s a boy of fifteen years he started to
do things on his own behalf, his father at that time turning over to him a
couple of acres of ground on w hich to try his hand both as a wheat farmer
and as a corn fanner. The desire to do the best he knew how prompted him
to give his best efforts to the cultivation of this tract and he had an acre of
wheat and an acre of corn that was the pride of the neighborhood. This
initial effort encouraged him to take an interest in the work of the farm and
his father gave him every opportunity to acquire a careful knowledge of
farming and farm management. In addition to his general farming he early
began to give his attention to the raising of live stock, with particular atten-
tion to t!ie breeding of pure-bred Berkshire hogs, and he made quite a suc-
cess in that line. After his marriage in 188 1 he continued to make his home
on the old home farm until in March, 1907, when he moved to Connersville
and was there engaged in the feed business for about two years, at the end
of which time he bought the farm of one hundred and fifteen acres in the
southeastern part of Fairview township, where he since has made his home
and where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. The day on which
Mr. Newland took possession of that farm the barn burned with all its con-
tents, entailing upon him a loss of about three thousand dollars, but he
immediately rebuilt the barn and now has a better one than before. An
unusual series of misfortunes in his life which Mr. Newland sometimes refers
to is the fact that within a period of thirteen years he broke his right leg-
four times, the accident in each instance being due to an apparently trivial
cause. The house in which Mr. and Mrs. Newland live was built about sixty
years ago and was constructed of timber grown on the place, poplar, walnut
and gray, so substantially that the house still has a look of being almost new.
There is a well constructed basement underneath the whole house and in one
of the rooms of this basement is a great old-fashioned fireplace with a crane
in it. Air. Newland has made further improvements to the place since he
took it in charge and has a very well-kept farm plant.

FAYETTE COUNTY,

809

As noted above, Charlie Newland was married in 1881. His wife,
Margaret Belle Thomas, was born in Columbia township, this county, daugh-
ter of Gilbert V. and Sarah (Allen) Thomas, the former a native of New
York state and the latter of Indiana, whose last days were spent on a farm
in Columbia township. Gilbert V. Thomas, who was born in 1808, came to
Indiana from New York and became an early settler in Columbia township,
this county, where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife, Sarah Allen,
was born and reared on a farm in the Duck Creek neighborhood, in Franklin,
county, three and one-half miles south of Everton. Mr. and Mrs. Newland
take a proper interest in the general social affairs of their home neighborhood
and are helpful in all good works thereabout. Mr. Newland is a member of
the Knights of Pythias, with which order he has been affiliated for thirty-
three years, and a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, with which
organization he has been affiliated for twenty-seven years.

WILLIAM R. PHILLIPS, M. D.

Dr. William R. Phillips, a well-known practicing physician at Orange
and thoroughly identified with the best interests of that community, is a
native Hoosier and has lived in this state all his life. He was born at
Chelsea, in Jefferson county, this state, October 26, 1878, son of Dr. Andrew
H. and Elvira G. (McKeand) Phillips, both of whom were born in that
same county and whose last days were spent there.

Dr. Andrew H. Phillips, who was born in 1844, was a son of George
C. and Abigail (Harland) Phillips, the former of whom was a grandson
of George C. Phillips, who came from England in 1832 and settled in Jeffer-
son county, this state. Abigail Harland was a member of the widely repre-
sented Harland family in this country, the family descending from two
brothers, George and Michael Harland, who came to Amei-ica in Colonial
times and whose descendants recently held a reunion in Chicago, at which
covers were laid for fifteen hundred persons, including among the number
some of the foremost men of this country. When the Civil War broke out
Andrew H. Phillips was but seventeen years of age. He tried to enter the
service of the Union army, but his enlistment was rejected on physical grounds.
He later was accepted, however, and served in the hospital service for about
a year. At the close of the war he found his sympathies so closely in touch
with the medical practice that he decided to become a physician and with that

8lO l-AYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

object in view came to this county and began the study of medicine in the
office of his brother-in-law, Doctor Sipe, at Fayetteville, now Orange, and
after a course of study under that preceptorship returned to his home in
Jefferson county and began the practice of medicine at Chelsea. He later
entered the Indiana Medical College and was graduated from that institution
in 1875. Ten years later he entered upon a post-graduate course in the
medical college at Cincinnati and was graduated from that institution in
1886, after which he resumed his practice at Chelsea, where he died on Sep-
temljer 8, f888. His wife had preceded him to the grave about three years,
her death having occurred in 1885. She also was born in Jefferson county,
daughter of James and Sarah (Wood) McKeand, the former of whom, a
cooper and shoemaker, was of Scottish descent. Dr. Andrew H. Phillips and
wife were members of the Methodist church. The Doctor was a Mason,
having affiliated with that ancient order while living at old Fayetteville, in
this county. He took an active part in political affairs and for some years
served as trustee of his home township in Jefferson county.

Dr. William R. Phillips received admirable training for the exacting
profession upon which early in life he decided to enter. Though but ten
years of age when his father died he had even then determind to follow his
father's profession and early began reading to that end. Following his gradu-
ation from the high school at Lexington, this state, he entered the Marion
Normal College and continued his studies there until within about ten weeks
of the time he should have graduated. He then began teaching school and
for about three years was thus engaged, in the meantime pursuing privately
his medical studies, and in due time entered the Kentucky School of Medi-
cine at Louisville, from which institution he was graduated on July 12, 1905.
Thus equipped for the practice of his profession. Doctor Phillips came to
Fayette county and opened an office at Orange, where his uncle, Doctor Sipe,
years before had been in practice and wherfe his father gained his early medi-
cal education. There Doctor Phillips has ever since been engaged in practice
and has been quite successful. He has an excellent practice and is in numerous
useful ways identified with the growing interests of the community of which
he has become an influential factor. Doctor Phillips is a Republican and dur-
ing the memorable campaign of 191 2 put in his lot with the Progressive wing
of that party and was nominated for the office of coroner of Fayette county
and for joint representative of Fayette and Franklin counties, but withdrew
from the race in order to support James K. Mason, Republican nominee.
Doctor Phillips is a Mason, as was his father, and has twice been master of
Orange Lodge No. 234, Free and Accepted Masons, in which lodge he has
tilled ail the offices save those of secretarv and treasurer. He also is a mem-

I-AYETTK COrXTV, IXDIAXA. 8ll

her of the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men. has tilled all the
offices in that lodge with the exception of that of keeper <jf \vanii)uni, and is
now district deputy great sachem of the order of this tribe.

On Deceml)er 25, 1901, Dr. William R. Phillips was united in marriage
to Mary Wilson, of Forest, Ohio, who was lx)rn in Hardin county, that state,
daughter of Randall A. and Lydia J. (Coleman) Wilson, and who was
attending the normal school at Marion at the time she met Doctor Phillips.
She taught school for one term before her marriage. To Doctor and Mrs.
Phillips four children have been Ixirn, one of whom, William R., died when
seven weeks old. The other children are David Coleman. Nilah Grace and
Richard Austin. The Doctor, his wife and family, are members of the
Christian church at Orange and take a proper interest in church work, as well
as in the general good works of the community in which they live, helpful
in promoting all worthy causes therealxiut.

TORN C. NAYLOR.

John C. Xaylor. one of Fair\iew township's best-known and most sub-
stantial farmers, was born in a log house on a pioneer farm in Blooming
Grove township, in the neighboring county of Franklin, and has lived in
this section of Indiana all his life. He was born on December 6, 1856, son
of Joel and Sarali (Glidewell) Xaylor, both of whom were born and reared
in Franklin count}-, members of pioneer families there, and both of whom
have been dead for many >ears, the subject of this sketch having been orphaned
when but a child.

John P. Naylor. father of Joel Xaylor. was one of the earliest .settlers in
the Blooming Grove settlement in Franklin count)'. He was born in i'ennsyl-
vania about 1792 and when twenty years of age came to Indiana Territory on
a prospecting trip, crossing the site of what is now the prosjjerous city of
Connersville when there was but one log cabin there. He went on farther to
the west and entered a tract of one hundred and sixty acres near the junction
of White river and Fall creek, where the cit\' of Indianapolis later came to
be laid out by the state survey party sent out by the Legislature to locate a
capital for the state. He cleared c|uite a bit of that track, land now a part of
the city of Indianapolis, but the constant prevalence of fever and ague in the
swampy country so discouraged him that he abandoned the farm and moved
to F'ranklin county. His widowed mother and two sisters were with him, hav-
ing moved out from Pennsylvania to join him in his Indiana home, and they

Si 2 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

established their home in Blooming Grove township upon moving to Frank-
lin county and there became established as among the early settlers of that
part of the county. John P. Naylor became a contractor during the time
of the construction of the old White Water canal and built a number of the
aqueducts along the course of that historic waterway. He was a man of
robust and vigorous pliysic|ue and lived to be about eighty-five years of age.

Joel Naylor grew up in Franklin county and became a carpenter and
stone mason, as well as a farmer, and some two-story houses he built in his
home neighborhood are still standing. Pie was killed by the kick of a horse
in i860, his son, the subject of this sketch being then but three years of age.
Flis widow, who was born in Franklin county, a daughter of Nash Glide\\ell
and wife. Virginians, who had settled in Franklin county in pioneer days,
sur\'i\ed him about eight years, her death occurring when her son, John C,
was eleven years of age.

Following the death of his mother, John C. Naylor made his home with
his uncle. William Naylor, for three years, at the end of which time he went
to Connersville, where he found employment in a machine shop and wood-
working establishnfent and presently became an expert machinist and cabinet-
maker, trades that he followed in that city for twenty-three years. In 1898
he traded his home in Connersville for a farm in Fairview township and on
February 20, 1899, moved onto that farm, where he ever since has made his
home and where he has done very well as a farmer. Mr. Naylor has a well-
kept farm of one hundred and sixty-one acres and has improved the same in
excellent shape, conducting his farming operations in accordance with the
approved methods of modern agriculture.

On October 3, 1883, John C. Naylor was united in marriage to Isabel
Waggoner, who was born in Wabash county, this state, daughter of Michael
and Sarah (Clanford) Waggoner, the former of whom was born near Flat
Rock, in Rush county, this state, and the latter in Pen Yan county. New
^'ork. Michael Waggoner lived at Henryville a short time after his mar-
riage and then moved to Wabash county, where he farmed for a few years,
at the end of which time he returned to this part of the state and settled on
a farm on the north edge of Franklin county, in Blooming Grove township,
where he spent most of the remainder of his life, his last days being spent in
the village of Blooming Grove, where his daughter, Isabel, was living at the
time of her marriage to Mr. Naylor. To that union one child has been born,
a daughter, Marie. Mr. and Mrs. Naylor are members of the Methodist
church and take a proper part in church work, as well as in the general social
activities of the community in which they live.

FAYKTXr; COUNTY, INDIANA. 813

RlCJIARn WASSOX SI PI', M. D.

When Dr. Riclianl W'asson Sii)e died at his hdiiie in (Jranoe in the sum-
mer of 1916, ti'.ere was sincere mournino- thri>ui;liiiut that part oi the county
and througliout the neighboring sections of tlie counties of l'"ranl<hn and
Rusli. for in his passing there had departed from that community a strong.
])ersona! inlluence that had been exerted in all good ways thereabout for more
than half a century. Settling at Orange — then old Fayetteville — as a young
man just out of college and full of enthusiasm for his profession, Doctor
Sipe from the very beginning of his residence there, devoted his best energies
to the alleviation of the ills of that neighborhood and to the promotion in
all ways of the interests of the community. Always ready to relieve distress,
he would go any place at any time on call of the ailing and ni;uiy times in
.sea.sons of epidemic ov more than usual illness would ritle until exliausted.
.The friend of all, he was retained as the family physician in most of the
families of that community througii two generations, the grandclnldren of
his original patients coming, in their generation, to rely upon the wisdom and
skill of the old physician. Counsellor and adviser, as well as physician. Doc-
tor Sipe was a veritable mentor in that community for many years and his
influence ever was e.xerted for the good. Even when enfeebled by ad\anc-
ing years the calls upon his services continued and toward the end he often
responded to these calls at times when his physical strength was probably
far less than that of the patients who relied upon him, and he maintained his
active practice up to within two months of liis death. Lenient in matters
in\-olving fees for his ser\-ices, the Doctor oftentimes neglected the mere
material side of his afifairs to his own financial detriment, ever declining to
press a bill for services rendered in behalf of those he suspected might find
it inconvenient to pay: Imt he had his reward in the sense of duty well per-
formed, realizing in the gratitude of those whom he thus served that higher
profit which comes to those who are really servants of mankind and which is
not based upon monetary standards, and his memory long will lie cherished
in the community he served so long and so faithfully.

Richard W'asson Sipe was a native of Indiana, born in Jefferson county,
-April 8. 1840, son of William and Mary (W'asson) Sipe. and lived on a
farm until he was about thirteen years of age, when an attack of white-swell-
ing crippled him so that for four years he was compelled to go on crutches
and rendered him halt for life. Thus shut in from the ordinary activities of
youth he became deeply interested in his books, presently turning his studies
to account by beginning the study of medical works and thus equipped by

8l4 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

preparatory study, ^\■hen about twenty years of age entered the Ohio Medical
College at Cincinnati, Ohio, and after a four-year course in that institution
was graduated with the degree of doctor of medicine in 1864. Upon secur-
ing his diploma Doctor Sipe located at Fayettevill^ (now Orange), in this
county, opened there an office for the practice of his profession and there
remained, actively engaged in practice the rest of his life. In 1872 Doctor
Sipe took a post-graduate course in medicine at Indianapolis and early became
recognized as one of the most thoroughly qualified physicians in this part of
the state, liis practice extending east as far as the White \A^ater river, south
as far as Laurel and half way to Rushville on the west. The Doctor was a
busy man and ever took an acti\e interest in the public affairs of the com-
munity. I'or two terms he served as trustee of Orange township and served
as a memljer of the county council from the time of the creation of that body,
being a member of the council at the time of his death. He was a stanch
Republican and for many years was regarded as one of the leaders of that
party in this county. A man of strong religious convictions, Doctor Sipe
was a member of the Presbyterian church at Glenwood and took an active
part in church work, as well as in all neighborhood good works. His death
occurred at his home in Orange on June 30, 1916, after a residence of more
than half a century at that place.

On May 23, 1866, in Jefferson county, tiiis state. Dr. Richard \V. Sipe
was united in marriage to Sarah A. Phillips, who was born in that county,
a daughter of ^^^illiam and Nancy (Hearn) Phillips, the former a native of
the state of Pennsylvania and the latter, of Kentucky. William Phillips was
a son of Joshua and Mary Phillips and was but a child when his parents came
from Pennsylvania to Indiana and settled in what then was the "wilds" of
Jefferson county. William Phillips was reared as a farmer and became a
farmer on his own account. He died when iiis daughter, Sarah, was but an
infant and his widow continued to make her iiome on the old Phillips farm,
where she spent the rest of her life and where her daughter Sarah lived until
her marriage to Doctor Sipe. l'<i that union were born seven children, Eva,
who died in her seventh year, \\'illiam, John, Clara, Fred, Florence and
Richard.

William Sipe, who continues to make his home in the Sipe residence
with liis mother at Orange, is successfully engaged in farming. On Decem-
Ijer 29, 1892, he was united in marriage to Hester McKee, who was jjorn in
the neighboring county of Rush, a daughter of Charles H. and Catiierine
McKee, the former of whom also was born in Rush county, son of lohn
McKee, one of the pioneers of that county. Charles H. McKee spent all his

FAYKTTK COINTV, INDIANA. 815

lite on the land wliicli his father had entered from tlie 5J,nernnicnt upon
setthno- in Ivusli county in ])ioneer da\s. \\^illiam Sipe and wife have four
ciiildren, namely: Claude, who is a student at Hanover College; Margaret,
who also attended school at Hanover and is now teaching school at Orange;
Louise, now a student at Hanover, and Leon, who is still pursuing his com-
mon-school studies. William Sipe is a member of the Masonic order and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.

Dr. John Sipe, second son of Dr. Richard W. Sipe, is a practicing physi-
cian at Carthage, this state. He married Anna Jones, of Rush county and
has two children, Dorothy and Clarabelle. Clara Sipe married Robert F.
Titsworth, who later moved to Sedaha, Missouri, where she died in Novem-
ber, 1894, leaving two children, John and Frank. Fred Sipe became a farmer
and lived at Orange until his death in 1902. He left a widow, Anna Sipe,
and one child, a daughter, Grace. Florence Sipe married Jesse Kennedy, a
postal clerk, living at Indianapolis, and has two children, Lelia and Donald.
Richard Sipe is a well-known lawyer at Indianapolis and was elected as one
of the representatives from Marion county to the state Legislature in 1916.
He married Grace Frazee, of Rush county and has one child, a daughter,
Ruth.

FRFD DOFXGES.

Fred Doenges, general manager and secretary-treasurer of the White
Water Creamery Company, of Connersville, and formerly and for years con-
nected with the wood-working industries of that city, was born at Lawrence-
burg, this state, March 15, 1878, son of Simon and Amelia (Kring) Doenges,
who later became residents of Connersville and further and fitting reference
to whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Both Simon Doenges and his
wife were born in Germany, hut were not married luitil after tiieir arri\al
in this country.

Fred Doenges was about thirteen years of age when his parents moved
from Lawrenceburg to Connersville and in the latter cit\- he became engaged
as a wood carver in the furniture factory, a trade at which he worked there
and at other points in Indiana and Ohio until in 191 1. when he organized the
White Water Creamery Company at Connersville, was elected secretary-
treasurer of the same and was installed as general manager of the plant, a
position which he still occupies. The White Water Creamery Company has
built up a large business since its organization in 191 1 and its product is in

8l6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

wide demand. Tlie company owns a dairy farm of one hundred and sixty
acres surrounding the famous old "Elepliant Hill," northwest of Connersville,
and there maintains one of the best herds of dairy cattle in Indiana. The
dairy plant has been constructed along modern lines, embodying all the latest
devices for the proper production of daiiy products, the dairy barn being
regarded as a model of its kind. On this dairy farm still stands the old school
house, which in the days it did duty as the district school there was widely
known as "Elephant Hill College." It is still in an excellent state of repair
and is now doing duty as a tool house, a part of the plant of the dairy company.
On October 22, 1914, Fred Doenges was united in marriage to Magde-
lena Friedgen, daughter of the Reverend Friedgen, founder of the German
Presbyterian church at Connersville. Mr. and Mrs. Doenges have a pleasant
home in Connersville and take an earnest interest in the general social activities
of the city.

GEORGE E. MANLOVE.

George E. Manlove, one of the well-known and prominent retired farm-
ers of Fayette county, now living at Connersville, was born in Posey town-
ship, this county, January 23, i8.}5, the son of William and Margaret
( Munger ) Manlove.

William Manlove was the first white child born in Posey township, and
his wife was born near Dayton, Ohio. William Manlove was the son of
George Manlove, a native of North Carolina, who grew to manhood in that
state and came to Fayette county, Indiana, in the year 181 1. The trip from
the North Carolina home was made with horses and wagon, a number of
other families from that section coming to the Hoosier territory at the same
time to seek homes in the then far west. Mr. Manlove settled in section 28,
township 15, range 12 east, and entered the whole section. The tract at
that time was covered with heavy timber and he later sold the place. There
were many Indians in this region at that time and they caused the settlers
much trouble and annoyance. Mr. Manlove left this part of the state and
went south to the Ohio river, where he remained until 1815, when he returned
to the township, and here the son William was born that same year, he being
the first white child born in that section, so far as is known. In returning
from a trip to Cincinnati, George Manlove developed a case of cholera and
died in the year 183 1. His wife, Mary Caldwell Manlove, whom he mar-
ried in North Carolina, died in Rush county, Indiana.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 817

Conditions of living in the settlement at that time were of the crudest
sort and the early settlers suffered many hardships. They had to depend
upon themselves for nearly all the necessities of life, and much of their liv-
ing was obtained from the forest and the streams. Their homes were of
the rudest kind and very few comforts were obtainable by even the best of
the families. Yet, withal, a hardy race was developed, and many of the
men and women who lived their early lives as pioneers in this Indiana county,
became successful and worthy members of society. They had to do with
the primeval conditions and to them was left the development of the terri-
tory and the formation of the future government. Their task was a hard
one, yet they met the many difficulties with a determination that was worthy
of their best efforts. Townships and counties had to be organized, schools
and churches established, and business enterprises undertaken. Their work
was well done and the finished product, as shown in the splendid farms,
beautiful homes, and thriving towns and cities of Fayette county, is the
result of the work done by the people of those early days.

George and Alary Manlove were the parents of nine children, John,
William, Joseph, Joseph C, Lydia. Hannah, James, David and George.
John grew to manhood in his home count}- and later became a resident of
Hamilton county. Infliana : Joseph died when he was but a small child ; Joseph
C. and James li\ed in Tipton counties: Hannah became the wife of Hugh
Dicky and made her home in Tipton county; Lydia married James McClure
and made her home at Salem, Iowa, and David and George lived in Rush
county, Indiana.

William Manlove received his education in the primitive school heUl in
the old log school house. He was ever a student and received much of his
education through his own efforts, coming to be considered a well-educated
man for those days. He taught school in the county and met with much
success in tiie work. He continued to live at home until he was twenty
years of age, when he married and located on a farm which he had pur-
chased, one mile west of the old homestead. That eighty-acre farm he
developed and there he made his home until 1876, when he purchased another
farm, farther south, to which he added until he became the owner of eight
hundred and fifty acres of splendid land. There he engaged in general farm-
ing and stock raising and became well known throughout the county.
Politically, he was, as a youn.g man, identified with the Whig party and later
with the Republican party. He always took a deep interest in local affairs
and was a man in whom all had confidence and for whom all entertained a
(52)

ei5 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

feeling of respect. While he was not a seeker after office, he had much to
do with the civic life of his district.

William and Margaret Manlove were the parents of the following chil-
dren: Oliver, George E., John L., Emory and Mary L. Oliver Manlove
married Elizabeth Scott and was for many years a successful teacher, farmer
and mechanic. His death occurred some years ago. John L. Manlove is
now living on the old home place in Posy township. He married Mary
Ella Scott, who now is deceased. Emory Manlove, who owns a part of the
old home place, is now living at Connersville. He married Emily Johnson.
Mary L., the widow of Calvin Myers, now lives south of Bentonville.

George E. Manlove received his early schooling in the home schools and
later attended the Dublin high school. He was reared on the old home
farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work. He remained
at home until 1877, when, in January of that year, he was united in mar-
riage to Malinda Wallace, of Wayne county, daughter of James and Nancy
(Cluckner) Wallace. Her father was a native of Indiana, having been born
south of Milton, and her mother was born in the state of Pennsylvania. The
father of James \Vallace was John Wallace, a native of Scotland, who mar-
ried Mary Banks. John Wallace left his native land in his young manhood
and came to the United States, coming on out to Indiana and locating on a
farm two and one-half miles south of Milton, where he entered three hun-
dred and twenty acres of land and where he married and established his home.

John and Mary Wallace were the parents of the following children :
Oliver, Cyrus, Stephen, James, John, William, Preston, Sallie, Richard,
Emily, Allen and one who died in infancy. Oliver Wallace lived for many
years on a farm near the old home place. Stephen Wallace died at the age
of twenty-one years. Cyrus and John Wallace were farmers in their home
county. William, Preston and Richard Wallace were residents of Wabash
county. Emily Wallace married James Williams, a farmer living south of
Milton, and Allen Wallace died in Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace were
prominent in the activities of their home community and were highly
respected in that community.

James Wallace was born on Febrary 17, 1821. and died in the year
1880. His wife was born on July 20, 1829, and died in the year 1903.
They were members of the Christian church and took much interest in church
work and in the general social life of the county. They were the parents
of three children, Alonzo, Malinda and Clara. Alonzo Wallace was born on
Julv 30, 1850. He was united in marriage to Phoebe Caldwell and they
lived on the home place until the time of their deaths some years ago.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIAXA. 819

Maliiula Wallace married George E. Manlove and Clara Wallace married
Albert Griffin and lives southeast of Connersville.

To Georfje E. and Malinda (Wallace) Manlove have been born two
children, Bertha and Ortha. The former is the wife of Homer Elorea, a
successful farmer and stockman of this county. They have one child, a
daughter, Hazel. Ortha is the v.'ife of Ray Thomburg, a well-known
farmer, stockman and automobile dealer, living south of Bentonville. They
are the parents of one child, a daughter, Ethel. Soon after their marriage,
Mr. and Mrs. Alanlove located on a farm in section 33, Harrison townshi]).
where for thirty years Mr. Manlove was successfully engaged in general
farming and stockraising. In the year 1905, he retired from the more active
duties of life and moved to Connersville, where he and his wife now live in
their beautiful home at 1307 Central avenue.

While on his farm of three hundred and fourteen acres George E. Man-
love devoted much attention to the breeding and raising of live stock, and
was particularly interested in Shorthorn cattle. Poland-China hogs and draft
horses. He was always a lover of good horses and at various times owned
some fine ones, his success as a stockman being widely known throughout
the district. Mr. Manlove is now one of the directors of the Central State
Bank at Connersville and is a man of much influence. He and his wife
have many friends in Connersville, as vi-ell as throughout the county. The
records of the Manlove familv have been traced back to 166^.

WILLIAM R. PORTER.

William R. Porter, a well-known and substantial farmer of Conners-
ville township, this county, and the proprietor of a fine farm about three miles
southwest of Connersville, in that township, was born on a farm in that same
vicinity, December 7, 1850, and has lived in this countv all bis life, with the
exception of a few years spent in Wabash county, this state, during the days
of his young manhood. He is the son of Clark and Elizabeth (Reed) Porter,
l)oth of whom were born in Connersville township and who spent all their
lives there, substantial and influential farming people.

Clark Porter was born on the same farm as was his son, mentioned above,
in 1817, a son of Joshua Porter and wife, who settled in that community
among the earliest settlers of Fayette county and there spent the rest of their
lives, useful pioneers. On that pioneer farm Clark Porter spent all his life.

820 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

one of Fa}'ette count}'"s best-known citizens. He acquired a good piece of
])roperty and was quite well circumstanced at the time of his death, which
occurred in 1894, lie then being seventy-seven years of age. His widow
survived him about four years, her death occurring in 1898. She was born
in the same neighborhood as was her husband, a bit more than three miles
southwest of Connersville, a daughter of Thomas and Susanna (Pollard)
Reed, well-known among the pioneers of that community. Thomas Reed
came to this country from Ireland and entered a quarter of a section of land
in section 34 of Connersville township, this county, getting the land from
the government for one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre. His tract was
covered with timber, much of which was fine w^alnut, and upon locating there
he cleared a small tract and put up a log cabiil, the floor of which was the
earth, and he and his wife started keeping house there with tables and seats
hewed out of logs. Later he built a better log house, this latter having a
plank floor, and afterward added to the same another room built of brick.
There he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring about 1850. To
Clark Porter and wife were born seven children, five of whom, Wallace,
Thomas R., Clark, William R. and Robert M., grew to maturity, and three
of whom, Thomas R., William R. and Robert M., are'still living.

William R. I^orter received his schooling in the schools in the neighbor-
hood of his old home and remained at home until he was eighteen years of
age, \\hen, in 1868, he and one of his brothers went to Wabash county, where,
in the vicinity of LaGro, they began farming a place of eighty acres which
their father had bought there, land that had been entered by their mother's
brother, Thomas Reed. Later Clark Porter bought another eighty adjoining
that place, and William R. Porter remained there farming with his brother
for a couple of years or more, at the end of which time he returned to the
old home farm in this county and there remained until his marriage in the
spring of 1876, when he and his wife located on the farm where they are now
li\-ing, three miles southwest of Connersville, and there have ever since made
their home. The farm which Mr. Porter bought at the time of his marriage,
a tract of ninety acres, was a bit of natural meadow and he was spared the
difficulties of clearing the same. He hais made all the improvements on the
place and has one of the best farm ])lants in that part of the county, includ-
ing a neat and commodious dwelling, and he and his family are very pleasantly
situated. Mr. Porter has done well in his farming operations and as he
prospered Ijought seventy-six acres adjoining his original place on the west
and another tract of eight}' acres, a part of Grandfather Reed's old farm,
and is now the owner of two hundred and forty-six acres of excellent land.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 821

Air. Porter is an ardent I'ruhibitionist and for years has taken an active and
earnest interest in tlie ati'airs of tliat party, attending the state and national
conventions of tlie same and in many ways doing his part in prnninting the
principles of the party.

In the spring of iSjfo, William R. I'orter was united in marriage to
Alice Martin, who was born at Bentonville, this county, a daughter of Ezra
and Caroline (Dale) .Martin, further mention of whom is made elsewhere
in this volume, and to this union ti\e children hax'e been born, namely :
Martin D., who married Lottie Guffin and lives on a farm adjoining that of
liis father on the west; Clarence E., who is a photographer at Connersville ;
\\'illiam G., who is at home; (irace, who married Charles Schuler, of Con-
nersville, and has had four chiUlren. two, I-lsther and Dorothy, living, and
two who died when about two years of age, and Ernest, who is employed in
a foundry at Connersville. Mr. and Mrs. Porter are members of the Chris-
tian church and take a proper part in church affairs. Mr. Porter is a mem-
ber of the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men and lakes a warm
interest in the affairs of that organization.

HARRY H. SMITH.

Harry H. Smith, superintendent of the Fayette county infirmar\-, or
"county farm." is a native of the state of Missouri, but has been a resident
of Indiana since the days of his infancy. He was born in Alaysville, Mis-
souri, February i8, 1872, son of Carey and Eva (Hamers) Smith, the former
of whom was born in Mississippi and the latter in Missouri, but both of whom
were reared in Indiana, where they spent most of their lives.

Carey Smith was but a child when his parents moved from his native
Mississippi and came to Indiana, locating in Indianapolis, where he grew to
manhood and where he married Eva Hamers. who was born in Missouri and
who was but a child when her parents, Andrew and Eliza Hamers left that
state and came to Indiana, locating in Madison county, near .Anderson. Fol-
lowing their marriage Carey Smith and wife went to Missouri, locating at
Maysville, where they made their home for two years and wJiere tlie subject
of this sketch was born. Carey Smith was a stonecutter by trade and u|)on
his return to Indianapolis from Missouri engaged in that vocation tliere and
was thus engaged at that place until his death in 1875. His widow married
John McCormack and moved to Cadiz, in Henry county, this state, where
she spent the rest of her life, her death occurring in 191 2.

822 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Harry H. Smith was about three years of age when his father died and
the most of his youth was spent in Tipton county, where, when old enough
to do so, he became engaged in farm work. When seventeen years of age he
came to Fayette county and began to work on farms in Connersville in Jack-
son townships and was thus engaged until his marriage in 1895, when he
and his wife began keeping house on the Welch farm near Alquina, presently
moving thence to a farm in Columbia township, where Mr. Smith farmed
until about 1899, when they moved to a farm about one and one-half miles
west of Connersville, later moving to Jackson township, where they lived
until IVJr. Smith received the appointment from the board of county com-
missioners in March, 1914. to the position of superintendent of the county
farm, since which time they have occupied the administration building at the
infirmary. Since Mr. Smith's appointment to the position of superintendent
of the infirmary, the county has erected new buildings on the old county farm
and in other ways has greatly improved conditions at the institution, which
is now regarded as one of the best-equipped and most capably conducted
county infirmaries in the state. Mr. Smith is a Republican and for years
has taken an acti\e interest in local political affairs.

On October 2, 1895, Harry H. Smith was united in marriage to Clara
Stevens, who was born near Orange, this county, a daughter of William and
Ellen (Stephen) Stevens, both members of pioneer families in this part of
the state. \\'illiam Ste\ens was born at Laurel, in the neighboring county
of Franklin, in 1853, a son of Abner and Elizabeth Stevens, who lived in or
near Laurel until their children were grown, after which they came to this
county and located on a farm west of Alpine. Abner Stevens was a member
of one of the first families that settled in this part of the state. One of his
aunts was stolen by the Indians when three or four years of age and grew
up among Indians. She married a red man and spent her life among the
members of the tribe which had brought her up. ^^'hen Abner Stevens came
over into Fayette county his son, William, accompanied him and here William
Stevens married Ellen S. Stephen, who also had been born at Laurel, about a
year after his birth, a daughter of Levi and Elizabeth Stephen, who had
moved to this county about the time the Stevens family came over, the
Stephen family also locating west of Alpine. After their marriage William
Stevens and wife made their home on a rented farm in Orange township
until about 1890, when they bought a small farm in that same township and
there Mrs. Stevens died about ten years later. William Stevens now lives
with one of his daughters, Mrs. Leona Eddy, near the line between Orange

FAYETTE COIXTV. INDIANA. 823

and Columbia townships. Mrs. Smith grew up in Orange township and was
living in Columbia township at the time of her marriage.

To Mr. and Mrs. Smith seven children have been born, Austin, Pearl,
deceased, Carl, Dorothy, Elma, Elbert and Joim. Austin died on September
30, 191 5, he then being eighteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are
members of the Christian church and Mr. Smith is a member of the local
lodges of the Red Men, of the Haymakers and of the Loyal Order of Moose,
in the affairs of which several organii^ations he takes a warm interest.

FRED P. COLLYER.

Fred P. Collyer. proprietor of the well-known Pen View greenhouses at
Falmouth and one of the most skillful and successful florists in this part of
the state,, was born on a farm one and one-half miles southeast of Fairvievi^,
this county, October i6, 1882, and has lived in Fayette county all his life.
He is a son of Alfred and Hattie ( Quenzer) Collyer, the former of whom
was born in Franklin county and the latter in Falmouth, who are now living
at Falmouth, where Mr. Collyer has for years been actively engaged in the
mercantile business. In a biographical sketch relating to him, presented
elsewhere in this volume, there is set out a history of both the Collyer and
the Quenzer families covering the period in which the families have been
represented in this county and it is therefore not necessary to go into that
genealogical detail in connection with the presentation of tlie story of the life
and career of the subject of this sketch.

Fred Collyer spent the early part of his life on the farm and when his
father engaged in the mercantile business at Falmouth on May 3, 1900, he
entered the store with him and was thus engaged in business at Falmouth
until he left the store to engage in his present line in 1912. During the
period which he spent in the store Fred Collyer helped his father to build up
an extensive business, which the elder Collyer is still continuing there. In
August, 191 2, Fred Collyer started his greenhouses at Falmouth, which,
under the name of the Penn View greenhouses have become more than locally
famous and which are one of the first points to attract the attention of visitors
to Falmouth, for the fine plant is far ahead of those usually found in towns
of that class, or, indeed, in towns of much greater pretensions than Falmouth.

Though practically inexperienced as a florist when he undertook his
ambitious enterprise, Mr. Collyer has made a success of his greenhouses from

824 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the very start. He .started with a space of one hundred feet by twenty feet
under glass, that portion of his plant now known as the north greenhouse,
and two years later added a couple of additional greenhouses, now having
ten thousand feet in all under glass. Mr. Collyer's original plan was to raise
vegetables for the winter trade and flowers for the summer and he has
adhered pretty generally to this plan, furnishing both vegetables and flowers
for the Connersville market and also shipping considerable quantities of both
to the Cincinnati markets. One of his summer-grown crops during the past
season consisted of twelve thousand chrysanthemums and the products of
the Penn View greenhouses have attained a wide reputation throughout the
territory reached by the enterprising proprietor. Mr. Collyer is energetic
and public-spirited and since becoming a resident of Falmouth seventeen
years ago, has done much to ad^■ance the general interests of that village.
He is a member of the local lodges of the Modern Woodmen of America and
of the Improved Order of Red Men and in the affairs of these organizations
takes a warm interest.

B. F. THIEBAUD.

B. F. Thiebaud, president of the Farmers and Merchants Trust Com-
pany of Connersville, former county superintendent of schools, former treas-
urer of Fayette county, former publisher of the Connersville Courier, former
president of the Connersville school board and formerly and for years one
of the best-known and most successful school teachers in Fayette county, is
a native Hoosier and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on
a farm in the immediate vicinity of Vevay, in Switzerland county, December
28, 1853, a son of Justi Thiebaud and wife, well-known residents of that
community at that time.

Reared on the home farm in Switzerland county, B. F. Thiebaud received
his early schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and after leaving
school taught school for two or three winters there, thus earning sufficient
money to secure his entrance at the university at Valparaiso, from which
institution he was graduated in 1880. Upon leaving college, Mr. Thiebaud
came to Fayette county and resumed teaching, being appointed pfincipal of
the Bentonville schools, a position he held for four years, at the end of
which time he was made principal for the schools at Orange. After three
years of such service in the Orange schools Mr. Thiebaud was appointed
principal of the Maplewood high schools and served in that capacity for two

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 825

years, at the end of which time he was elected superintendent of schools of
Fayette county. He served for one term in that office and then was
appointed principal of one of the ward schools at Connersville. A year
later he was appointed principal of the Connersville high school and in 1892
was elected treasurer of Fayette county. He entered upon the duties of
that office in 1893 and served for four years, at the end of which time he
re-entered the ranks of Fayette county's teaching corps and for a short time
was thus engaged at the Columbia township high school, relinquishing that
position to become connected with the office of the F. T. Roots flour-mill,
where he remained for a year, later resuming school work, accepting the
appointment as principal of the Harrisburg high school. A year later Mr.
Thiebaud joined the ranks of Fayette county's newspaper men and for two
years was engaged as publisher of the Connersville Courier.

In 1902 when the Farmers and Merchants Trust Company was organ-
ized at Connersville Mr. Thiebaud was one of the chief factors in that
organization and was elected secretary of the company. In 19 17 he was
elected president. In addition to his years of active service in the school
room, Mr. Thiebaud for years also was connected with the schools of Con-
nersville in an executive capacity, for twelve years serving as a member of
the city school board, during a part of which time he served as president
of the board, and was a member of the building committee that had in
charge the erection of the new high-school building. In other ways also
he has contributed of his time and energies in behalf of movements having
to do with the betterment of local conditions and to the extension of the
city's cultural activities, and is president of the Fayette County Chautauqua
Association, in the organization of which he was one of the prime factors
and in the afifairs of which he has ever taken an active interest. He was
chairman of the building committee which had in charge the erection of
the Fayette County Centennial Hospital at Connersville and from the very
inception of the movement which led to the establishment of that useful
institution was one of the most active and influential promoters of the
same. Mr. Thiebaud and his wife are the donors of a perpetual annual
scholarship to Earlham College, given to the Connersville high school in
191 5 in memory of their daughter. Marguerite, a graduate of the Conners-
ville high school, of Earlham College, and a graduate student at Brynmawr
College at the time of her death in 1914 — an extended and fitting reference
to which scholarship is made in the chapter relating to schools in the his-
torical section of this work.

In 1885 B. F. Thiebaud was united in marriage to Alice Lamberson,

826 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

daughter of William Lamberson and wife, and to this union were born four
children, all of whom have preceded them. A daughter, the lamented Mar-
guerite, mentioned above, who died on March 13, 1914, was the last of
the children to pass to the higher life. Mr. and Mrs. Thiebaud are mem-
bers of the Christian church and Mr. Thiebaud has for many years been
an elder and was chairman of the building committee that had charge of
the erection of that congregation's handsome new house of worship. He is
a Mason and a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and
of the Improved Order of Red Men, in the affairs of which organizations
he takes much interest.

ELMER E. MURPHY.

Elmer E. Murphy, one of Connersville township's most progressive and
substantial farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm about two and one-
half miles south of Connersville, was born on a pioneer farm about two miles
south of Whitcomb, in the neighboring county of Eranklin, and has lived in
this part of the state all his life. He was born on December 19, 1862, a son
of Samuel and Margaret (Crist) Murphy, both natives of Franklin county
and well-known and influential residents of the Whitcomb neighborhood, the
latter of whom is still living, now making her home at Brookville.

Samuel Murphy was born on a pioneer farm in the northern part of
Eranklin county, a son of Recompense Murphy and wife, the latter of whom
was a Hitchner, who were early settlers and well-to-do residents of the Whit-
comb community. Recompense Murphy was born in New Jersey and came
out to this part of Indiana in an early day and here spent the rest of his life.
Samuel Murphy grew up on the home farm in Franklin county and farmed
in that county all his life. He married Margaret Crist, who was born on a
farm about four miles east of Brookville, about 1841. a daughter of John and
Mary Crist, wlio came here from Pennsylvania and settled in Franklin
countv. Samuel Murphy died about thirty years ago and his widow is still
living, now a resident of Brookville, she being seventy-six years of age. They
were the parents of four children, those besides the subject of this sketch
being as follow: Perry, who lives in Indianapolis; Harry, who died in his
twenty-second year, and I\Iary. wife of George E. O'Byrne, a well-known
lawyer, of Brookville.

Elmer E. Murphy grew to manhood on the home farm in the vicinity
of Whitcomli and received his schooling in the local schools there, remaining

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 827

on the farm, a valued assistant in the labors of improving and developing the
same, until his marriage in the fall of 1889, when he began farming for him-
self on a place four miles east of Brookville, where he made his home until
igo2, when he nio\ed to a farm near Carmel. A year later, in 1903, he
moved to his present farm, two and one-half miles south of Connersville, just
west of the railroad, and there has made his residence ever since, long having
been regarded as one of the most substantial farmers of that neighborhood.
Mr. Murphy is the proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred and twenty-four
acres, which he has improved in excellent shape. When he bought the place
it had a good set of buildings on it, back off the road, but ifl 1916 he built a
thoroughly modern bungalow dwelling near the road, equipping the same
with electric lights, sanitary plumbing, furnace, a broad concrete veranda,
and other modern improvements, the water pressure being provided by an
electric pump, and there he and his family are very pleasantly and very com-
fortably situated. His other house also is equipped with numerous similar
improvements and his whole farm plant is in keeping with the progressive
spirit displayed in the equipment of the home. In addition to his general
farming Mr. Murphy ha.i been giving considerable attention to dairying and
has demonstrated that the latter phase of farming may be carried on with
profit in this section.

In October, 1889, Elmer E. Murphy was united in marriage to Tina
Schiltz, who was born on a farm in the vicinity of Brookville, in the neigh-
boring county of Franklin, a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth ( Stonebraker )
Schiltz, well-known residents of tliat community. Peter Schiltz was liorn in
Germany and came to this cf)untry with his parents when he was fifteen years
of age, the family settling in Butler county, Ohio, where he remained until
he was twenty-one years of age, when he moved over into Franklin county,
this state, where he .'<pent the rest of his life, becoming one of the best-known
residents of that county. He followed various occupations, such as butcher-
ing, stock-trading and farming, and for eight years served the public in the
capacity of auditor of Franklin county. Although reared a Catholic, he
attended the Methodist church and was a member of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias. Peter Schiltz died at Brook-
ville in 1913. His wife had preceded him to the grave in 1901. They had
four children who grew to maturity, those besides Mrs. Murphy having been
.•\manda, Lizzie and Alsie, the latter of whom is now deceased.

Mr. and T^Irs. Murphy are members of the Methodist Episcopal church
and take a proper part in church affairs, as well as in the general social
activities of the communit}- in which they live. They have two children.

828 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Paul, now living in the older of his father's two houses and giving his atten-
tion to farming, who married Eva Moffett and has one child, a daughter,
Roberta, and Hazel, at home with her parents. Hazel Murphy was gradu-
ated from the Connersville high school in 19 16 and is now attending college
at Oxford. Ohio, specializing there in music.

H. S. OSBORNE, M. D.

Dr. H. S. Osborne, phj'sician and surgeon at Glenwood and the pro-
prietor of the Glenwood garage, is a native son of Indiana and has lived in
this state all his life. He was born at New Winchester, in Hendricks county,
December 16, 1877, son of Dr. John A. and Harriet W. (Kay) Osborne-, the
former of whom was born in that same county and the latter, in the state of
Ohio, whose last days were spent in New Winchester, a pleasant village seven
miles west of Danville, wh.ere Dr. John A. Osborne was engaged in the prac-
tice of medicine for forty-six years, or until his death on March i, 191 1. He
had served a term as recorder of Hendricks county and for sixteen years
was a member of the board of pension examiners for that district. Fra-
ternally, he was affiliated with the Indqjendent Order of Odd Fellows. His
.wife had preceded him to the grave a little more than one year, her death
having occurred on December 16, 1909. She was born near Jamestown,
Ohio, and was about eight years of age when her parents moved to Hendricks
county, this state, where she was living when she married Doctor Osborne.

H. S. Osborne grew up at New Winchester and supplemented the course
in the local schools there by a course in the high school at Danville, from
which lie was graduated. He then attended Bloomingdale Academy and
after a further course there entered the Central Normal College at Danville,
from whicli he presently was graduated. From the days of his boyhood,
under the able ]ireceptorship of his father, he had been devoting his thought-
ful attention to the study of medicine and upon leaving college entered the
medical department of the University of Kentucky at Louisville and was
.graduated from that institution in 1900, with the degree of Doctor of Medi-
cine. Upon receiving his diploma Doctor Osborne opened an office for the
practice of his profession at Pittsboro, in his home county, and was there
engaged in practice for twelve years, at the end of which time, in 191^, he
moved to Glenwood, opened an office there and has been engaged in practice
there ever since, having built up air extensive practice throughout that part

FAYETTE COTNTV, INDIANA. 829

of Fayette county and in the neighlioring county of Rusli. Not long after
locating at Glenwood, Doctor Osborne bought the garage at that place and
has since been operating the same. He is a Republican and, fraternally, is
affiliated witli the Connersxille lodge of the Benevolent and Protecti\e Order
of Elks.

Dr. H. S. Osborne has been twice married. His first wife, Grace
McCowan, died, leaxing one child, a daughter, Gladys, and later the Doctor
married Madge Morgan, who was born in Benton county, this state, a daugh-
ter of \^'ilbur I*", and Addie ( Blessing) Morgan, and whose maternal grand-
father, George Blessing, was a resident of Pittsboro. To this union one
child has been born, also a daughter. Virginia. Doctor and Mrs. Osborne
have a very pleasant home at Glenwood and take a proper interest in the
general social activities of their home town, helpful in promoting all agencies
having to do with the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.

JOSEPH EMERY MOFFETT.

Elsewhere in this volume of biography, in a memorial sketch relating to
Samuel Calvin Mcjffett. a pioneer of Fayette county, who died in 1892, and
who was a son of Samuel Moffett, who came from Tennessee to this section
of Indiana in 1833 and settled at the nortliern edge of Harrison township,
this county, there is set out in considerable detail, something concerning the
well-known Moffett family in Fayette county, to which the attention of the
reader is invited in this connection.

Joseph Emery Moffett was born on the old Moffett home farm in Har-
rison township, this county, January 11, i860, son of Samuel Calvin and
Exeline (Cox) Moffett, and was about five years of age when his parents
moved onto a farm o\-er the line near Beeson, in the neighboring county of
Wayne, where he grew to manhood. He and two of his brothers, William
S. and Oscar F. Moffett, received a farm located on the eastern edge of Har-
rison township from their father and there the three farmed together until
the early eighties, when Joseph E. Moffett bought the interests held b)- his
brothers in that farm and there continued farming imtil 1891, when, he hav-
ing married in the meantime, he nio\ed to the old homestead of his wife's
people, the old DeHaven fami, in the north edge of Connersville township,
where he has since resided and where he and his family are comfortably .
situated. He sold his place in Harrison township and now owns two hun-

830 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

dred and forty-six acres of excellent land, comprised in two farms, two miles
west of the city of Connersville. Mr. Moffett has conducted his farming
operations along modern lines and his place is very well improved.

In 1885 Joseph E. Moffett was united in marriage to Flora DeHaven,
who was born in a log house on the farm on which she is still living, daugh-
ter of James Isaac and Eliza (Hamilton) DeHaven, both of whom were
born in this county, members of pioneer families. James I. DeHaven was
born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Harrisburg, a son of Isaac and
Nancy (Stucker) DeHaven, who came up to this section of Indiana from
Kentucky in 1816, the year of Indiana's admission to statehood, and settled
on a farm in Harrison township, this county, where they established their
home, among the earliest settlers of that part of the county. There James
I. DeHaven grew to manhood and married Eliza Hamilton, who was born
in this county, a daughter of Nathaniel and Lucinda (Tyner) Hamilton, the
former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, May 25, 1798, son of Nathaniel
and Elizabeth (Buchanan) Hamilton, natives, respectively, of Ireland and
Pennsylvania, who came out West in 1810 and settled just above Brookville,
in the then Territory of Indiana, and remained there during the period of the
War of 18 1 2, two of the Hamilton sons, John and Adam Hamilton, serving
as soldiers during that struggle. In 181 5 the Hamilton family moved from
Franklin county up into Fayette county and settled on a farm northwest of
Connersville, in Connersville township. There the elder Nathaniel Hamilton
died in 1823. His widow later went over into Illinois, where her death
occurred in 1826. They were earnest members of the Presbyterian church
and the elder Nathaniel Hamilton was for years an elder in that church.
The junior Nathaniel Hamilton grew to manhood in Connersville township
and in 1821 married Lucinda Tyner, daughter of James and Margaret Tyner,
pioneers of this county ; and he shortly afterward began buying land from
the other heirs of the family estate and became the owner of a farm of one
hundred acres, on which he spent the rest of his life, meeting death in Sep-
tember, 1885, when a load of shingles he was hauling upset with him. He
was four, times married, but all his children were born to his first union, that
with Lucinda Tyner. He was a firm believer in the tenets of the Old School
Baptist church and an attendant on the services of the same. He is remem-
bered by the old settlers as a singularly amiable and remarkably well-pre-
served old gentleman and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. James
Isaac DeHaven became a substantial farmer of Fayette county, the owner of
more than four hundred acres of land in Connersville and Harrison town-
ships. His wife died in 1892 and he survived until 1900.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 83 1

Mr. and Airs. Aloffett have two daugliters living, Etliel, who married
William Semler, who is farming a part of the Moffett farm, and has three
children, Marion, Catherine and Emery, and Eva Lucinda, who married Paul
Murphy, wlio is living on a farm two miles south of Connersville, and has
one child, a daughter, Roberta Maxine. Mr. and Mrs. Moffett are members
of the Christian church, in the affairs of which they take a proper interest,
and Mr. Moffett is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows, taking a warm interest in the affairs of that popular organ-
ization.

A. E. RICH.

A. E. Rich, one of Fairview township's well-known farmers, was born
in the neighboring county of Rush on September 25, 1857, son of Robert and
Nancy (Bishop) Rich, the former of whom also was born in that county, a
member of one of the pioneer families, and the latter in the state of Ohio.
Robert Rich was the owner of a quarter of a section of land in Rush county
and farmed there all his life. He and his wife were the parents of three
children, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Mrs. Mollie Johnson
-and Mrs. .^manda McCrory.

Reared on the home farm in Rush county, A. E. Rich received his
schooling in the schools of his home neighborhood and remained at home, a
valuable assistant to his father in the labors of improving the home place,
until his marriage when he was twenty-five years of age, when he established
his home in Henry county, where he bought a farm and where he lived until
1898, when he and his family moved to the farm in Fairview township, this
county, the same belonging to his wife, where they have since resided and
where they are very comfortably situated. The farm consists of one hundred
and thirty-two acres of well-improved land and the farm plant is arranged
along up-to-date lines. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Rich gives
considerable attention to the raising of a good grade of hogs and is doing
very well in his operations.

On January 24, 1882, A. E. Rich was united in marriage to Minnie
Hinchman, who was born in Rush county, daughter of Allan and Nancy
(Moffitt) Hinchman, the former of whom also was born in that same county
and the latter in this county, both members of pioneer families. Allan Hinch-
man was a son of John and Margaret Hinchman, who came from Virginia to
Indiana in early days and settled in Rush county. There he was born and

832 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

reared and there he remained all his Hfe, becoming a substantial farmer, the
owner of three hundred and eighty acres in Rush and Fayette counties. He
and his wife were the parents of fiA'c children, those besides Mrs. Rich being
Margaret, Nora, Grant and George.

To Mr. and Mrs. Rich have been born three children, Allan, who mar-
ried Gallic Crouch and has four children, Neva, Mervin, Earl and Catherine;
Gertrude, who married Lloyd Wysong, and Nora. The Riches are members
of the Christian church in Fairview township and take a proper part in the
good works of their home neighborhood. Mr. Rich is a Democrat, taking a
proper interest in local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public
office. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows and is past noble grand of his local lodge, in the affairs of which he
ever has taken an active interest.

CHARLES C. HULL.

Charles C. Hull, president of the Rex Manufacturing Company, of Con-
nersville, vice-president and factory manager of the Central Manufacturing
Company of that city, former president of the National Carriage Builders
Association of America and interested in vai'ious other manufacturing and
industrial concerns in Connersville, is a native son of Fayette county and
has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in the near
\-icinity of Alquina, in Jennings township, January 17, 1866, son of John
and Maria (Burk) Hull, both of whom also were natives of this county and
the latter of whom is still living here, for years a resident of Connersville.

John Hull also was born in Jennings township, son of Matthew R. Hull
and wife, the former of Avhom was born in that part of the Old Dominion
now comprised in West Virginia and who came to Lidiana in his youth,
settling- in Fayette county, where he married and established his home in the
Alquina neighborhood. His wife died when she was about thirty years of
age and he survived her for years, he being sixty-six years of age at the
time of his death. They were the parents of six children, Oscar, Jane,
Justinian, John, Matthew R. and Alpha. On that pioneer fai-m John Hull
was reared and later took over the farm and lived there many years. Upon
his retirement from the farm he moved to the village of Dublin, in the neigh-
boring county of ^^'ayne, and thence to Indianapolis, moving thence to Zion

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 833

City, Chicago, where he died on May 30, 1913. His widow is now making
her home in Connersville. She also was born in this county, daughter of
John J. and Xancy (Snyder) Burk, the former of whom was a native of the
state of Maryland and one of the pioneers of Fayette county, a farmer and
a man of considerable substance, who lived to the great age of ninety-two
years. His wife lived to the age of sixty-five. They were the parents of
the following children : Mar}^-, Jackson, Nancy, Rachel, John S., Ellen,
Green, Maria, Alice and Stephen. John Hull and his wife were members
of the Baptist church and their children were reared in that faith. There
were ten of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second
in order of birth, the others being as follow : Clifford, deceased ; John, of
Chicago; Robert, of Connersville; Jennie, who is unmarried and is living
with her mother in Connersville ; George, of Little Rock, Arkansas ; Cynthia,
who died at the age of two years; Frank, of Valparaiso, Indiana; Warren,
of Connersville, and Mary, who died when about thirteen years of age.

Charles C. Hull was reared on his grandfather's farm in the vicinity of
Alquina and received his early schooling in the district school in that neigh-
borhood. This he supplemented by a course in the Central Normal School
at Danville, this state, and thus equipped for teaching taught school for a
couple of years, after which he engaged in the hardware business and was
thus engaged for four years, at the end of_ which time he accepted the posi-
tion of assistant superintendent of the plant of the Parry Manufacturing
Company, manufacturers of buggies, at Indianapolis, and was there engaged
in that capacity for ten years, during which time he thoroughly mastered the
details of the manufacture of buggies. Mr. Hull then returned to Conners-
ville and in association with William H. Harris and Frank G. Volz organ-
ized the Rex Manufacturing Company and established a plant for the manu-
facture of buggies in that city. Mr. Hull was made president of the com-
pany and has ever since occupied that position, developing the industry into
one of the largest buggy factories in this part of the country, the company
employing about three hundred persons and shipping its product to all parts
of the United States. In addition to his interests in connection with the Rex
Manufacturing Company, Mr. Hull also has other and extensive manufac-
turing interests in Connersville. In 1902 he became connected with the
Central Manufacturing Company of Connersville, he and liis business asso-
ciates buying a controlling interest in the same, and they also bought the
plant of the Connersville \\'heel Company, which has since been absorbed
(53)

834 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

by the Centval Manufacturing Company and of which Mr. Hull was presi-
dent for twelve or fourteen years. He also is a member of the board of
directors of the Lexington-Howard Motor Company, manufacturers of auto-
mobiles, and a director in the Hoosier Castings Company. Mr. Hull is a
Republican and for three years served as secretary o.f the Connersville school
board and also served for some time as the director of the Elmhurst school.
He has been a member of the board of directors of the Connersville Com-
mercial Club for years and served for some time as president of the same.
He has for years been one of the most prominent members of the National
Carriage Builders Association of the United States and in 1913 was elected
president of the same.

On December 5, 1888, Charles C. Hull was united in marriage to Rozzie
F. Lair, who also was born in the Alquina neighborhood in Jennings town-
ship, this county, July 8, 1865, daughter of Mathias and Discretion (Fergu-
son) Lair, natives of this county, both now deceased. Mathias Lair, a
former sheriff of Fayette county, was for years one of the best-known resi-
dents of the county. He was a substantial farmer and was twice elected
sheriff of the county. His father, whose wife was a Bell, came to this
county from Kentucky and became a substantial pioneer and the father of
eleven children, of whom eight grew to maturity, John, Charles, Mathias,
Joseph, Harriet, Osie, Sophia and Jennie. The Fergusons also were well-
known pioneers. Mathias Lair was thrice married. By his first wife, who
was a Ross, lie had one child, a daughter, Edna. By his marriage to Dis-
cretion ]^"erguson he had four children, Charles, Rozzie, Kate hnd one who
died when six years of age. Upon the death of the mother of these latter
children he married a Miss Sparks and to that imion one child was born, a
daughter, Mattie.

To Charles C. and Rozzie F. (Lair) Hull four children have been born,
namely: Ruth M., who married Frederic L Barrows: M. Lair Hull, who
is the assistant superintendent of the plant of the Central Manufacturing-
Company at Connersville: Rachel, who was born in 1904, and Hollis, who
was born in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Hull are members of the First Methodist
Episcopal church at Connersville and Mr. Hull is a member of the board of
trustees of the same. In 1916 he was honored by being sent as a delegate
to the general conference of his church. He is a Mason, a member of War-
ren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons, and takes a warm interest
in Masonic affairs.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 835

JOHX J. BURGER.

John J. Burger, one of Connersville townsliip'.s well-known farmers, is
a native of the neighhoring county of Wayne, but has been a resident of
I^""ayette county since he was seven years of age. He was Ijorn at Cambridge,
in Wayne county, this state, March 8, 1861, son of Jacob and Veronica
(Fager) Burger, natives of fiermany, whose last days were spent in this
county, well-known resiilents of the community west of Connersville.

Jacob Burger was born in the \i11age of Kuhr, in the province of Hessen,
Germany, July 25, 1831, only son in a family of four children. He lived at
home until he was twenty-three years of age, when he had an elder sister
came to the United States, landing at the port of New "S'ork on July 17,
1854, without means and strangers in a strange land. Jacob Burger had but
five cents in money when he landed on the shores of America, but he soon
got a job as a gardener in New "S'ork, where he worked until he had earned
money enough to pay his way to Cincinnati, in the neighborhood of which
city he worked, gardening and farming, for nearly two years, or until the
last of .April, 1856. when he came up into Indiana and located at Conners-
ville, securing employment in that vicinity as a farm hand. He married in
1857 and in i860 went up into Wayne county, where he remained until 1869,
when he returned to this county and bought a farm west of Connersville, the
place now occupied by his sons, I.ouis and John, and there spent the remainder
of his life, a substantial farmer, he and his wife both doing well their part
in the upbuilding of that community. On May 7, 1857, in this county, Jacob
Burger was united in marriage to \'eronica b'ager, who was born in the
grand duchy of Baden, in Germany, .\ugust 20, 1829. and who came t(^ t1iis
country alone in 1853. After more than forty years of happy married life,
she died on Twly 19. 1898. Jacob Burger survived his wife for nearly tweh'e
\ears, his death occurring on March 12, 1910. He and his wife were earnest
members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith ;
these children, besides the subject of this sketch, being Mrs. .\nna Geise,
Mrs. Clara Schoenborn, Mrs. Maggie Ariens, Josejih S. (who died in Octo-
ber, 1908), Mrs. Lizzie Greiner and Louis.

John J. Burger was seven years of age when his ])arents moved from
Wayne county to the farm about two miles west of Connersville and in the
latter vicinity he has lived ever since. He grew up on the farm and in t886
bought the farm where he now lives, one and one-half miles southwest of
Connersville, and upon bis marriage in the spring of 1891 estal)li.shed bis

836 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

home there. Mr. Burger lias a well-kept farm of eighty acres and he and
his family have a very comfortable home. They are members of the Catholic
church and take a proper interest in parish affairs.

In April, 1891, John J. Burger was united in marriage to Katherine
Meyer, who was Ixirn in W'inningen, Bavaria, Germany, daughter of John
and Elizabeth ( Peft'er) Meyer, who, in 1883, came to this country with their
nine children, proceeding at once to Connersville. Two weeks later the father
bought a farm three and one-half miles east of Connersville, established his
home there and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1904.
His widow is now making her home with a daughter, Mrs. Keller, at Indi-
anapolis. To Mr. and Mrs. Burger four children have been born, namely :
Gertrude, who married George Seffrin, of Connersville, and has one child,
a son, \\'alter Leo: John A., who continues to live on the home farm with
his parents; Louise, who died at the age of three years, and Frankie, who
died when eight montlts of age.

GEORGE M. FRIES.

George M. Fries, well-known manufacturer of drain tile and president
of the Indiana State Association of Manufacturers of Clay Drain Tile, whose
extensive plant for the manufacture of tile, just west of the city of Conners-
ville, is one of the best-ecjuipped plants of that kind in the state, was born
at Stavetown, in the vicinity of Brookville, in the neighboring county of
Franklin, and has lived in this part of the state all his life. He was born on
April 15, 1866, son of Anthony and Margaret (Miller) Fries, natives of
Germany, Bavarians both, who came to this country in the days of their
}'outh and whose last days were spent in this county, the latter having been
one of the victims of tlie flood of 19 13.

Anthony Fries left his native Bavaria when he was sixteen years of age
and came to the United States, locating at Cincinnati, where, when he became
of age, he was naturalized as an American citizen. There he married Mar-
garet Aliller. who had come to this country from Bavaria when she was
fifteen years of age, and, shortly after his marriage, he having learned the
cooper's trade in Cincinnati, he moved to Hamilton, Ohio, where he lived
until 1864, when he moved o\'er into Indiana and started a cooper shop one
mile south of Brook\ille, in Franklin county, building up quite an extensive
business in that line, the settlement which grew up around his coopershop

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 837

coming to be known as Stavetown, whicli name the \illage bears to tliis day,
on account of the stave factory Imilt up there by Mr. Fries. Aliout t88_',
the stave timber in tiiat section liaving by that time Ijecome pretty well
exhausted, Anthony Fries began to utilize extensi\e cla\' deposits that had
been disclosed in that vicinity, and established, in the vicinity of Stavet(Mvn,
the first steam-power brick jjlant in Indiana. The product of this factory
soon attained a wide demand, especially in Cincinnati and in Connersville,
some of the best buildings in the latter city, notably the Eighth street school
building, the Fifth street school building, the First National Bank
building, the McFarlan Carriage Company's building, the Connersville Furni-
ture Company's warehouse and numerous other important buildings in that
city having been constructed of Fries brick. In January, 1892, Anthony
Fries organized the -\. Fries & Sons Company, in partnership with his sons,
John A. and George AI. Fries, and was perfecting plans for the establishment
of an extensive brick-manufacturing plant west of Connersville. the present
site of the well-known Fries tile factory, but his plans were interrupted by
his death in the next month, in February, 1892. The sons, however, went
ahead with the perfection of these plans and established an extensive factory
on the site. In 1902 they discontinued the manufacture of brick and took
up the manufacture of drain tile, soon achieving a wide reputation for the
durable quality of their output, and the brothers continued in business together
until the tragedy of the flood of 191 3 came upon them with all its overwhelm-
ing force. During that flood, perhaps the most tragic incident in the history
of Brookville, where the brick plant was located, the widow Fries, mother
of the subject of this sketch, and John A. Fries and his family, a total of eight
persons in the Furies family, were drowned and the big brick plant was prac-
tically destroyed. George M. Fries, the remaining member of the firm,
bought out the other heirs and has since continued the manufacture of tile
at the Connersville plant, sole owner and manager of the plant, one of the
best-established concerns of its kind in the state.

In 191 2 George M. Fries, who had long been recognized as one of the
most expert and enterprising tile manufacturers in Indiana, organized the
Indiana State Association of Manufacturers of Clay Drain Tile and has been
president of that association from the date of its organization. This asso-
ciation is maintained for the mutual protection of drain-tile manufacturers
and has done much in the way of intelligent promotion of legislation for the
purpose of facilitating tile draining and the reclamation of swamp lands.
The association maintains a publicity and educational bureau, which publishes

838 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and disseminates information regarding the wonderful results that have
attended underdraining and by this means has done much in the way of
educating the public to the value of tiling as a means of reclaiming much
otherwise waste land in the state. Mr. I'ries is an enterprising, public-spir-
ited citizen and has ever since becoming a resident of this county in 1892
taken an active part in the promotion of the manufacturing and other sub-
stantial interests of tlie community.

In 1893, the year after taking up his residence in this county, George M.
Fries was united in marriage to Carrie Hohman. of Indianapolis, who was
born in Franklin cotinty, this state, daughter of Tobias and Mary (Schubert)
Hohman. who came from Bavaria, Germany, to this country, in 1859, pro-
ceeding on out to Indiana and settling on a farm in Franklin county, where
they spent the rest of their lives, Tobias Hohman dying in 1896 and his
widow surviving until 1908. To Mr. and Mrs. Fries two daughters have
been born. Helen, born in 1900, and Xellie, born in 1905. Mr. and Mrs.
Fries are members of the Catholic church and tak^ a proper interest in parish
affairs. Mr. buries is a member of tlie Knights of Columbus, in the affairs of
which he takes a warm interest.

GEORGE \\\ PRIFOGLE.

George W. Prifogle, a well-known farmer and fruit grower of Orange
township, this county, was born in the neighboring county of Franklin, Oc-
tober 24, 1848, son of John and Eliza fHuber) Prifogle, the former of
whom was born in that same county, a son of Peter Prifogle and wife, pion-
eers of the Highland neighborhood. Peter Prifogle was born in Germany
and was about eighteen years of age when he came to this country. For
some time he made his home in I'ennsylvania and then came to Indiana,
entering a tract of government land in Highland township, Franklin county,
and there establishing his home. On that pioneer farm he spent the remainder
of bis life and tliere his son, John Prifogle, .spent all his life and tliere the
subject of this sketch was born and reared.

Rearerl on the farm, George W. Prifogle became a farmer and con-
tinued, after lu"s marriage in 1S77, to make his home in Franklin county
until 1882, when he came up into Fayette county and located at Connersville,
where he lived for nine years, engaged at work in the furniture factory. He
then rented a farm in Columbia township and remained there for four years,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 839

at the end of wliich time lie traded his house and lot in Connersviile in part
payment for a farm of eighty acres in tlie northeast part of Orange town-
ship, where lie has made his home for the past twenty years. In addition
to his general farming, JNlr. Prifogle has long given considerable attention
to truck farming and to fruit growing. He has an excellent orchard and
besides raises quantities of small fruit and berries, finding a read}' market for
the products of his farm along these lines. Mr. Prifogle is a Republican and
has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs. Fraternally,
he is afifiliated with Guttenberg lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows and takes a warm interest in lodge affairs.

George W. Prifogle has been thrice married. In 1877, while living in
Franklin county, he married Amanda Tilden, who was born and reared in
that county, and to that union seven children were born, of whom two died
in infancy and fi\-e of whom are still li\'ing, namely: Edward, a member of
the police force at Bedford, Massachusetts, married Mary Agnes Carrol,
born at Oldham, England, September 30, 1882, and they are the parents of
two children ; Frederick, of Connersviile, who married Carrie Brooks and has
two children ; Alice, who married Glenn Loos, of Brookville, this state, and
has four children ; Joseph, of San Pedro. California, who married Catherine
Abercrombie and has two children, and Harry, who is serving his third term
of enlistment in the United States army, now serving as a surgeon in the
military hospital at Columbus, Ohio. The mother of these children died at
Connersviile on February 23, 1889, and on April 11, 1893, ^^- Prifogle mar-
ried Maggie Reif, who also was born in Franklin county, a daughter of
Valentine Reif and wife, and who died on June 10, 1910, leaving two chil-
dren, Julius, who married Linnie Snyder, of Columbus, this state, and now
lives at Indianapolis, and Charles, who is at home with his father.

On September 24, 1911, Mr. Prifogle married Mrs. Mary (Miller)
Berger, who was born in Cincinnati, a daughter of Charles and Francesco
(Miller) Miller, both of whom were bom in Gemiany, but were not of blood
kinship, though both bearing the same name. Charles Miller spent his last
days in Cincinnati and there his daughter Mary grew to womanhood and
married William Berger, who was born in the Hartz mountains, in Ger-
many, and who had come to this country in the days of his youth. In 1881
William Berger moved with his family from Cincinnati to Connersviile and
in the latter city became employed as a joiner in the furniture factory and
was thus engaged at the time of his death on January 31, 1886. To William
and Marv (Miller) Berger eight children were born, namely: Katherine Mary,

840 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

who married Fred Bronnert (now deceased) and still lives in Cincinnati;
Charles, who married Ida Rydman and is now living at Olmsted Falls, Ohio;
Freda, who married John Murra}', a Connersville druggist, and has four
children : Otto, who married Grace Spangler and is living in Connersville ;
Louisa, who married Eugenio Dahne, the Brazilian commissioner-general of
agriculture, commerce and industry, whom she met at the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition at St. Louis, and who is now living at San Diego, California,
where Mr. Dahne installed an exhibit of his own at the San Diego Exposi-
tion, and William, Jr., who died at El Paso in his seventeenth year. Besides
these, two children died in infancy. After the death of Mr. Berger his widow
continued to make her home in Connersville until her marriage to Mr. Pri-
fogle. While a member of the German Presbyterian church at Connersville,
Mrs. Prifogle sei-ved for four years as secretary of the Ladies' Society.

MILLARD FILLMORE CUMMINS.

Alillard Fillmore Cummins, one of Fayette county's best-known and
most substantial retired farmers and horsemen, now living at the north edge
of the city of Connersville at the foot of Grand avenue, is a native son of this
county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in
Posey township, November 19, 1856, son of John D. and Caroline (Williams)
Cummins, both of whom v,'ere born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and whose
last days were spent in Fayette county, substantial and influential pioneers of
the northern part of the county.

John D. Cummins was born about 1818 and grew to manhood in Bour-
bon county, Kentucky. On July 30, 1840, he married there Caroline Will-
iams, who also was born in that county, a daughter of Eli and Elizabeth
(Hanna) Williams, also natives of that county, the former born on January
30, 1800, and the latter, a daughter of Joseph Hanna, September 4, 1796.
After their marriage John D. Cummins and his wife established their home
on a farm in their native county and there remained until five of their chil-
dren were born, Charles, Noah, John, Oliva and Elizabeth. In November,
185 1, the baby, Elizabeth, then being but two months of age, the family came
up into Indiana, driving through, and settled in Fayette county. John D.
Cummins bought the southeast quarter of section 22, in Posey township,
three miles southwest of the village of Bentonville, and there established his
home, he and his wife spending the remainder of their lives there. Mr.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 84 1

Cummins died in October, 1885, and his widow surxived liim more tlian
eighteen years, her death occurring on March 16, 1904.

Millard F. Cummins grew up on the farm on whicii he was born in
Posey township and received his schooling in the district school in that neigh-
borhood. Conditions in that region still were in a pretty primitive state
during the days of his boyhood and he grew up familiar with the ways of
pioneer living. As a boy he used to watch his mother sitting at the spinning
wheel and he learned to spin, a boyish accomplishment which he now recalls
with much interest. His father was an excellent horseman and took much
pride in keeping up his stock, his horses and mules frequently winning prizes
in the local fairs and horse shows; and it was thus that, even from boyhood,
Millard T. Cummins acquired an interest in good horses that he has retained
to this day. After his marriage in 1877 Mr. Cummins continued to make
his home on the home farm and there continued to reside until in April,
1917, when he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Con-
nersville, where he now resides and where he is very comfortably situated in
a pleasant home on the north side of the city, at the foot of Grand avenue.
He had long ago bought the interests of the other heirs in the old family
home and still owns that quarter-section tract, which is well improved and
profitably cultivated, his youngest son now being in charge of the sariie. As
noted above, Mr. Cummins has from the days of his boyhood taken a warm
interest in good horses and he formerly maintained a race track on his farm,
raising and training horses for the track. He bought a trotting stallion.
"Robert B.," 2:2954, and one of the first colts from this sire, "Lucy C,"
developed, under Mr. Cummin's training, a speed of 2:12 and had an official
mark of 2:20%. Her first colt, "Pine Bush," did even better. Mr. Cum-
mins has exhibited several other horses of more than local note and is now
the owner of "Indiana Belle," 2:1514-

]\Iillard F. Cummins has been twice married. In 1877 he was united
in marriage to Samantha Hyatt, who was born in Henry county, this state,
daughter of Frank Hyatt and wife, the latter of whom was a Plummer, both
representatives of old Quaker families in the Dublin neighborhood, and who
died in March, 1883. leaving three children, John, Rufus, living on the old
Hyatt farm near Strawns, who married Grace Ward and has five children,
Elbert, Geraldine, Pauline, Dorothy and Ward, and Lota, who married
Howard Sherwood and died in igo8, leaving a daughter, Mildred.

In 1886 Mr. Cummins married Kate McHatton, who was born in Owen
county, Kentucky, a daughter of John and Eliza (Sharpe) McHatton, both

842 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of whom were born and reared in that same county, and to that union two
children have been born, Walter and Nettie. Walter Cummins, who is now
operating the old home farm in Posey township, married Lola Saxon and
has two children, Leroy and Roscoe. Nettie Cummins married Roscoe Hall,
of Richmond, and has one child, a daughter. Avis.

GUS BOWEN.

Gus Bowen, a farmer living a short distance southeast of Orange and
who is a member of the advisory board of Orange township, was born on a
farm over the line in Noble township. Rush county, and has lived in that
neighborhood all his life, being, therefore, one of the best-known residents
of that part of the county. He was bom on February 14, 1879, the youngest
son of Rufus P. and Desdemona (Stone) Bowen. the former of whom also
was born in Noble township, Rush county, and the latter, who is still living,
now making her home in Rushville, a native of Fayette county.

Rufus P. Bowen was a son of Solomon Bowen, who came to Indiana
from Bourbon county, Kentucky, in pioneer days and entered a tract of
"Congress land" in Noble township. Rush county, where he established his
home and where he spent the rest of his life, one of the substantial pioneers
of that part of the county. There Rufus P. Bowen grew up amid pioneer
conditions and in turn became a farmer on his own account, farming all his
life in Noble township, where his death occurred in 1896. His widow is
now living at Rushville. She was born in Orange township, this county,
daughter of Silas H. and IMartha (Dicken) Stone, pioneers of Fayette county,
a record of whose lives is interwoven with the history of that part of the
county in which they lived.

Silas H. Stone was a native of Kentucky, born in Scott county, that
state, who became a carpenter, millwright and wagon-maker. In the early
twenties he came up into Indiana, prospecting in Fayette county, and here
married Martha Dicken, who also was born in Scott county, Kentucky, in
1806, and who had come to Indiana with her parents, Henry Dicken and
wife, who settled in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 14 of
Orange township, this county, and who later moved to the eighty just east
of the above described eighty. After his marriage Silas H. Stone returned
to Kentucky, but in 1823 he and his wife returned to this county, coming
through with a considerable company of Kentuckians who were seeking

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 843

liomes in this region. Upon settling here Silas H. Stone entered an "eighty"
in the southwest quarter of section 1 1 of Orange township and there estab-
lished his home. As a miller he worked in a grist-mill during the days and
as a carpenter he huilt his house, working on the latter at night. The mill in
which he worked was the pioneer mill erected by his brother, Elias Stone, on
Garrison creek, in section ii of Orange township, in 1821. It was in this
latter year that Elias Stone had come up here from Kentucky and had settled
in Fayette county. He platted that part of the village of Orange that lies
north of the cross road. About 1840 Silas H. Stone bought the mill that had
been started by his brother, afterward selling the same and building another
mill farther down the creek, in the northeast part of the southeast quarter of
section 14, and later added to that grist-mill a saw-mill. In connection with
the latter he also carried on a carriage shop and made a considerable number
of the old-style "Rockaway" carriages, besides buggies and wagons and any
other kind of vehicle demanded by the people of that vicinity, his wife oper-
ating the grist-mill while he would be thus engaged. He and his brother,
Elias, built the Christian church at Orange, said to have been the first house
of worship erected for the uses of that denomination in the state of Indiana,
the local congregation having been organized on July 4. 1829. Silas H.
Stone was a devoted member of the Christian church, but his loyalty to the
founder of that sect (Alexander Campbell) was such that he never referred
to the church only as the "Campbellite" church. He was always the first per-
son on hand at the meetings of the local congregation and in many ways did
all he could to promote the interests of the church. For some time he also
served as a member of the board of school directors and in that capacity was
able to gratify an early wish to build a good frame school house to supplant
the first school house, built of logs, in the settlement. About 1880 he and
his wife moved to the village of Orange, where their last days were spent, his
death occurring in 1882 and hers in 1883.

On November 28, 1900, Gus Bowen was united in marriage to Ethel
Murphy, who also was born in Noble township, Rush county, a daughter of
George and Julia (Thompson) Murphy, the former of whom also was born
in that township, a son of John and Anna (McCrory) Murphy. John Murphy
was bom in Butler county. Ohio, a son of Jesse and Charlotte Murphy, who
came from New Jersey and after a sometime residence in Butler county,
Ohio, came on u\) the \alley of the White Water and settled in the near
vicinity of Glenwood. John Murphy was but a child when his parents came
up here and he grew to manhood on the farm and remained a fanner all his

844 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

life. His wife, Anna McCrory, was born in this county, a daughter of Robert
and Celina (Saxon) McCrory, the former of whom, a native of Ireland,
walked from Cincinnati to the land office at Indianapolis and there entered
a quarter of a section of land two and one-half miles northeast of Glenwood,
in this county, where he established his home. He married Celina Saxon,
who was born in Georgia and who was but a child when her parents came
to Indiana, settling in Fayette county at a time when Indians still were
numerous hereabout. The Indians at that timfe were continuing to give such
cause for apprehension on the part of the settlers that the little Celina was
not permitted to wander far from the house in her play, lest she should be
stolen by the Indians. Ethel Murphy was bereft of her mother when she
was eight days old and she was reared by her grandmother and by her aunt,
Mrs. George, of Orange. She completed her schooling in the high school
at Rushville and taught school for a year before her marriage to Mr. Bowen.
To that union one child has been born, a daughter, Lela Myrl. The grand-
father of Mrs. Bowen, John P. Thompson, was the founder of the Christian
church at Orange.

Gus Bowen has been a member of the Orange township advisory board
for the past two years or more and gives his earnest attention to public affairs.
He is a member of the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same. He and his wife have a
pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of their
community.

RALPH WRIGHT BOWEN.

Ralph Wright Bowen, a well-known and progressive young farmer of
the Orange neighborhood, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived
here all his life. He was born on a farm southeast of the village of Orange,
in Orange township, March 25, 1885, son and only child of Nicholas F. and
Sarah C. (Wright) Bowen, both of whom are natives of this part of the
state, the former born on January 24, 1859, in Noble township. Rush county,
son of Rufus P. and Desdemona M. (Stone) Bowen, members of pioneer
families, whose family record extending back to the early settlement of this
part of the country is set out elsewhere in this volume in a biographical
sketch relating to Gus Bowen, a member of the Orange township advisory
board and uncle of the subject of this sketch.

Nicholas F. Bowen grew up on the home farm over in Rush county and

FAYKTTE COrNTV, INDIAXA. 845

in tlie spring after he was twenty-ime years of age lie began farming for liim-
self on a rented farm. A year later he married and continued as a renter
until in ^March, 189J. when he bought a farm of eighty acres in the north-
east corner of section 22 of Orange township, this county, and there estab-
lished his home. About eight years later he bought the eighty adjoining that
place, in the northwest corner of section 23, and has since been the owner of
an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres, all in one body. There he
continued farming and stock raising until in March, 1909, when he retired
from the active labors of the farm, turning the management of the place over
to his son Ralph, and he and his wife moved to Orange, where they have a
pleasant home and one and one-fourth acres in the village, together with a
good barn, garage and orchard. In the fall of 1908 N. F. Bowen was elected
assessor of Orange township, entering upon the duties of that office in Janu-
ary of the following year. His official term of four years was extended by
legislative enactment and thus served for six years, his term of office expir-
ing on January i, 1915. He was urged by both political parties to accept
the nomination for a second term, but he declined to become a candidate.

On December 19, 1881, Nicholas F. Bowen was united in marriage to
Sarah C. Wright, who was born in Orange township, this county, daughter
of the Rev. William and Lucinda (Simmons) Wright and a cousin of Orville
and Wilbur Wright, the inventors of the aeroplane. Her parents also were
natives of this county, members of pioneer families, their respective parents
having been among the early settlers of the county. The Rev. William
Wright, a minister of the United Brethren church and a substantial farmer
of Orange township, spent all his life in that township. He died years ago
of typhoid fever and his widow married Anson Moore, who died some years
ago. She is still living on her farm two miles south of Orange. Mr. and
Mrs. Bowen are members of the Christian church and he is a charter mem-
ber of the Orange lodge of tlie Improved Order of Red Men.

Ralph W. Bowen has always lived near Orange. He and his father are
farming together, he making his home on the farm, while his father lives in
Orange. On February 9, 1909, Ralph W. Bowen was united in marriage
to Grace E. Smith, who was born on a farm northeast of Orange, near the
Gray- Robinson school house, a daughter of Oscar and Hulda (Jones) Smith,
the former of whom died when his daughter Grace was five years of age and
the latter when the daughter was ten years of age. Thus bereft of her par-
ents in the days of her childhood. Grace Smith was reared in the household
of her mother's sister, Mrs. Edward M. Martin, northeast of Orange. Her

846 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

mother was a daughter of 'Jliomas and Anna (Trusler) Jones and a cousin
of Wilham and Thomas Jones, hiographical sketches of whom, presented
elsewhere in this volume, give further details of the family's history. Oscar
Smith was born in Ohio and his wife was born in Orange township, this
county. Mr. and Mrs. R. VV. Bowen have two daughters, Mabel and Hazel.
They are members of the Christian church at Orange and Mr. Bowen is a
member of the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men at that place.

WILLIAM CALLISON BROWN.

William Callison Brown, a toolmaker in the plant of the Connersville
Blower Company at Connersx'ille, is a member of one of the old families in
Connersville, his grandfather, William Brown, having settled there in 1836,
coming over from Brownsville, in LTnion county, and establishing a tannery
in Connersville, which he operated the rest of his life, his death occurring
in 1856. Further mention of this pioneer, one of the leaders in the early
industrial life of Connersville, is set out elsewhere in this volume. One of
his sons, William Brown, married Paulina Callison and shortly afterward
moved to Wichita, Kansas, where his wife died, leaving two sons, the subject
of this sketch and his younger brother, Ezra B. Brown, who is also living at
Connersville and further menrion of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.
William Callison Brown was born in Connersville February 19, 1874, and
moved to La Porte, Indiana, then to Wichita, Kansas, in a period of six
years. After the death of his mother his father brought him and his younger
brother to Connersville and left the two boys in charge of their paternal
grandmother, the widow of ^Yilliam Brown. The father then returned West,
where he presently married again and later moved to the state of Oregon,
where he is now living, a resident of the town of Ten Mile.

For about a year after he was brought to Connersville, William C.
Brown continued to make his home with his grandmother and he then went
to live with his father's sister. Harriet, and her husband, Eber Bateman, and
by them was reared to manhood, the relations existing between them being
as close as could exist between parents and son. Eber Bateman was a native
of New Jersey, born on November 2, 181 5. When he was a child his par-
ents moved to Ohio and settled at the mouth of the Miami river, just below
the city of Cincinnati, where he grew to manhood. His father kept a tavern
and operated a ferry across the river at that point. Eber Bateman early

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 847'

became engaged in the flat-boat trade between Cincinnati and New Orleans
and was for some time quite successfully engaged in that traffic, making a
specialty of transporting salt meat down the river. When the White Water
canal was completed in the latter forties he came up on the first canal boat
that made the trip through to Connersville and there he stopped, determining
to go into business tliere. He embarked in the general merchandise business
at Connersville and was thus engaged until after the close of the Civil War.
While thus engaged he brought to Connersville the first oil lamps ever seen
in that place, two of them, and five gallons of coal oil. About 1867 Eber
Bateman bought the farm now owned by the Reipberger brothers, in the
northwestern part of Jackson township, this county, and there established his
home and began farming, remaining there the rest of his life. He became
the owner of one hundred and ninety acres of land and was regarded as a
very substantial citizen.

Eber Bateman's w-ife, Harriet Brown, aunt of the subject of this sketch,
was born near Brownsville, in the neighboring county of Union, February
II, 1833, daughter of William and Eliza (Bolton) Brown, and was but a
child when her parents moved to Connersville in 1836, her father there engag-
ing in the tanning business. She died on December 14, 1902, and her hus-
band sur\'ived her but a few months, his death occurring on May 23, 1903.
He was an earnest Mason and was past master of the local lodge. Eber Bate-
man and wife were the ])arents of six children, namely: William H., who
is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Sherry, in the southeastern part of
Connersville township; Elizabeth B., wife of Albert H. Robinson, of Con-
nersville; Albert E., now living at Dallas. Texas; Harriet, of Indianapolis;
Lewis E., also of Indianapolis, and Mary L., wife of Charles Grubb, of Indi-
anapolis.

\\'^illiam C. Brown remained on the Bateman farm until he was twenty-
three years and then decided to quit farming and take up mechanics. He
entered the plant of the Connersville Blower Company as an apprentice and
ever since has remained with that concern. He rapidly mastered the details
of his craft giving particular attention to the tool-making depart-
ment and for some time has been engaged in the plant as an expert tool
maker. Not long after taking up his residence in Connersville, Mr. Brown
married and he and his wife have a pleasant home at 1339 Indiana avenue.
He is a Mason and a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias
and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mr.
Brown is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Air. Brown is a mem-

848 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ber of the Episcopal church and Mrs. Brown is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal church.

On November 3, 1898, Wihiam C. Brown was united in marriage to
Bertha L. Davis, who was born at Newcastle, this state, a daughter of Vin-
cent R. and Louisa (Shepherd) Davis, the former of whom was born in that
same town and the latter of whom was born and reared on a farm near there.
Vincent R. Davis was a son of William and Elira (Madison) Davis, who
came to this state from North Carolina and settled on a farm which is now
included within the city limits of Newcastle. On that farm Vincent R. Davis
spent all his life, a farmer. He died on February 12, 1912. His wife, who
was born on a nearby farm, w'as a daughter of Samuel and Delilah (Hague-
wood) Shepherd, the former of whom also was born near Newcastle, a son
of Allan Shepherd and wife. Delilah Haguewood was born in North Caro-
lina and was but a child when her parents came to this state, settling at New-
castle at a time when that place consisted of but one store, a tavern and three
dwelling houses. Samuel Shepherd spent all his life as a farmer in the New-
castle neighborhood and there his daughter, Louisa, lived until her marriage
to Mr. Davis. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Davis has been spending
most of the time at Newcastle, where her daughter, Bertha L., resided until
her marriage to Mr. Brown. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown were born two chil-
dren, both of whom died in infancv.

IRVLN E. BOOHER, M. D.

Dr. Irvin E. Booher, of Connersville, one of the most widely known
medical practitioners in Fayette county, is a native son of Indiana and has
lived in this state all his life. He was born in the village of Red Key, in
Jay county, March 11, 1883, son of Henry and Mary J. Booher, the former
of whom at that time was engaged in the mercantile business at Red Key,
but who is now living at Kendallville, this state.

Graduated from the high scliool at Red Key in 1900, Irvin E. Booher
for a short time thereafter taught school in his home county and then entered
the normal school at Marion. After a course of two years in that institution
he resumed teaching and was thus engaged in Randolph county and at Red
Key until 1909, when he entered the Medical College of the University of
Louisville, from which institution he was graduated, with the degree of
Doctor of IMedicine, in 191 3. L'pon receiving his diploma Doctor Booher

IRVIX E. BOOHER, M. D.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 849

was appointed an inlerne in tlie Louisville City Hospital and served in that
capacity, receiving- some very valuable practical experience, until the fall nf
that same \ear, when he opened an office for the practice of his profession
at Connersville and has ever since been engaged in practice in that city. L'pon
locating at Connersville, Doctor Booher took up the practice of the retiring
Dr. H. M. Lamberson and has done very well, having built up an extensive
practice in the city and surrounding country. Doctor Booher keeps fully
abreast of the modern advances in his profession and is a member of the
American Medical Association, the Indiana State Medical Association, the
Mississippi Valley Medical Society and the Miami Valley Medical Society,
in the deliberations of all of which bodies he takes an active interest.

In 1903 Dr. Irvin E. Booher was united in marriage to Ida S. Wise
and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Lucille. Doctor
Booher is a Royal Arch Mason and is also a member of the local lodges of
the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of the Improved Order of Red
Men, of the Knights of Pythias and of the Loyal Order of Moose, and in
the affairs of all these orranizations takes a warm interest.

MELANCTHON RUSSELL LITTLE.

The late Melancthon Russell Little, for many years one of the best-
known farmers of Orange township, was born in that township and lived
there all his life, becoming there the owner of an excellent farm on which his
family still resides. He was born on a pioneer farm in the northern part of
the township on December 17, 1845, ^ son of John and Frances (Russell)
Little, the former a native of the state of South Carolina and the latter, of
Ohio, whose last days were spent in Orange township.

John Little was about eighteen years of age when he came from South
Carolina to Indiana with his parents, Thomas Little and wife, the familv
locating in Fayette county. Thomas Little entered a tract of "Congress
land," the southeast quarter of section 2 of Orange township, and there estab-
lished his home, developing an excellent farm in the then wilderness. There
John Little farmed all his life. His wife, Frances Russell, was born in Ohio,
probably in Preble. county, and was but a child when her parents, Alexander
Russell and wife, came over into Indiana and entered a tract of land from the
government in the southern part of Fair\'iew township, this county, estab-
(54)

iiSO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

lishing there their home at a time when wolves and other "varmints" still
were numerous in the forests hereahouts. When the project for building the
White Water canal was being, developed, Alexander Russell took the con-
tract for digging that portion of the canal from Connersville to Brookville
and during the work of construction had from five hundred to six hundred
men in his employ. Some time after the completion of that contract he
moved to Illinois and there spent the remainder of his life.

Melancthon R. Little grew up on the home farm in Orange township
and received his schooling in the neighborhood schools. He early learned
the trade of carpenter and for a while in the days of his young manhood fol-
lowed that trade in Illinois, but the most of his life was spent in farming in
Orange township, where he became the owner of a snug farm of eighty acres
in the northeast part of that township, the place on which he spent his last
days and where his family is still living. Mr. Little gave special attention
to fruit growing, had an excellent orchard and also raised an abundance of
strawberries and other small fruit. Mr. Little was an earnest member of the
L'nited Presbyterian church, as are his widow and children, and at the time
of his death was a member of the session of the local church, having served
as an elder for seven or eight years. His death occurred at his home on
February 14, 191 5, he then being in the seventieth year of his age.

In December. 1878, Melancthon R. Little was united in marriage to
Mary T- ^liller, who survives him and who is still making her home on the
home farm in Orange township. Mrs. Little also is a native of the Hoosier
state, born in the neighboring county of Rush, a daughter of James and Maria
(Louden) Miller, the former a native of the state of Kentucky and the latter,
of Ireland. James Miller was born in "Shelby county, Kentucky, and was
about eight years of age when his parents, John and Mary (Boyd) Miller,
came to Indiana and settled in the Richland neighborhood, John Miller spend-
ing the remainder of his life in Rush county. In that county James Miller
grew to manhood and there he married Maria Louden, who was but a child
when she came to this country from Ireland with her parents, James and Jane
Louden, who for a time after their arrival in the United States made their
home in Pennsylvania and then came to Indiana, settling in Orange town-
ship, this county, and later moving to Fairview township, where they spent
their last days, both living to ripe old age. James Miller was a buggy-maker
in the days when the wood work on buggies was all turned out by hand and
for some time was employed in the Applegate factory over in Rush county.

lAYKTTE COrNTV. INDIANA. ^5 1

Later he took uji hmiiing and si)ent tlie rest of liis life as a farmer, his death
occurring in iOi3- His wife had long preceded him to the grave, her death
having occurred in 1870. rhe\- were memhers of the United Presbyterian
church and were active in local good works.

To Melancthon R. and Mary J. (Miller) Little were bom four chil-
dren, namely: Ida May, Ralph M. and Leslie L., who are living on the
home farm with their mother, and Maggie B., who married Monroe Brooks,
of Glenwood, and has two children, L^mes Doran and Viola Imogene. The
Littles have a ])leasant home in Orange township and have ever given their
earnest attention to the general social activities of the community in which
thev live.

AMOX YOUNG.

Anion Young, trustee of Orange township and one of the most substan-
tial farmers of that township, proprietor of an excellent farm about a mile
southeast of the village of Orange, was born in that township and has lived
there all his life. He was born on a farm about one and one-half miles north-
east of his present home on May 23, 1865, son of Alfred and Margaret
(Serns) Young, the former of whom also was born in this county and the
latter in the state of Ohio, both of whom spent their last days in this county.

Alfred Young was born on a pioneer farm south of Everton, in Jackson
township, and there grew to manhood. He married Margaret Serns, who
was born in Oxford. Ohio, daughter of John Serns and wife, who spent their
last days in Oxford, and for a short time after his marriage was engaged in
farming in Franklin. c(nuity, this state. He then prospected a bit in Rush
county with a view to buying a farm there, but decided that he wanted none
of that land, holding that in the main it was too low and swampy and there-
fore came back into Fayette county and established his home on high ground
in Orange township in order to avoid the ague that then was a scourge
throughout this part of the country. It was before the days of the Civil
^^'ar that Alfred Young settled on his Orange township farm and there he
spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on February 6, 1878.
His widow survived him for about fourteen years, her death occurring in
1892. They were members of the Christian church and active in church
work. To them seven children were born, of whom but three are living at
present, the subject of this sketch being the youngest of these.

S52 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Anion Young was but thirteen years of age when his father died and
he remained on the home farm with his mother, assisting in the labors of the
same, and farmed there until the death of his mother : having rented the farm
and begun farming for himself after his marriage in [885. After the death
of his mother he bought the home place and continued to make his home
there until 1906, when he sold that farm and bought the farm on which he
since has made his home, one mile southeast of Orange. Mr.- Young has
an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres and in addition to his gen-
eral farming gives considerable attention to the raising of a good grade of
live stock. In the fall of 1914 Air. Young was elected trustee of Orange
township, entering upon the duties of that office on January i, 1915. and is
now serving as trustee of the township, giving his earnest attention to his
official duties.

On August 31, 1885, Anion >'oung was united in marriage to Josephine
Morris, who was born near La Clede. Illinois, a daughter of White B. and
Mary Jane (Pa\'ne) Alorris, both of whom were born in Indiana, a short
distance west of Rushville, and who had moved to- Illinois a short time after
their marriage. The object of White B. Morris's removal to Illinois was to
get land cheap, but his venture proved to be a financial disappointment and
about 1875 he returned to Indiana with his family and located in Union town-
ship, Rush county, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives.
For a time during his residence in Illinois, Mr. Morris was engaged in the
mercantile business, but after locating in Rush county resumed farming and
was thus engaged the rest of his life. Mrs. Young was about eight years
of age when her jjarents returned to Indiana from Illinois and she grew up
on the home farm in Rush county, where she was living at the time of her
marriage to Mr. Young. To that union three children have been born, sons
all, namely : Morris, who married Grace Huff, of Liberty, this state, and is
now living in Orange ; Russell, who was graduated from the agricultural
department of I'urdue L'niversity and is engaged in farming in Orange town-
ship, and Corey, who is engaged in farming in association with his father.
Russell Young married Josie Creek and has one child, a son, Ralph Eugene.
Corev Young married Ital)' Creek and has one child. La Verne. Anion
Young is a memlier of the Christian church and his wife is a member of the
Baptist church. Tliey have a pleasant home in the Orange neighborhood
and have e\er given their earnest attention to the general good works of the
communitv.

FAYKTTK COl'NrV, INDIANA. 853

W ILLTAM P,R()\V\.

Ill the year iH^O, William I'mwii slarted liis taniierv in COnnersville.
Upon moving there from Brownsville, over in I'nion cunnty, he ]mt up a
log house as a place of residence at what i> now the south side of the west
end of Second street, just east of where the Brown house now stands, at the
foot of Western avenue, l^'or years after William Brown settled there,
present \\'estern avenue was called Tanner street and it ended at Third street,
the Brown property e.xtending out to Third street. Ten years after settling
there \\'illiam Bro\vn supplanted his log house b\' a substantial and com-
modious brick house, just west of the log house, and that second house is
still serving as a residence for the Browns in the fourth generation. In that
old house there are ])reser\ed numerous relics of pioneer days, household
articles used in the (l;i\s of William llrown, such ;is an old grease lamp, with
double burners, cantlle moulds, candle snuffers, a spinning wheel and linen
spreads and other anicles of domestic use woven by Mrs. Brown.

William Brown was born at Lexington, Kentucky, April 13, 1810, and
was but a child when his parents came up into Indiana Territory and settled
in the section then known as the walnut levels in what later came to be organ-
ized as Wayne county. \ot long after settling there both his parents died
from the effects of that strange malady so bitterly remembered by the pioneers
as "milk sickness.'" which claimed many victims throughout this region in
the early days of the settlement of the state. Thus orphaned in his early
youth, young I'.rown was reared by .Mr. Wiggins, of Richmond, a Quaker
and a tanner, who later established a tannery in the near \icinitv of Browns-
ville, in I'nion county, and ])ut his son and \\'illiam Itrown in charge of the
same. Young Wiggins did not like the work and ])resently returned to
Richmond, lea\ing Brown in sole charge of the place. In 1832 William
Brown married at Brownsxille and continued operating the tannerv there
until 1836. when he moved his tannery to Connersville, which ])lace even then
was gi\'ing ])romise of becoming the industrial center for this p.-un of the
state. He established his tannery in a frame building he erecteil on what is
now known as (irand axenue, just above l-'irst street, and some time later
supplanted that structure by a brick building, which is still standing there,
facing toward the canal and now used for storage jjurjioses. William Brown
built up a good business as a tanner and contimied in business there the rest
of his life, his death occin-ring on Ma\- 2t, 7856. He was one of the most
active business men in the rajiidly de\'elo]iing town and did much to promote

854 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the general interests of the same. When the volunteer tire department was
organized, he took an active part in the movement and was one of the most
energetic members of the department. Fire calls then were answered by
organized volunteers and the fire-fighting apparatus was a hand engine afifec-
tionately called "Pluto," whose infrequent outings invariably were accom-
panied by scenes of much local ex'citement.

In 1832, at Brownsville, William Brown was united in marriage to Eliza
Bolton, who was born at Abingdon, Washington county, Virginia, April 16,
181 1, a daughter of James and Jane (Carr) Bolton, the former of whom
was of English birth and the latter of whom had a German mother. While
Eliza Bolton was still a little girl James Bolton^and his family came to Indi-
ana, driving across country in a big wagon and settled on land in the neigh-
borhood of Brownsville, in Union county. There James Bolton entered a
tract of four hundred acres of land and established his home, becoming one
of the most influential and substantial pioneers of that section. On that
pioneer farm Eliza Bolton grew to womanhood and there she lived until her
marriage to William Brown. She survived her husband for more than forty
years, .her death occurring at her home in Connersville on January 26, 1899,
she then being in the eighty-eighth year of her age. To William and Eliza
(Bolton) Brown were born eleven children, Harriet, Jane, Eunice, Eliza,
Evin Linville, Ezra William, Horace Milton, Mary Elizabeth, Caroline, Frank
and one, the se\enth in order of birth, who died in infancy. Jane, Eliza and
Frank Brown died in their youth. Eunice died in 1870 and Mary Elizabeth
died in 1872. Harriet Brown married Eber Bateman and died leaving three
sons and three daughters. Evin Linville Brown moved to Missouri, where
he married and where he spent the remainder of his life, dying without issue.
Horace Milton Brown died unmarried. Caroline Brown married Edward
A. Secrist, who moved from Seneca Falls, New York, to Connersville and
established a shoe shop opposite the court house, on the north side of Court
street. He died in 1904, leaving no children. His widow now lives in the
old Brown home in which she was born.

James Bolton, previotisly referred to, experienced some difficulty in
getting seed for the first few years. One year seed wheat was so scarce, he
was offered sixty dollars for one bushel. The first year he laid up one cucum-
ber for seed ; an old hen came along and ate the seed ; she was immediately
killed and the seed recovered. James P. Bolton, Jr., wnt to Detroit with a Mr.
McCarty, of Connersville, to help the making of a treaty with the Indians.

FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. 855

Edward H. Secrist serxeil in the C'i\il War with a New York cavalry regi-
ment. He was confined in .\ntlerson\ilIe prison for nine months.

Ezra W'ilham Brown, who is now living in Oregon, was born in the old
Brown home in Connersxille on Jiil_\- 5, 1S43, ''"d there grew to manhood.
On August 30, 1871. he married Paulina S. Callison, who was born at
Laporte, this state, a daugiiter of William J. Callison and wife. Both she
and Ezra W. Brown had lost their hearing in youth, as the result of scarlet
fever, and their acc|uaintance was formed while they were students in the
state school for the deaf at Indianapolis. After their marriage they lived in
Connersville for a short time and then moved to Wichita, Kansas, where
Mrs. Brown died early in 1876, leaving two small children, W'illiam Callison
and Ezra B. The bereaved husband and father brought his motherless chil-
dren to Connersville, where they were cared for by his mother. He returned
West and in Kansas married again, later moving to Utah, thence to Mon-
tana and thence to Oregon, where he is now living, a resident of the town
of Ten Mile.

Ezra B. Brown was born at Wichita, Kansas, July 25, 1875, and was
but an infant when he was taken in charge by his paternal grandmother at
Connersville. There he grew to manhood, early turning his attention to
mechanics and became an e.xpert mechanic. Pie \\orked at that trade about
seven years and then recognizing that the automobile had come to stay, left
a position that was paying him twenty-fi\-e dollars a week to enter upon an
apprenticeship in an automobile factory at four dollars a week. He readily
mastered the details of automobile mechanism, rapidly worked his way up in
the ranks of the workmen in that line and for the past three years or more
has been superintendent of the extensive plant of the Lexington-Howard
Company, manufacturers of the Lexington automobile, at Connersville. Mr.
Brown is still living in the old Brown home, built by his grandfather in 1846,
and his children are of the fourth generation of the Browns who have con-
tinuously occupied that house since the time it was built. Mr. Brown mar-
ried Edith Nave, who was born at .\ndersonville, in the neighboring county
of Franklin, a daughter of Isaac R. and Myrtle ( .Shriner) Nave, the latter
of whom also was born and reared at Anderson\ille, daughter of Renatus
Shriner, who was the proprietor of the first tavern or inn at that place. Isaac
R. Nave was born in England and is now engaged in the grocery business in
Connersville, his store being situated on Fourth street, opposite the court
house. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have four children, Caroline, Robert, Azalea
and Pauline.

S56 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

WILLIAM HENRY DeVANEY.

William Henry DeVaney, president of the Hoosier Castings Company,
one of the new and most progressive industrial concerns in Connersville, is
a native of the great Empire state, born in the city of Brooklyn on Novem-
ber II, 1880, a son of Martin J. and Catherine (Hayes) DeVaney, both of
whom were born in that same city. Along in the middle eighties Martin J.
DeVaney and family moved from Brooklyn to Bridgeport, Connecticut, and
in the latter city William H. DeVaney grew to manhood, receiving there a
thorough course of instruction along the lines upon which have been based
his present substantial success in the industrial and manufacturing world.
As a boy he was taught by his mother to reject and spurn the whining phrase,
"It can't be done"; and to substitute for the same the nobler motto, "Where
there's a will, there's a way." From his early youth he was conscious of
an investigating and anah tical frame of mind and early learned that "Neces-
sity is the mother of invention," an axiom which has been of much value in
shaping his whole course of life.

L'pon completing the course in the public schools of Bridgeport William
H. DeVaney turned his attention to a business training and in the I. S.
Brown Business College and in the Enos & Cunningham Business College
in that city became thoroughly grounded in business forms, in the mean-
time studying at home, and by the latter course acquired a comprehensive
knowledge of the technical side of mechanical engineering, mechanical draw-
ing, pattern-making and the like. Upon leaving business college he secured
employment in a Bridgeport foundry, with a view to adding to his store of
technical knowledge a thorough practical knowledge of the j^rocesses of
molding, core-making and kindred lines as applied to foundry work, beginning
work there at a wage of one dollar and fifty cents a week. After a compre-
hensive apprenticeship along those lines Mr. DeVaney took up pattern-mak-
ing and after acquiring a practical knowledge of that department of foundry
work was given charge of the pattern room of the Abraham Skaats Pattern
and Model Company, with which concern he remained about eighteen months,
at the end of which time he transferred his services to the Lake Torpedo-boat
Company at Bridgeport, being given charge of the experimental pattern and
model department of that company, supervising the making of patterns and
models of parts used in the construction of torpedo-boats up to the point of
launching, his duties requiring him to follow the models from the inception
to the end of their construction. While thus engaged Mr. DeVaney made

•II.I.IAM 11. I)..\AXKV AND FAMILY

KAYKTTE COl'NTV, INDIANA. JS^J

tlie models of tlie boat the Lake people had on exhibition at the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition at St. Louis and was with the company up to and includ-
ing the time it launched "The Protector," which was submitted to the L'nited
States government in 1901, when the Lake people were in strong competition
with the Holland people.

L'pon concluding his serxice with the Lake Torpedo-boat Company, Mr.
DeVaney went over to the employ of the American and British :\Ianufac-
turing Company at Bridgeport, manufacturers of all kinds of battleship
accessories, including gun mountings, high-powered marine motors and the
like, and was given charge of the "la}-out" work in the pattern department
of that company, .supervi.sing the consummati(in of plans in that department.
After about a year of service with that company Mr. DeVaney was gi\en
charge of the construction of the Charles F. Herschoff Company's high-
speed racing boats, taking the boats through their course of construction,
and while thus engaged supervised the construction of the "Den L" and the
"Den IL", which later, competing in the international races at Sheepshead
Bay, became world famous. From that concern Mr. DeVaney transferred
his services to the Locomobile Company of America at Bridgeport and while
with that comjiany made patterns and models for the car that competed for
the Vanderliilt cup in 1905. His services then were secured by the American
Locomoti\'e Company at Providence, Rhode Island, which placed him in
charge of the pattern and experimental department of its works and he was
thus engaged when that company began building the Berliet automobile,
securing the American rights for the manufacture of the French car, wiiich
was later named the Alco car. In 1909 Mr. DeVaney was called to Indi-
ana, his services being- secured by the Warner Gear Company at Muncic.
which placed him in charge as superintendent of jjattern and foundr\- work,
his duties being to oversee the ef|uipment and production in the foimdrv antl
pattern line. I'rom that concern Mr. DeVaney j)resentl\- went o\er to the
employ of the Muncie l-'oundry and .Machine Compan_\-. which installed him
as mechanical engineer of the plant, and after a sometime ser\ice there he
was called back East, the Inter-state Foundry Company of Cleveland secur-
ing his services as production engineer of its plant.

On May 21. 1915, Mr. DeVaney returned to Indiana and located at
Connersville, which he recognized as an ideal point for the establishment
of a manufacturing plant which he long had had in mind and there he organ-
ized the Hoosier Castings Company and erected and equipped a plant for the
manufacture of automobile castings of gray iron and semi-.steel. The his-

858 ' FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

tory of the Hoosier Castings Company, which is set out at some length in
the chapter relating to the industries of Connersville, presented in the his-
torical section of this work, shows that from the very beginning the company
has been a success, now employing more than two hundred men and includ-
ing among its customers some of the greatest automobile concerns in the
country. Mr. DeVaney is president of the company and takes an active
part in the direction of the practical and technical part of the work of the
plant, a position for which his past experience has so thoroughly qualified
him. Though a comparative new-comer in Connersville, William H.
DeVanev is recognized as one of the leaders in the industrial life of that city
and his energetic and purposeful methods have done much to stimulate the
spirit of industrialism which of late years has meant so much for the develop-
ment of the old capital of Fayette county. Mr. DeVaney has made his way
to the front by hard work, close application and diligent study, having from
the \erv beginning of his industrial career worked with the determination
of making himself worthy of advancement in his chosen calling, and that he
has succeeded is evidenced by his present position as head of one of Conners-
ville's most important industrial concerns.

In 1904, at Bridgeport. Connecticut, William H. DeVaney was united
in marriage to Margaret Meehan, of that city, and to this union four children
have been born, Martin Raymond, William Emmet, Laurence Francis and
Mary Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. DeVaney are members of the Catholic
church and take a proper interest in parish affairs. Mr. DeVaney is a mem-
ber of the local council of the Knights of Columbus and of the local lodge
of the Benevolent and Fraternal Order of Elks and in the affairs of these
two organizations takes a warm interest.

ELMER EARL STEVENS.

Elmer Earl Stevens is a well-known merchant of Orange, this county,
member of the firm of Stevens & Son, dealers in general merchandise, which
was established by the late Amos W. Stevens, whose interest in the store
continues to be represented by his widow. He was born on a farm in the
southern part of Orange township, this county, July 6, 1887, son of Amos
Wells and Mary Elizabeth (Fortner) Stevens, the latter of whom is still
living, continuing her interest in the store established by her late husband at
Orange some years before the latter's death. The farm on which Elmer E.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. X^l)

Stevens was born was entered from tlie government by liis great-great-jj;ran(l-
father, who was one of the early settlers of this part of the state, the Stevens
family having been represented hereabout since territorial days.

Amos Wells Stevens was born over in Union county, a son of fojm II.
and Alary E. (Neptune) Stevens, the former of whom was born in ( )ranoc
township, this county, a grandson of the original settler of the Stevens land
in section 26 of that township. The second log house erected there, which
was situated on a rise well back in the middle of the tract, near a spring;, was
still standing when Elmer E. Ste\ens was a boy. John H. Stevens was born
on that pioneer farm in 1828, son of Wells and Agnes (Carwile) Stevens,
the former of whom had come to this part of the country from North Caro-
lina with his father, Robert Stevens, who came here in 1809 or 18 10 and
some time later entered the southwest quarter of section 26 of Orange town-
ship, the government deed, bearing the signature of President Monroe, carry-
ing date of June 2, 1823. Robert Stevens, the pioneer, spent the remainder
of his life on that farm. His son, Wells Stevens, moved to Jay county in
1838, but moved back here two or three years later and spent his last days
on the home farm. His wife. Agnes Carwile, was a native of South Carolina.
John H. Stevens grew up there and farmed all his life in Orange township.
He married Mary Jane Neptune, who was born near Blooming Gro\e, in
the neighboring county of Franklin, a daughter of Amos and Hetty Neptune,
who had come here from Maryland. John H. Stevens died on February 23,
1896. His wife had predeceased him just nine years, her death having
occurred on February 23, 1887. They were the parents of eight children, of
whom five grew to maturity and lived to be more than fifty years of age, and
all of whom are still living save Amos Wells Stevens, who died in September.
1914, the others being James G. Stevens, who is living near Anderson, this
state; Eliza Jane, wife of Abijah Hunt Stephen, of Orange township: Hannah
Elizabeth, wife of F. M. Johnson, also of Orange township, and Lena L.,
wife of Harlan E. Stephen, also of Orange township.

In 1886 Amos W. Stevens was united in marriage to Mary Elizabeth
Fortner, who was born in Brown county, Kansas, a daughter of James \\'es-
ley and Eunice (Barnard) Fortner. both of wlioni were born and reared in
Franklin county, this state, where they were married, later going to Kansas
to take up a homestead. When Mary E. Fortner was about five years of age
her parents returned to this state from Kansas to take care of Mr. Fortner's
mother in Franklin county and remained here until after their daughter's
marriage to Mr. Stevens, she then being nineteen years of age, after which

86o FAYETTE COITNTY, INDIANA.

tliey returned to Kansas. Some years later two of their children homesteaded
tracts in Oklahoma and Mr. and Mrs. Fortner joined them in that state,
where they are now living, residents of Stillwater, Mr. Fortner now being
past eighty-five years of age. For some time after his marriage Amos W.
Stevens made his home on a farm near the old Stevens home and then bought
a farm one and one-half miles south of Orange, where he lived until about
1903, when he moved to Orange. He continued farming, however, until
about 1909, when he and John Dawson bought the Hamilton store in Orange
and in 1911 he and his son bought the interest of Mr. Dawson and continued
to operate the store under the name of Ste\-ens & Son, which firm style has
been continued since the death of the elder Stevens in 1914, his widow main-
taining her interest in the store in association with her son. .A.mos W.
Stevens died on September 4, 1914. He was an active member of the local
lodge of the Knights of Pythias and took an earnest interest in the affairs of
the same. To him and his wife three children were born, of whom the sub-
ject of this sketch is the eldest, the others being Olive Ruth, who married
Earl Heeb. of Orange, and has one child, a daughter, Ruth, and Nellie May,
who is still in high school.

Both the Stevenses and the Fortners are representatives of two of the
oldest families in this part of the state. As noted above, it was about the
vear 1810 that Robert Stevens and his wife, Sarah Bean, came to the then
Territory of Indiana from North Carolina. At first they settled in Franklin
county, later for a time living in Union county and then, as noted above,
coming over into Fayette county and settling in Orange township in 1823.
Robert Stevens and wife were the ])arents of twelve children, Allie, King,
John, Jane, Nathan, Henry, James, Mary A., Jemima, Isaac, Isom and Wells.
The latter, who was the second in order of birth, married Agnes Carwile in
Franklin county and later settled on Garrison's creek, in Columbia township,
this county, where he remained until 1838, when he moved to Jay county;
but in 1845 he returned to this county and here he spent the rest of his life,
his death occurring in 1884. He and his wife were the parents of five chil-
dren, Levi, Elizabeth, John H., Keziah and Henry. The children born to
John H. and Mary Jane (Neptune) SteA-ens have been mentioned in a pre-
ceding paragraph. James W'esley Fortner, father of Mrs. Ste\'ens, was born
in Franklin county, a son of Sion and Elizabeth (Pasley) Fortner, the former
of whom was born in 1806 and the latter in 1802. Sion Fortner was a son
of Levi and Keziah (McClure) Fortner and Elizabeth Pasley was a daughter
of Hugh and Mary (Yost) Pasley, who moved from Virginia to Kentucky

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 86 1

and after a sometime residence in the neigiiliorliood of Lexington, in that
state, moved up into Oliio and settled about twelve miles west of Cincinnati,
which at that time was but a straggliu"- village, later, about i8i_', coming
on up the White Water valley into the Territory of Indiana and settling in
Franklin county, where .Sion Fortner grew to manhood and established liis
liome.

Elmer M Stevens was about sixteen years of age when his parents moved
from the farm into the village of Orange, in order to secure the better edu-
cational advantages offered there, and be w as graduated from the high school
there in 1903. He then took a course in a commercial college at Indianapolis
and for about two years thereafter worked in that city; later, for about eight
nuintbs being engaged as a traveling representative of the American Tobacco
Company. He then spent a year on his father's farm and then began work-
ing in the general store of L. O. Hamilton at Orange, and was thus engaged
when his father and John Dawson bought that store in 1909. In 191 1 he
and his father bought the Dawson interest and the father and son conducted
the business, under the firm name of Stevens & Son. until the former's death
in 1914, since which time Mr. Stevens and his mother have been owners of
the store, tlie old lirm name being maintained. Mr. Stevens is an energetic
business man and takes an active interest in tlie general affairs of bis home
town. For the past two years he has been the secretary of the Orange
Mutual Telephone Company and is secretary-treasurer of the Orange Ceme-
terv Association. Stevens & Son have a well-stocked and up-to-date store.
occupying a large two-story building and also occupy another two-story
building as a warehouse. They deal in groceries, dry goods, shelf hardware
and general merchandise and also keep a huckster wagon on the road, Mr.
Stevens is a member of the Christian church and his wife is a member of the
Methodist churcli. He is a member of the local lodge of the Im])roved Order
of Red Men and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.

In Tanuar\'. 1914. Elmer E. Ste\ens was united in marriage to Helen
Link, who was born at Glenwood, daughter of John H. and Effie ( Foote)
Link, proprietors of the Glenwood Inn at that place, and to this union one
child has been born, a daughter. Janice Marie. John H. Link was born at
White's Mill, in Cnion township, in the neighboring county of Rush, January
27, 1863, son of Emanuel H. and Sr)i)hronia ( Holdeman ) Link, the former
a native of Georgia and the latter, of Ohio, whose last days were spent on a
farm in Fairview township, this county. Emanuel H. Link was born in 1829
in the state of Georgia, son of John and Barbara (Hansbarger) Link, the

862 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

former a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1777, and the latter, of Virginia,
born in 1780, who were married in Virginia and after a sometime residence
in Georgia moved to Washington county, Tennessee, and later to Greene
county, same state, where John Link died in 1852. His widow, who sur-
vived him for more than twenty years, spent her last days in this county,
where she died in 1875. As a young man Emanuel H. Link began clerking
in a store at Rushville, this state. In 1857 he took a trip to Nebraska, but
returned to Rushville a year later and in 1859 married Sophronia Holdeman,
who was born in Preble county, Ohio, July 5, 1835, a daughter of John and
Amima (Shideler) Holdeman, who had moved from Pennsylvania to Preble
county, where John Holdeman built the first grist-mill put up in that county.
In i860 Emanuel H. Link started a general store at White's Mills and in
1864 he moved from there to Falmouth, where he was engaged in the mer-
cantile business until 1873, when he left the store and bought a farm in Eair-
view township, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in
November, 1887. His widow survived him many years, her death occurring
on October 17, 1914.

John H. Link was variously employed until after the death of his father,
after which he took up the barber trade and in i8go started a barber shop at
Glenwood, where he has been located ever since. For the past six years or
more he and his wife have been conducting the Glenwood Lm. It was in
February. 1894, that John H. Link was united in marriage to EfBe Foote,
who was born and reared at Marysville, in Union county, Ohio. She was
born in May, 1873, daughter of Edmund B. and Rebecca Ann (Hoff) Foote,
the former of whom was a soldier in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-
sixth Regiment, Ohio National Guard, during the Civil War and received
the thanks of President Lincoln for services rendered during that period.
He died at Marysville, where he had been for many years engaged as a black-
smith, in September, 1902. His wife, whose parents were Virginians, died
in July, 1906. She was a member of the Woman's Relief Corps and was
identified with the activities of the Congregational church. Her daughter,
Mrs. Link, also was a member of that church until her marriage, but now,
together with her husband and children, is a member of the Methodist church.
Mr. Link is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the
Red Men. To Mr. and Mrs. Link four children have been born, namely :
Helen and Hazel, twins, the former of whom married Mr. Stevens and the
latter of whom married Clyde Matney and has one child, a son, John Lewis ;
Mvrtle Elizabeth, wh.o died in infancy, and Leslie John.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 863

WILLIAM A. CARSOX.

Among the well-known, successful and substantial farmers and stock-
men of Fairview township, Fayette county, Indiana, is \A'illiam A. Carson.
trustee of the township, who was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on
August 20. 1870. and is the son of Scott and Nancy J: (Cruzan) Carson.

Scott Carson was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, and Nancy J. Car-
son was born in Rush county. They received their education in their
respective districts, and after their marriage they established their home in
Hamilton county, where Mr. Carson engaged in the butcher business and
where he died in 1872. He was a man of pleasing personalities and had
many friends throughout the county, and his untimely death was the cause
of much sorrow in the community, where he had lived and where he had been
held in high regard by all. He was a hard-working man, and was devoted
to his family and the interests of his home. He and Mrs. Carson were the
parents of three children, William A. being the only one now living. Mr.
Carson was a member of the Masonic order and was ever active in the inter-
ests of that organization. Mrs. Carson was for many years a member of
the Seventh-Day Adventist church and devoted to its principles. She was a
woman universally beloved for her kindly disposition and many traits of
womanhood. Some time after the death- of her hu.sband, Mrs. Carson with
her son, William A., left her home in Hamilton county and came to Fayette
county, and located at Glenwood, where she died in 1901, and is buried in the
cemetery of that place.

AVilliam A. Carson having been left an (irphan at the age of two years,
received but a limited education in the ]Hil)lic schools, and when but a lad he
was compelled to help himself in the work of life. \\'hen a \-oung man
he worked on a farm and has since devoted his life to that work. In 1890
he was united in marriage to Bertha Hinchman, the daughter of I. H. and
Amanda (Moffett) Hinchman, of Rush county. ]\Ir. Hinchman was a suc-
cessful farmer and died at home some years ago, since which time his widow
has made her home with her children.

To William A. and Bertha Carson have been born twc^ children, Guy
W. and Hazel. Guy W. is one of the well-known young farmers of the
countv. He is married to Vida Ayers and to them, three children have been
born : John, Fva and Lowell. Hazel Carson is single and at home with
her parents. Mr. and ]\Irs. Carson have long been prominent in the social
life of their home township, where they have many friends, who hold them

864 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in higli regard. They are interested in those things that have a tendency to
the betterment of the conditions of their home community and the county
generally. Their influence on the moral, educational and social life of the
district has been marked. They have been devoted to the interests of their
children, to whom they have given the best possible advantages. They were
educated in the public schools of Glenwood, where they received their high
school training. They have a pleasant country home, where they take much
pleasure in the entertainment of their neighbors and their friends.

The year after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Carson purchased their
present farm of sixty-three acres in Fairview township, and here they have
made their home and have reared their children. By hard work they have
obtained the home through their own efforts. They have made many sub-
stantial and valuable improvements on the place, which is today one of the
ideal countrv homes in the county. Mr. Carson carrys on general farming, and
raises a good many Poland China hogs and Jersey cattle, in which he has
been successful. He has always taken much interest in the political life of
the township and the county, and has served his township for ten years as
assessor and for two years as trustee, which latter position he is now filling.
He has made a most capable and obliging public official and has received the
commendation of all.

ROBERT J. GREENWOOD.

Robert J. Greenwood, well-known civil engineer, of Connersville, who
is now occupying the dual position of city engineer and county engineer, is
a native Hoosier and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a
farm in the neighboring county of Rush, August 4, 1874, a son of \Villiam
Greenwood, who is still living there, one of the oldest residents in his sec-
tion of the count}-. William Greenwood also was bom in Rush county and
he has lived there all his life, a substantial farmer. His father located in
that county about 181 8 and presently bought a farm there and established
his home, becoming one of the most influential residents of his neighborhood
in pioneer days.

Reared on the paternal farm, Robert J. Greenwood received his ele-
mentary schooling in the district schools of his home neighborhood and sup-
plemented the same by a course in high school, after which he entered Pur-
due University, in the year 1901, taking the course in civil engineering, and
was graduated from that institution in 1905.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 865

Thus equipped for tlie practical side of his calling, Mr. Greenwood
located at Connersville and opened an office for general contracting in civil
engineering. In 1905 he was appointed city civil engineer by the Conners-
ville city council and held that office until 1908. After a lapse of time he
again was appointed to that important position and in the spring of 1916
was appointed to the office of count\- engineer, now holding the office of
engineer for both county and city.

In 1908 Robert J. Greenwood was united in marriage to Emma L.
Brown, daughter of John P. Brown and wife, and to this union one child has
been torn, a daughter, Marjorie. Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood are members
of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Greenwood is a Mason and a
member of the local commandery of the Knights Templar. In his political
faith he is a Democrat and takes an actixe interest in local civic affairs.

WILLIAM C. B.\SSE.

William C. Basse, superintendent of the important manufacturing plant
of the P. H. & F. M. Roots Company at Connersville, a former member of
the Connersville city council and for years one of the best-known and most
substantial figures in the industrial life of that city, was born in the city of
St. Louis, Missouri, Xovember 2. 1870. son of Philip and Elizabeth (Uhl)
Basse, natives of Germany, whose last days were spent in St. Louis.

Philip Basse was the only son of his parents and he had a sister, Sophia.
His parents came to this country when quite young, locating at Cincinnati and
later in St. Louis, in which latter city they spent their last days, both living
to ripe old age. Philip Basse was trained as a machinist in the Fatherland
and became an expert mechanic. He married at Cincinnati Elizai)eth Uhl,
who was one of the five children born to her parents, also natives of Ger-
many, the others being John, Catherine, Peter and Wilhelmina. Her par-
ents spent all their lives in their native land. Following his marriage Philip
Basse set up a machine shop at St. Louis, which he operated with success for
more than twenty-five years. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted as
a private in the Second Regiment. Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and served
with that command for a period of three years. He died at his home in St.
Louis in 1909, he then being sixty-seven years of age, and his widow sur-
vived him three vears, her death occurring in 1912, she being seventy years
(55)

866 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of age at the time of her death. They were members of the Lutheran church
and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these chil-
dren, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the
others being as follow : Philip, of St. Louis ; Sophia, wife of John Grob, of
St. Louis ; Frances, wife of John Stanley, of Louisville, Kentucky ; Elizabeth,
wife of L. H. Burt, of Connersville; Katherine, wife of Henry Hoffman, of
St. Louis; George, of Connersville: Emma, wife of William Spehr, of St.
Louis, and John, who died in infancy.

Upon completing his schooling in the public schools of St. Louis, Will-
iam C. Basse entered his father's machine shop in that city and under that
careful preceptorship became a thorough mechanic, remaining there, thus
engaged, until in September, 1892, when he came to Lidiana and entered the
employ of the P. H. & F. M. Roots Company, manufacturers, and has ever
since been connected with the plant of that thriving concern. In 1902 Mr.
Basse was made superintendent of the Roots plant and still occupies that
position, having about two hundred and forty-five men under his direction.
The Roots Company manufactures blowers, pumps and the like and the
products of the concern are sold in all parts of the world, the concern being
one of the largest establishments of its kind in the country. Mr. Basse is a
Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political
affairs. He served one term as a member of the Connersville city council
from his ward and in other ways has given of his time and his energies to
the public service. He has a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres on
the very edge of the city, on which he has erected a beautiful residence and
there he and his family are pleasantly and comfortably situated.

On April 29, 1897, William C. Basse was united in marriage to Dorothea
M. Weisel, who was born in Connersville, daughter of Henry and Wilhel-
mina (Uhl) Weisel, natives of Germany, who located at Cincinnati shortly
after coming to this country and later moved to Connersville and there spent
the rest of their lives. Henry Weisel was a cooper. Of the children born
to him and his wife four are still living, those besides Mrs. Basse being
Katherine, Louise and Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Basse have two children,
William and Henrietta. The Basses are members of the Presbyterian church,
in the various beneficences of which they take a warm interest, as well as in
the general social activities of the community, helpful in promoting all
ao-encies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare here-
about. Mr. Basse is a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight Templar, affiliated
with W^arren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons; with Maxwell Chap-

KAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 867

ter No. 18. Royal Arcli Ma.'^ons, and witli Connersville Coninianderv No. 6,
Knights Templar, at Connersville, and is a noble of the .Ancient .\rabic Order
of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with Murat Temple at Indianapolis.
He also is a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks and a member of (nittenberg Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows, at Conii^rsville. and in tlie affairs of these several organizations takes
an active interest.

H1':.\KV LEWIS LUDLOW.

Henry Lewis Ludlow, a nati\e of I""ayette county, Luliana, and a prom-
inent and well-known retired farmer of Glenwood, Indiana, was born in Har-
rison township on l'~ebruary 17, 1838, and is the son of John and Louisa
( Philpox) Ludlow.

John and Louisa Ludlow were natives of Clermont county, Ohio, and
South Carolina, respectively. John Ludlow was the son of Henry Ludlow,
who was born in the state of New Jersey, and later settled in the state of
Oliio. .\s a young man he married Sarah Bale and they established their
home in Ohio and there they continued to live, until the death of Mr. Lud-
low, in 1826, when his widow came to Indiana, where she located in Har-
rison township, Fayette county, where she died sorne years later. It was
here that the son, John, grew to manhood and received his education. He
learned the trade of a blacksmith, at which he worked for many years, being-
one of tfie first smiths in the county. He fwi-t had four acres of land, and
on this he erected his shop. He later increased his farm to sixty acres, and
here he did much farming. In 183 J he was united in marriage to Louisa
Philpox, who died in 1868. Both he and his wife were active members of
the Christian church and took much interest in all the activities of the town-
ship. After the death of his wife. Mr. Ludlow was married to Mrs. Lucinda
Martin. Bv his first \\ife he was the father of three children as follow:
Cyrus B., a successful farmer of Tipton county. Indiana; Henry Lewis, and
Louie .\nn. the wife of Bethel McConnell. of Stoddard county. Missouri.
Tlie father died at his home on his farm in Harrison township in tlie year
1881.

Henrv Lewis Ludlow received his education in the primitive schools
of his home township, and was reared on the home farm, where he assisted
liis father with the work on the farm and in the .shop. He remained at
home until he was twenty-one years old; a few years later he was married

868 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in February, 1864, to Isabelle (Smiley) Clemens, who was born in Fairview
township, Fayette county, in 1833. and is a daughter of Ross and Mary
(Abernathy) Smiley. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, where he
grew to manhood and where he was educated. In 1807 he left his native
state and emigrated to Ohio, where he was a resident of Hamilton county
for some time, and where he engaged in the mercantile busirftss. In 1830
he came to Indiana and located in Fairview township, Fayette county, where
he had a store and a farm, and there he died in 1878; his wife died in 1885.

Mr. Smiley was for many years one of the leading members of the
Democratic party in the district. He served as sheriff of Union county, and
was for a time a member of the state Legislature. As a young man he taught
school and met with much success in that calling. He received the greater
part of his education through his own efforts, and was a great reader and
student during his life. He was a man of pronounced convictions, broad
views and sterling worth, and was recognized as one of the foremost men
of the time, in his county and district. As sheriff of his county, he gave uni-
versal satisfaction, and as a member of the Legislature, he won the confidence
and respect of all. He and his wife were the parents of three children as
follow : Robert, Thomas and Isabelle. Robert, now deceased, was never
married and spent his life on the home farm, and Thomas, who is now
deceased, was a successful farmer in Fairview township and was married to
Elizabeth Smith.

Henry Lewis and Isabelle ( Smiley ) Ludlow were the parents of the
following children : Alice. Effie, Ross, Ida, Louise, Louis L. and Laura
Estelle. Alice is the widow of C. E. Jeft'ery, and to them were born fi\'e
children: Ethel Belle, the wife of J. E. Clifford; Arthur C. who married
Mary Nelson ; Albert E. married Fernie Hunt ; Nellie E. the wife of Harry
Culbertson and Jessie, who is single. Effie is the widow of J. T. Davidson
and they were the parents of the following children : Roy, Guy, Leah, Ralph,
Bryan and Ruth. Leah is the wife of Glenn Swift, and Ralph married
Nettie Richardson. Ross Ludlow married Maggie Pulse and to them have
been born the following children : Irene Isabelle, Elonore Grace and Ross
Smilev. Ida Louise is the wife of J. B. Young, of Connersville ; Louis L. is
a newspaper correspondent at Washington, D. C. He is married to Cath-
erine Huber and they are the parents of four children as follow : Mar-
jorie, Blanche, Virginia and Louis. Laura Estelle was the wife of Jamie
Ochiltree and her death occurred on October ri, 1914.

Soon after their marriage, Henry Lewis and Isabelle Ludlow established

FAYETTK COfNTV, INDIANA. S69

their lioiiie on a fjirm in section 14, l'"air\-ie\v townslii]), I'ayette connty.
Here tliey hail a \cry \uiov h>ix liouse and a run-down farm. Tliey ini]irnved
tlie place and in time liecamc pmsperiais farmers and st(jci< raisers, and are
now llie owners of two hunih-ed and sixty acres of excellent land, all of
which is well developed and nicely ini])ro\ecl. They are prominent in their
home community, and during- the past attended l^niversalist church at (ilen-
wood, where they have lived since retiring from the farm in 1910, Mr.
Ludlow is a past master of the Masi'inic lodge, of which he has heen a mem-
ber since 1865. In iqu he was elected a county councilman-at-large for
Fayette county, and served in that capacity with distinction. Few men in
the county are better informed than is Mr. Ludlow, and he and his wife are
held in the highest esteem by all.

WALTER S. SAXON.

Few men of Fayette county, Indiana, stand higher in the estimation of
their fellow citizens, than does \\'alter S. Saxon of Glenwood. who was born
in Fairview township, this county, on Fel)ruary 22, 1864. and is the son of
McHenry and Elizabeth (Parish) Saxon. The ]xarents were also natives of
l''airview township, and there they were educated and grew to maturity and
married. They established their home on a farm in the township of their
nativity, and there Mr. Saxon engaged in general farming and stock raising,
with success. He became prominent in the affairs of the county and served
as a member of the board of county commissioners. He was a man of strong
personality and was held in the highest regard. He and his wife were active
members of the Christian church, and took the deepest interest in all the
activities of their home district. They were jiarents of two children, John
Thomas, who is a well-known farmer and is lix'ing on the old home place,
and Walter S.

\\'alter S. Sax(.n was educated in the local scho(^ls and at the Fair\-ie\v
Academy, and grew to manhood on the hfjme farm. On October 30, 1889,
he was united in marriage to Cora Long, a native of Fairview township, who
grew to womanhood in Daviess county. She is the daughter of Hosea and
Lucinda (De Moss) Long, prominent people of Daviess county and much
interested in education, .\fter the daughter, Cora, had completed her work
in the common schools of Da\iess and Fayette counties, she entered the Dan-
ville Normal school, where she completed her education, and where she pre-

8/0 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

pared herself for the work of a teacher, and for nine years she was one of
the efficient teachers of the county. She is recognized as one of the brilHant
and refined women of the county. For twenty years she has been a teacher
in the Sunday school of the Christian church of which she and her husband
are active and prominent members. She has for fifteen terms served as the
president of the Fairview Ladies Aid, which she helped to organize. She is
also secretary of the Fairview Christian Women's Missionary Society, and
district chairman of the parent teachers work of the sixth district, and has
written many articles that have been read at farmers' meetings, teachers' asso-
ciations, women's clubs and have been published in some of the church and
religious papers. As president of the Glenwood Sorosis Club she has demon-
strated her ability as a leader and as an executive. She has served as a
member of the library extension committee and has served on important
committees of the Indiana federation of clubs. Her work has received much
favorable comment, and she is mentioned with honor in "Women's Who's
Who of America." She is an extensive reader and student at all times ; she
is a great social favorite, and her life has been a most active one, both in the
home and in her social engagements. One of her chief pleasures is that of
painting and drawing. She is most devoted to her family and the interests
of the community in which she lives and where she is held in high regard
and esteem by all who know her.

Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Saxon established their home
on the farm in Fairview township, where Mr. Saxon carried on general
farming and stock raising with the greatest of success, until in October, 1916,
when he and his wife retired from the more active duties of the life and
moved to Glenwood. They are the parents of three children as follow : Ira
Chase, Chester W. and Doris A. The family life is an ideal one, and few
parents have taken greater interest in the pleasures and the education of
their children than have Mr. and Mrs. Saxon. They attended the high school
at Fairview, and the boys later attended the schools of Connersville. Chester
W. is now one of the efficient and popular teachers of schools at Fairview.
and is the leader of the Fairview orchestra. He is an artist with the violin,
and his sister, Doris, is an accomplished piano player: she finished her edu-
cation at Muncie Normal institute; and Ira plays the clarionet. It is need-
less to say that the Saxon home enjoys the very best of music, which is the
delight of the parents, as well as of their many friends.

Hosea Long, the father of Mrs. Walter S. Saxon, was born in the state
of Ohio on April 14, 1824, and died on September 16, 1901. Lucinda

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. gjl

(DeAIoss) Long, his wife, was horn in the I'.uckeye state on January 2(1.
1S36, and died on h'ehruary 21. 1879. At the time of their marriage they
estahlislied their lionie in Oliio, where they Hved but a short time, when tliey
came to Indiana and settled in Fairview township. They later mo\ed to
Daviess county, Indiana, where they lived for many years and where they
died. Mrs. Long was for several years a successful teacher and was a woman
of much ability. Mr. Long was all his life a successful farmer and a man in
whom all had the greatest confidence. They were members of the Christian
church and prominent in their home district. They were the parents of four
children as follow : Cora, Frederick, Alfred and Edwin. Frederick and
Alfred being twins.

\\'alter S. Saxon has devoted the greater part of his life to his interests
on the farm and in tiie care and attention of his stock. He has always taken
much interest in the affairs of the township and the county, and is today
known as one of the sterling and substantial men of the community. Mrs.
Saxon, in addition to her many other accomplishments, is a finished artist in
oil and watercolors, and the son. Chester, has charge of the drawing in the
local school.

WILLIAM H. McCOXNELL.

All honor is due the sterling men and women who lia\e had to do with
the early pioneer history of our country ; to them is the present generation
indebted for the present-day advanced conditions. Among the well-known
and prominent men of Glenwood, Fayette county, Indiana, who has done
his share in this great development, is William H. McConnell, who was born
irv this county on April 29, 184.^, and is the son of Ellis D. and Xancy
(Hodgkins) AlcConnell.

Ellis D. and Xancy (Hodgkins) McConnell were natives of the state of
Ohio, where they were educated in the local schools and grew to maturity.
They continued to reside in their native state until about the year 1823, when
they came to Indiana, and located in Fayette county. The parents of Ellis
D. McConnell were Thomas and Mary (Downing) McConnell. natives of
Kentucky and Pennsylvania respectively, and the grandfather of Ellis D.
was Arthur McConnell, a native of Ireland, who came to the United States
in an early day.

Ellis D. McConnell on coming to l-'ayette county, obtained a farm of
the government in Fairview township in section 23. The tract at that time

8^2 KAYIiTTE COUNXy, INDIANA.

was covered with heavy timber and underbrush. A log house and barn were
at once erected, and here the Httle family was at home. A clearing was
made and the first year but few crops were planted, for the greater part of
the task was the getting the trees felled and the land cleared. This was in
time accomplished and here Mr. McConnell continued to live, engaged in the
cultivation of the soil, until the time of his death on February 19, 1888, at
the age of eighty-six years. The wife and mother died on May 30, 1882,
at the age of seventy years. Mr. and Mrs. McConnell were well known
throughout the territory and were held in high regard by all. They were
devoted members of the Christian church, and took a deep interest in the
moral, educational and social development, as well as in the physical improve-
ments of the district. Mr. McConnell was a strong advocate of the principles
of the Whig party, and later of the Republican party. He had much to do
with the early civic life of the township and the county, and held many of
the local offices.

Ellis D. and Nancy (Hodgkins) McConnell were the parents of eleven
children as follow: two, who died in infancy; James W., Jesse, Thomas,
Mary, who died young; John P., William H., Julia Ann, Indiana and
Susanna. James W., now deceased for many years, was one of the well-
known and successful farmers and carpenters of the county ; Jesse and Thomas
were twins. The former is one of the prominent farmers of near Elwood,
Indiana, and the latter was engaged in general farming in Daviess county
until the time of his death some years ago; Nathaniel was also a farmer of
Daviess county, where he resided at the time of his death; John P. was a
successful carpenter at Indianapolis, where he died in February, 1916; Julia
Ann, Indiana and Susanna are all deceased.

William H. McConnell received his limited education in the schools of
his home township, and grew to manhood on the home farm, where he learned
the principles of good farming and the care of stock, and in this work he
continued until March, 1906, when he retired from the work of the farm and
moved to Glenwood, where he now has a beautiful home.

On November 8, 1874, William H. McConnell was united in marriage
to Caroline Heizer, who was born on November 5, 1852, and was the daugh-
ter of Samuel and Rosanna (DeMoss) Heizer. Her parents were natives
of Brown county, Ohio, and later came to Fayette county, Indiana. Here
the parents established their home on a farm in the woods of Fairview town-
ship. This farm they developed and improved, and during their early days
in the township lived the lives of the typical pioneer. They suffered the

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 873

Iiardships and endured many of the difhculties of tliose times, and liad tlieir
part in the great transition of tlie forest to tlie well-cuUivated tields and beauti-
ful homes. Tliey made their home on the farm until the time of their deaths,
the father having died in 1874, and the mother in 1856. Tliey were the ])ar-
ents of the following children, Marion, Elizabeth, Amanda, Almeda, Eveline,
George and Caroline. Marion died in 1876; Elizabeth is the wife of Alex
Kinder, a resident of Fairview township; Amanda is the wife of Alex Brown,
of Fairview township ; Almeda married Albert Ficklin and lives at Glenwood,
Indiana; Eveline is the widow of James Reed and is also a resident of Glen-
wood, and George is a retired farmer of Orange township. Mr. and Mrs.
Heizer took much interest in the general development of the community in
which they had established their home and where they reared their children.
They assisted in the moral, educational and social growth of the township
and were among the worthy people of the county.

William H. McConnell enlisted on October 4, 1864, in Company F,
Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana Mounted Volunteer Infantry, under Captain
Macklin. The command was sent to Louisiana, where they joined the Six-
teenth Infantry, and saw much active service. He" remained in the service
until October 22, 1865, when he was discharged and he returned to his home.
He has ahvays been a stanch Republican and has taken the deepest interest in
all local matters. He has had much to do with the civic life of the town-
ship, and he and his wife are now enjoying their well-earned retirement, in
their beautiful home.

Arthur McConnell, our subject's great-grandfather, married Elizabeth
Wilson in Ireland and later came to the United States. They were the par-
ents of the following children: Susan, Sarah, Margaret, Mary, George,
Arthur, James, John and Thomas. Thomas was born on November 4, 1772,
and when a young man left the paternal home in Pennsylvania and located
in Mason county, Kentucky. There he married Mary Downing, who was
born in Pennsylvania on October 7, 1779, and was one of a family of four-
teen children. When but a girl her parents moved to Kentucky, where she
grew to womanhood and was married. Soon after their marriage, Mr. and
Mrs. McConnell left their home in Kentucky and moved to Brown county,
Ohio, where they entered land which they later developed and improved.
They were among the early settlers of that section, and their home was at
that time located in an undeveloped and unimproved district. They were
typical pioneers, who were destined to accept the hard.ships as they found
them. Thev were ambitious to secure a home, and it was with a firm deter-

8/4 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

mination that assumed the task of making a cultivated farm from the wilder-
ness. They made this farm their home until the time of their deaths. The
wife and mother died in 1832, after which the father married Elizabeth
Downing, a sister of his first wife. Thomas McConnell was a captain in the
War of 1812, and a man of strong personality and of much ability. His
influence was keenly felt in the life of his home community, for he was a man
of excellent judgment. He was the father of the following children: John,
Susanna, Ellis D., Joseph W., Martha B., Thomas E., Rachel, Mary, Amos,
Milford, Nancy and one that died in infancy. His life was a worthy one
and he accomplished much in his pioneer home. Ellis D. McConnell, the
father of William H., cast his first vote for Henrv Clay for President.

JAMES FRANKLIN COOK.

James Franklin Cook, one of Jennings township's best-known and most
substantial farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm three miles east of Con-
nersville, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life.
He was born on a pioneer farm in the southern part of Waterloo township,
February 21, 1857, son of Wilson T. and Caroline (Bobmeyer) Cook, the
former a native Hoosier and the latter a native of the neighboring state of
Ohio, who lived there all her lite, except the last four years, which were
spent in California, where she died, but was buried here.

Wilson T. Cook was born on a farm in Marion county, this state, in
1828, a son of William and Mary (Baldwin) Cook, who came to Indiana
from Pennsylvania about the year 1S26 and settled on land now covered by
the city of Indianapolis, where they remained until 1830, when they moved
over into Fayette county and located on a farm in Waterloo township; where
they spent the rest of their lives, honored and influential pioneer residents of
that part of the county. Their son, Wilson T. Cook, who was about two
years of age when his parents moved from Marion county to this county,
grew to manhood on that pioneer farm and after his marriage continued to
make his home there until about 1896, when he moved to another farm in
Jennings township and there spent his last days, his death occurring in
November, 1904. His widow survived him a little more than four years,
her death occurring on December 22, 1908. She was born in Pennsylvania
and Avas married in Butler county, Ohio, when she was nineteen years of age.
Wilson T. Cook and wife were the parents of nine children, two of whom

IWYETTK COrXTV, INDIANA. 875

died in infancy and all the rest of whom are still living, those Ijesides the
subject of this sketch being; William I)., Oscar Perry, .Mrs. I'.lla Leona (ircen.
Mrs. Lizzie Clara Reeder. Mrs. Hannah Soloma Kehart and Charles h'.lls-
wortli Cook.

James V. Cook "lew to manhond cm the parental farm in Waterloo
township, the place .settled by his orandfather in 1830, and remained there,
a valued assistant to his father and brothers in the labors of developing- and
improving the home place, until after his marriage in 1880, he then being-
twenty-three years of age. After his marriage he and his wife spent a \ear
on a farm in Harrison township and then mo\ed to Mrs. Cook"s father's
farm, about a half mile east of their present home, in Jennings township and
there remained about six years, at the end of which time they moved to their
present place of one hundred and thirty acres in that same township and have
ever since resided there. When Mr. Cook took, possession of his present
place there was a small house on the place and a little old barn, the farm
presenting quite a different appearance to its present well-kept state, and he
at once began the series of improvements which now gives the place the
appearance of being one of the best-improved farms in that neighborhood.
In 1913 Mr. Cook erected a handsome new and modern dwelling and he and
his wife are \ery comfortably situated. Mr. Cook is a progressive Repub-
lican in his political views and in 1914, over his protest, was made the nominee
of the Progressixe party for treasurer of Fayette county.

On October i, 1880, James 1". Cook was united in marriage to h'rances
C. W'alker, who was born in Jennings township, this county, on a farm one-
half mile east of her present home, daughter of John and Mary (Berry)
\\'alker, both natives of this state, the former born in this county and the
latter in the neighboring county of I'nion. John Walker was born on a
pioneer farm just east of Mr. Cook's farm, in Jennings township, in i8j8,
son of \\'illiam and l-^innie Walker, ]>r(inn'nent among the early settlers of
Jennings township, ^^'illiam Walker, who was born in \'irginia. came to
Indiana in the early days of the settlement of this part of the state and .set-
tled in this county, establishing his home in Jennings township at a point not
far from the present home of Mr. Cook. He was an energetic and enter-
prising pioneer and became the owner of two thousand three Inuiflred acres
of land in this county. John Walker, his son, farmed all his life in Jennings
township, where he was the owner of about two hundred and twenty acres
of land. He married Mary Berrv, who was born near Dunlapsville, over
in I'nion county, a daughter of David and Elizabeth Rerry, pioneers of that

876 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

section. John Walker died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Cook, in
Jennings township, on February 18, 191 3, and his widow is now making
her home in Brownsville, over in Union county.

To Mr. and Mrs. Cook one child has been born, a son, Clyde Adrian,
who died when twenty-one months of age. Mrs. Cook is a member of the
Baptist church and Mr. Cook is a member of the Christian church. He is
a member of the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men and in the
affairs of that organization takes a warm interest.

WILLIAM HENRY LOUDENBACK.

William Henry Loudenback, a well-known and substantial farmer of
the Alquina neighborhood, was born in that vicinity and has lived there all
his life. He was born on October 11. 1844, son of Isaac and Charlotte (Han)
Loudenback, both natives of this same section and members of pioneer
families.

Isaac Loudenback was born on a pioneer farm just south of the present
village of Alquina on March 12, 1817, son of Philip Loudenback and wife,
who came here from Virginia and entered land from the government, estab-
lishing their home there and spending the remainder of their lives in the
Alquina neighborhood, useful and influential pioneers of that section. On
that pioneer farm Isaac Loudenback spent all his life, a life-long farmer.
He was an active Democrat and took an earnest part in the political affairs
of that part of tlie county. Isaac Loudenback was thrice married. His
first wife, Charlotte Han, was a daughter of Isaac and Abigail (Martin)
Han, the latter a native of New Jersey, who came here in an early day.
Isaac Han was a driver on the tow-path of the old canal and died of cholera
during one of the' epidemics of that dread disease which visited this section
in the forties. To Isaac and Charlotte (Han) Loudenback were born nine
children, of whom the subject of this sketch, the only son, was the second
in order of birth, the others being as follow: Mrs. Sarah Ferguson, Mrs.
Eliza Melotte, Marv, who died when eight years of age ; Maria, who also
died in childhood ; Martha, who likewise died in her youth ; Mrs. Laura
Hanna: .Mice, wife of Reeder Riggs, and Ada, wife of Edward Newland.
The mother of these children died in October, 1864, and Isaac Loudenback
later married her sister, Mrs. Martha Hope, which union was without issue.
After the death of Mrs. Martha Loudenback, Mr. Loudenback married Eliza-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 877

belli I'rown, who survi\e(l liini some years and whicli union also was without
issue.

William H. Loudenback grew to manhood on the old home farm where
lie was bom and there remained until his marriage in 1871, when he estab-
lished his home on land he had previously bought from his father at the
south edge of Alquina antl has ever since resided there. He now owns one
hundred and fourteen acres of well-im]5roved land and is accounted one of
the substantial farmers of that community.

On February iCi, 1871. William H. Loudenback was united in marriage
to Catherine Cerene McClure, who was born near Eaton, over in Preble
county. Ohio, daughter of John and Catherine (Slonaker) McClure, natives
of Maryland, who later became residents of this county, locating at Alquina
about 1866. To Mr. and Mrs. Loudenback have been born five children, two
of whom died in infancy, the others being Alfred Smith Loudenback, who
died when twent}-ti\e years of age ; Catherine Cerene, who married Perry
Lester Lambert, tn which union a child was born, who was killed by the acci-
tlental discharge of a gun on December 26, 1914, and Charlotte Frances,
wlio married Charles Crist and has one child, a son, William Alva. Mr.
and Mrs. Loudenback are members of the Methodist church. He is a mem-
ber of the Knights of Pythias and of the Improved Order of Red Men and
his wife belongs to the women's auxiliaries of these orders, the Pythian
Sisters and the Pocohontas degree.

FRANKLIX PIERCF MONTGOMERY.

Franklin Pierce Montgomery, one of Fayette county's well-known and
substantial farmers, proprietor of a fine farm in Jennings township, former
trustee of that township and present superintendent of highways for Fayette
county, is a native son of Indiana and has lived in this state all his life. He
was born in the town of P.ourbon, in Marshall county, this state, Januarv
5, 1859, son of William Armstrong and Hulda J. (Monger) M<intgnmcry,
both natives of Fayette county, the former u\ wlioni died while ser\iiig as a
soldier of the Union during the Civil War and the latter of whom spent her
last days in Waterloo township, this county.

William Armstrong Montgomery was born just three miles east of Con-
nersville, son of William and Rebecca (Sutton) Montgomery, the former of
whom was born in Butler county, Ohio, a son of James Montgomerv, who

FAYETTE COUNTY,

came to this country from Ireland. William Montgomery early settled on
the farm now known as the Isaac Jobe place, northeast of Connersville, and
there li\-ed until old age. His wife, Rebecca Sutton, was of Pennsylvania-
Dutch parentage. William A. Aiontgomery grew to manhood in this county
and married Hulda J. Monger, who was born in Waterloo township, this
county, a daughter of Lewis and Mary A. (Reeder) Monger, the former
of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of whom, of Scotch-
Irish descent, came from a Quaker settlement in Ohio. After his marriage
William A. Montgomery moved to Bourbon, in Marshall county, Indiana,
and was living there when the Civil War broke out. In August, 1861, he
enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volun-
teer Infantn-. and in January, 1862, in the twenty-ninth year of his age, died
in camp, of typhoid fe\-er. he then having the rank of a corporal. He left
a widow and three small children. .Vnother child had died previous to his
death. The Widow Montgomery returned to this county with her children
and located at Springersville and there made her home until her children
were grown. She later married Jesse S. Henry and her last days were spent
in ^Vaterloo township, her death occurring on March 9, 191 1. She was a
member of the Christian church and her children were reared in that faith.

Franklin P. Montgomery was but a child when his widowed mother
returned from Bourbon to this county and he grew up at Springersville,
early beginning to work on his own account. For about ten years he was
successfully engaged as a traveling salesmaft and the money thus earned was
presently, in 1881, the year after his marriage, applied to the purchase of a
farm of about seventy acres in the immediate vicinity of Springersville. A
year later, however, he sold that place to advantage and bought a farm of
eighty-two acres, the place where he now lives, south of Springersville, and
ever since has made his home there, with the exception of a year or two spent
at L}-onsville. Mr. Montgomery has done well in his farming operations
and has gradually enlarged his land holdings until now he is the owner of a
fine farm of two hundred and ninety acres, which is well improved and well
equipped for the carrying on of modern farming. Mr. Montgomery is an
ardent Democrat and has for years given his close attention to local political
affairs. For five years he served as supervisor of roads in his road district,
for five years served the people of Jennings township as township trustee, and
since January i, T916, has been serving as county highway superintendent.

On February 26, 1880, Franklin P. Montgomery was united in mar-
riage to Rosella Fiant, who was born in Waterloo township, this county.

FAYETTE COfNTY, INDIANA. SjQ

daughter of John and llannali ( I'iddler) Fiant and a sister of Daniel Fiant,
further reference to whom is made elsewliere in this volume in a hiographical
sketch relating- to Oliver T. Fiant, a nephew of Mrs. Montgomery, and to
this union three children have been born, William Ray, who is farming on
his father's farm and who married Edith Maze, a daughter of Charles Maze,
of Union county, and has one child, a son, Gail Maze Montgomerv' : Inez,
who is at home with her parents, and J. Glenn, who died when twenty-one
months of age. Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery are members of the Christian
church and take a warm interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in all
local eood works.

HON. RAYMOND SMILEY SPRINGER.

Hon. Raymond Smiley Springer, judge of the thirty-seventh Indiana
judicial circuit and a member of the bar of Fayette county since his gradua-
tion from the Indiana Law School in 1904, was born on a farm near Dun-
reith, in the neighboring countv of Flenry, April 26, 1882, son of Lorenzo
D. and Josephine (Smiley) Springer, both natives of Fayette county and
representatives of pioneer families in this county.

Reared on a farm, Raymond S. Springer completed his elementary
schooling in the schools of the \illage of Fairview and was graduated from
the high school at that ])lace. He then entered Earlham College and after
a course there entered Butler College and from that institution went to the
Indiana Law School at Indianapolis, from which he was graduated, with the
degree of Bachelor of Laws, in 1904. Upon receiving his degree he was at
once admitted to the bar and on November 15th of that same year engaged
in the practice of his profession, in partner.ship with Allen Wiles, at Con-
nersville, and that mutually agreeable connection continued until his retire-
ment from practice upon assuming the bench on October 2-j, 191 6.

Judge Springer is the youngest judge in the state of Indiana. Previous
to his election to the office of judge of this circuit he had had valuable experi-
ence in the prosecutor's office and as a trial lawyer in a number of the most
important cases tried in this and adjoining circuits during the period of his
practice. During two years, 1907-09. he served as deputy prosecutor for the
thirty-seventh judicial circuit and sen-ed as county attorney during the ])eriod
1908-15. In the fall of 1914. as the nominee of the Republican party, he
was elected judge of this judicial circuit, defeating Judge George L. Gray
for re-election, and, as noted above, mounted the bench on October 2-j, 1916.

<S80 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Judge Springer is a member of the Indiana Bar Association, a member of
the Connersville Commercial Club and is past master of the Masonic lodge
at Connersville, one of the oldest lodges of that ancient order in Indiana. On
September i8, 1904, he was united in marriage to Nancy M. Emmons, of
Rush county, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist church.

TAMES S. RIGGS.

One of the oldest families in Fayette county is the Riggs family, which
was established here in territorial days by Samuel Riggs and his wife Eliza-
beth, who came o\er here from Ohio eight years before Fayette county was
organized as a civic unit and settled on a tract of land in what later came to
be organized as Jennings township, where they established their home and
where they spent the rest of their lives. They were the parents of twelve
children and their descendants in the fourth generation today form a numer-
ous family throughout this part of the state.

Samuel Rigg"s was born in Maryland on July 13, 1786, a son of James
and Mary (Johnson) Riggs, who also were born in Maryland, representatives
of old colonial families, and who later moved to Washington county, Ohio,
where Samuel grew to manhood and where he married, on September 18.
1810, Elizabeth Ross, daughter of Andrew and Mary Ross. The next year,
in 181 1, Samuel Riggs walked over into the then Territory of Indiana, "spy-
ing- out the land," and found here in the upper valley of the White Water
what he had been seeking, a land very fair and good to look upon. He
entered a quarter of a section of land in the woods four or five miles east of
the point where John Conner had established his trading post on the river,
and there, near the middle of what later came to be organized as Jennings
township, decided to establish his home. He returned to' Ohio for his wife
and the two came out here into the wilderness. They transported their
household goods by flatboat down the river to Cincinnati and from that point
began the toilsome journey by wagon through the woods up the old White
Water trail to their new home in the wilderness. Upon their arrival there
they put up a log cabin and began the laborious task of creating a habitable
home amid conditions that would have appalled all but the stoutest hearts.
Samuel Riggs was an energetic and industrious man and from the very
beginning of his operations in this county prospered. He became; the owner
of two hundred and twenty-one acres of land in Jennings township and was

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 8»I

also the owner of four Inuidred and eighty acres in Howard county. Samuel
Riggs died at his home in Jennings township on March 31, 1875. His wife,
who was born on April 5, 1795, had preceded him to the grave less than a
year, her death having occurred on June 19, 1874. She was an earnest mem-
ber of the Methodist Episcopal church and she and her husband exerted a
potent influence for good in tiie formative ])eriod of the now prosperous
farming community in which they had settled in pioneer days. Tiiey were
the parents of twelve children, Denton, John, Mary, Ruth, Stephen, James S.,
Andrew, S. H., Kinsey, Rossie, Jane and Nancy.

James S. Riggs was born on that pioneer farm in 1821, the si.xth child
and fourth son of his parents, and was there reared amid real pioneer condi-
tions, receiving his schooling at the home fireside and in the primitive school
that early was established in that neighborhood, and from boyhood was an able
assistant to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home
farm, and after his marriage in 1845 began farming on his own account.
He possessed a natural talent for business, had keen executive ability and
prospered in his affairs, becoming a very successful farmer and was long
accounted one of tlie most substantial and influential men in his community.
His farm in Jennings township, containing ninety acres, was well improved
and profitably cultivated and his live stock were of the best. He also owned
two hundred acres in Effingham county, Illinois, and one hundred and sixty
acres in Howard county, Indiana. In church affairs Mr. Riggs also took an
active and influential part. He and his wife were devoted members of the
Christian church and were among the organizers of the church of that denom-
ination in Connersville. Mr. Riggs helped to reconstruct a school house in
his neighborhood and fit it for church services and would drive intd Con-
nersville for the preacher and bring him lo that point in Jennings township
for services and then take him back to Connersville. That pioneer church
in Jennings township was, in a way, the forerunner of the church at Springers-
ville. James Riggs died quite suddenly in May, 1869, and his widow sur-
vived him many years, her death occurring in Connersville on h>bruar\- 17,
1902.

On January 23, 1843, J<i"ies Riggs was united in marriage to Susan
Alonger, of Jennings township, who was born near Lebanon, Ohio, February
15, 1824, a daughter of John and Huldah (Davis) Monger, the former of
whom was born in Virginia on January 30, 1799, and the latter, in Ohio,
June 9, 1800. a daughter of Jonathan Davis and wife, the former of whom, a
native of New Jersev, was a soldier in the patriot amiv during the Revolu-
(S6)

882 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

tionary War. Some time after the settlement began to grow up around old
Ft. Washington and the then straggling village 'of Cincinnati began to
develop, Jonathan Davis came down the river with his family and his goods
and settled there, building a log cabin with a huge fireplace, from which
extended a great brick chimney. One night the Indians attacked his cabin.
He concealed his wife and children in the loft of the cabin and then he hid
himself in the chimney in such a way as to berconcealed from the view of
anyone entering the cabin, yet giving him a view of all that might go on.
Presently the savage redskins broke into the cabin and were greeted by a
shot from the doughty old soldier in the fireplace. Time after time he shot,
the Indians being unable to reach him, and after awhile the marauders took
their departure, dragging their dead after them, and the rest of the night
danced the hideous war dance about the cabin. Upon the coming of the
Mongers to this county, Jonathan Davis accompanied his daughter, Mrs.
Monger, and his last days were spent in her home in Jennings township.
He died on October 26, 1845, at Brookville, and is buried in the cemetery at
Springersville, one of the two Revolutionary soldiers buried"" in this county.
It was probably in 1825 that John Monger and his wife came to Fayette
county from Lebanon, Ohio, for Miss Rosella Riggs, their granddaughter,
now* living at Connersville, has their tax receipts bearing dates from 1826
to 1846. John Monger was the son of George and Frances Monger, who
settled here in 1833; they had nine children. They lived and died here in
Fayette county. John Monger and wife located on a farm just south of
Lyonsville, in Jennings township, the tract they selected for a home being
covered with forest trees, a previous occupant of that quarter section having
done nothing toward clearing the same save clearing a spot for a door yard
and erecting thereon a small log cabin. There John Monger and his wife
established their home and there they spent the remainder of their lives,
active and infiuential members of that pioneer community and helpful in all
good works thereabout until the day of their death. Not long after settling-
there John Monger built a substantial brick house of unusually thick walls
and in that house, which was destroyed by fire in April, 1912, there had lived
five generations of the family, beginning with Jonathan Davis, the Revolu-
tionary soldier; his daughter, Mrs. Hulda (Davis) Monger; her daughter,
Mrs. Susan (Monger) Riggs, the latter's son, Francis M. Riggs, who was
born there, and Lola Rosella Riggs, daughter of Francis M. Riggs, also was
born there. John Monger not only was a good farmer, but he was an active
man of affairs and during his life held numerous offices of public trust. Miss

FAYKTTI-: COfNTY. INDIANA. »S3

Riggs, of CounersviUe, has many heirlooms of the family, including a chest
which contains voluminous records of the business transactions of the Mon-
ger family, showing that they were subscribers to magazines and cultural
periodicals and enjoyed a life of education and refinement such as the present
generation may not ha\-e thought prol)able of the generation represented b_\'
the pioneers. John i\b)nger died on March 8, 1839. He was a son of
George and Frances Monger and he had a sister who was stolen b\- the
Indians when she was a little girl, grew up with the tribe and married a sax-
age chief. After her marriage she found hei"' way back to the home of her
parents and for a time resumed her place in their home, but presently began
to long for the freedom of the life of the tribe to which she had l>een accus-
tomed from childhood and returned to her chief and the tribe in which she
had been reared and with that tribe spent her last days. John ]\Ionger"s
widow survived him less than fi\e years, her death occurring on Deceml)er
7, 1844. She was a dexout member of the Christian church and her chil-
dren were reared in that faith. There were seven of these children, six of
whom grew to maturity, Jonathan D.. Susan, who married Mr. Riggs; Mary
.-\., Hester, Sidney E. and Sarah F.

To James S. and Susan (Monger) Riggs eight children were born, of
whom' two died before the death of their father, those remaining with the
widowed mother at the time of his death having been as follow : Asbury
Samuel, who died in Connersville, leaving a family of orphaned children, his
wife having died a year pre\'ious to his death : Jonathan M.. who died in
Jennings township; Francis M., who is lixing on a farm near tJie old home
])lace in Jennings township; Reeder James, who is living in C(3nners\ille :
Oliver S., also a resident of Connersville, and Sarah Rosella, who also makes
her home in Connersville. After the death of James S. Riggs in i86q. his
widow remained on the farm until the Ixiys grew up and left home and then
she and her daughter, Rosella, remained there until in November, 1891, when
they moved to Connersville and built a house in Virginia avenue, just above
Seventeenth street, that part of the city then being practically open fields,
that residence section having developed since then. TJiere the mother and
the daughter lived together until the deatli of the former on February 17,
1902, and Miss Riggs continues tn make her JKinie there. Besides owning
that home she is the owner of ninety acres of the old .Monger quarter section
south of Lyonsville.

Miss Rosella Riggs grew up in a community that was devoted to good
works, its people possessed of high ideals and lofty aspirations, and from
the time she was a little girl she took her part in the cultural activities of that

884 FAYETTE COt'NTY, INDIANA.

neighborhood. When ten years of age she was the organist in the Sunday
school and has ever given earnest thought to her musical education, a diligent
student of both instrumental and \ocaI music, and is a pianist of much skill,
playing the classical music with deep feeling and fine expression. For the
sake of her mother and that she might ever be at the latter's side during her
declining years. Miss Riggs nobly sacrificed many of the pleasures dear to
}'oung people and during the last six years of her mother's life never left her
alone in the house. Miss Riggs, as noted above, has many interesting family
relics and heirlooms of the pioneer days in this county, some of these having
come down from her great-grandfather, Jonathan Davis, the Revolutionary
soldier, including certain articles of domestic use which he made with his
own hands during the time of his residence in Ohio ; and a fine woven rattan
riding-whip, with a handle of metal and ivory, which was used by her grand-
mother, Huldah (Davis) Monger, and a blanket of wool that was grown
on sheep raised by her father, the wool having been prepared for spinning
and carded by her mother. There are also old dishes that were in the Davis
family and numerous bits of hand-made lace and embroidery that would
excite the admiration and envy of modern lace-makers. Around many of
these interesting mementoes Miss Riggs is able to weave stories of the other
days, tales handed down in her family, that would make most interesting-
reading for the present generation.

JOHN T. WHITE.

The late John T. \Miite, who died at his home in Connersville township,
this county, in the spring of 1914, was a member of one of the oldest and
most substantial families in Fayette county. He was born on a pioneer farm
about three miles east and a little south of Connersville, December 26, 1843,
and his whole life was spent in this county, the most of the time on the farm,
thoug'h for some years he was engaged as a cabinet-maker in Connersville
and during that period made his home in the city. His death occurred on
the farm on which he was born, a pioneer tract that had been secured by his
grandfather back in the days when the Indians still were numerous in this
section of Indiana.

The first of the White family to come to Fayette county were Joel and
Susanna \\'hite, who came into the Indiana country from North Carolina,
by way of Tennessee and Kentucky. Joel White was a Quaker, but he mar-

I-AYKTTIv COIN'TV, INDIANA. S.Ss

ried outside uf tlie faitli and was ostracized hy liis family and tlic otiicr
Quakers of his lionie community for doing so. He and iiis wife Susanna
left North Carolina and went to Tennessee, where their first child, a son,
Thomas White, was born in 1803. In 181 3 the family started north with
the expectation of finding a new home in tlie Indiana country, but on account
of the continued Indian depredations about that time, were compelled to stop
at the block house at Hamilton until the Indians were suppressed. In 181 5
they resumed their trip and in due time arrived in Fayette county, where
Joel \\"hite bought a quarter of a section of land in the east ])art of Conners-
ville township, cleared a small tract on the same, liuilt a log house and there
established his home. h"or some time :;fter locating here he spent what
leisure he could command in cutting wood near Cincinnati and thus earned
the money with which to com])lete the payments on his cjuarter section of
"Congress land." Joel White was an expert woodsman and trapper and he
acted as the guide for the party of engineers who surveyed the Twelve Mile
Purchase line. About 1838 Joel WHiite moved from Fayette comity to
Madison county and in the latter county died a few years later. His widow
survived him for years, her death occurring about 1853.

John T. ^^'hite was ado])ted when a child by his uncle, Thomas White,
and was reared by the latter. Thomas White inherited a part of the old
Joel White place am! bought the remainder and the jilace fell to John T.
White upon the death of his adopted father. Thomas White moved into
Connersville about 1860, John T. White then being about seventeen vears of
age, and in the city the latter learned the trade of cabinet-maker and followed
the same until 1897, when he returned to the farm where he was born and
which had been entered from the government by his grandfather, Joel White,
and there he spent the rest of his life as a farmer, his death occurring on
Ma}- 5, 1914. His wife had preceded him to the grave a little more than two
years, her death haxing occurred on I'ebruary 24, 1912.

It was while living in Connersxille that John T. White was united in
marriage to .\nna R. Halbert, who was born in Baltimore county, Mar\'land,
October 25, 1850, and who was fi>ur or hve years of age when her parents,
Samuel and Rebecca (Hatton) Halbert, came to Indiana and located at Con-
nersville, where Mr. Halbert became engaged as a cabinet-maker and where
he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. John T. White and his
wife were earnest members of the Christian church and their children were
reared in that faith. There are four of these children. Thomas H., Eliza-
beth R., James Douglas and .Mice F., tlie latter of wInMii married Faw rence

886 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

A. Ripberger and li\es on a farm near the old White farm. Mr. and Mrs.
Ripberger have five living children, Russell, Aldene, Carl, Lillian and Henry.
Elizabeth White married William F. Granger, who is living on the White
farm and assisting in the operation of the same, and has one child, a son,
William F. Thomas H. and James D. White continue to make their home
on the old home place, their sister, Mrs. Granger, being housekeeper in the
old home since the death of her mother. The Whites have a \'ery pleasant
home and take a proper part in the general social activities of the community
in which they live, ever helpful in promoting all agencies having to do with
the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.

FRANK .Al ORRIS HANSON.

Frank Morris Hanson, one of b'ayette county's best-known and most
progressive farmers and for years one of the best-known horsemen in this
part of the state, is the proprietor of a fine farm in Connersville township,
about a mile south of Connersville, where he has an attractive home and is
well situated. He v.as born in that township and has lived there all his life.
His birthplace was the old Hanson farm, three miles southwest of Conners-
ville, where he was born on January 2y, 1871, son of William Asbury and
Margaret (Ross) Hanson, members of old families in this county, both of
whom are now deceased.

William Asbury Hanson also was liorn in Connersville township, son
of Asbury Hanson and wife, pioneers of Fa}-ette county, and spent all his
life farming in that township, one of the most substantial citizens of that part
of the county. He gave much attention to the raising of live stock and was
particularly attentive to his horses, having bred a number of race horses that
attained more than merely local note. William A. Hanson had an excellent
race track on his farm three miles southwest of Connersville, on which he
trained his race horses and from the days of his youth the subject of this
sketch took much interest in that phase of the operations of the Hanson farm.
One of these race horses, a stallion, "Major Ross," dri\-en by Frank M. Han-
son to a high-wheeled sulky in 1893, made a mile in 2:30 as a two-year-old;
as a three-year-old made a mile in 2 iig^^, and as a four-year-old made a mile
in 2:i6i4- William A. Hanson was an ardent Republican and ever gave his
earnest attention to local political affairs, a strong force for good in his com-
munitv. He died in September, 1905. and his widow survived him for nearly

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 887

ten years, her death occurring in June, 1915. She was liorn, Margaret Ross,
in tlie iieigliboriiig county of Franklin, a daughter of Jolin S. Ross and wife.
William A. Hanson and wife had three children, the subject of this sketch
having an elder brother, Karl L. Hanson, of Connersville, and a sister, Deva
Blanche, wife of John E. Robbins, of Shelbyville, this state.

Frank M. Hanson was reared on the home farm in Connersville town-
ship, receiving his schooling in the local schools, and from boyhood was a
valued aid to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home
place. He early began giving particular attention to his father's racing
interests and at the age of eighteen began taking a string of horses to the
races and breaking and training promising animals on the private race track
on the home farm, and was thus engaged for about ten years. Following his
marriage in the summer of 1897 ^I''- Hanson began farming for himself on
the home place and continued to remain there until 1909, when he bought his
present place, the old "Billy" Robinson farm of one hundred and fifty-four
acres one mile south of the East Connersville bridge, in Connersville town-
ship, where he since has made his residence and where he and his family are
comfortably situated. The place has on it a handsome brick house and is
well improved and well kept, Mr. Hanson pursuing modern methods in his
agricultural operations. He also continues to give considerable attention to
ihe raising of high-grade live stock and has done ven,' well. Mr. Hanson
is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local ci\-ic affairs, but
has not been a seeker after public office.

On August 18, 1897, Frank M. Hanson was united in marriage to Bessie
P. Erb, who was born in the neighboring county of Franklin, daughter of
William H. and Anna (Fowler) Erb, the former a native of the state of
Pennsylvania and the latter, of the state of Arkansas ; and the latter of whom
is still living, now the wife of William M. Stoops. Anna Fowler was born
in the vicinity of Jacksonport, near Little Rock, Arkansas, daughter of Dr.
W. J. and Mary (Scott) Fowler, the former a native of Georgia and a prac-
ticing physician in Arkansas at that time. Doctor Fowler was an ardent
Union sympathizer during the Civil War and was compelled to leave his
home in Arkansas due to the bitterness of local feeling against him, and for
two weeks, while seeking another location, he and his wife and their five
children were camjjed within sight of the Union army for protection, having
taken their flight, with what of their household goods they could get away
in two wagons. They located at Raleigh, Missouri, where Doctor Fowler
died a vear later. His widow. Marv (Scott) Fowler, who was born in

»»» FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Franklin county, this state, a daughter of Thomas Scott and wife, who had
moved to Arkansas when she was about ten years of age, was left with five
children and she presently returned to Indiana with her children, locating at
her^ girlhood home near Fairfield, in Franklin county, where six years later
she married F. Z. Cushman and where she spent the remainder of her life,
her death occurring there in 1892. There her daughter, Anna, grew up
and married William H. Erb, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl-
vania, and who had come to Indiana with his parents, David and Rosanna
Erb, who located in the Fairfield settlement. William H. Erb was both a
wagonmaker and a farmer and spent the rest of his life in Franklin county.
He was a Republican and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows. He died in 1904, leaving, besides his widow, three children, William
Henry Erb, now living south of East Connersville : Maynard M. Erb, who
is engaged in the lumber business and has an interest in a drug store at Con-
nersville, and Bessie, who married Mr. Hanson.

Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have five children, Charlotte, Erb, Wilma, Marion
and Robert. The Hansons have a very pleasant home and take a proper
part in the general social activities of the community in which they live,
helpful in promoting all local good causes. Mr. Hanson is a member of
the Masonic fraternity and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that ancient
order.

JOHN LUDLOW.

In the memorial annals of Connersville township, this county, there are
few names held in better remembrance than that of the late John Ludlow,
who was a native son of Fayette county, a member of one of the pioneer
families, and who spent all his life here, a practical, progressive and success-
ful farmer, an honored soldier of the Civil War and a good citizen in all that
term implies. He created a fine farm establishment in Connersville town-
ship and there his widow is still making her home, she and her family being
very pleasantly and very comfortably situated. Mrs. Ludlow also is a mem-
ber of one of Fayette county's pioneer families, the Athertons, and has lived
here all her life, ever interested in the general social and cultural develop-
ment of the community which has so grandly advanced during the period of
her life time.

John Ludlow was born on a pioneer farm in Harrison township, this
county, a place about three miles northeast of the farm on which his widow

FAYETTE COINTV, INniAKA. S8()

now lives, August 8, 1832. a son of Samuel B. and Hannah (Canipliell)
Ludlow, who came here from Xew York state in 1821 and settled on that
farm, where they spent the rest of their lives. Samuel B. Ludlow was a
resident of Seneca county, New York, and' in i8ig he became attracted to
the possibilities of pioneering in the then "wilds'" of Indiana and started out
here on a prospecting tour. He walked all the way from his home in New
York, this section of the new state of Indiana being his destination from the
beginning of his trip, and upon arriving here looked about a bit with a view
to picking out a tract of land that would come up to his expectations and
made choice of a tract in Harrison township. L'pon inquiry, however, he
found that land in that section had not yet been opened for settlement, nor
was it opened for purchase until the government acquired title from the
Indians, and thus obtained the New Purchase, in the following year. Dis-
appointed in his quest, lilr. Ludlow returned to his home in New York, hut
in 1 82 1 disposed of his interests there, packed his essential household goods
in a wagon and with his family drove through to Indiana and settled in this
county, entering a tract of "Congress land" in Llarrison townsliip, where he
established his home and where he spent the rest of his life, his death
occurring on July 30, 1879. His widow survived him l)ut a few years.
Thev were the parents of twelve children, of whom tlie suliject of this sketch
was the eighth in order of birth.

It was on that pioneer farm in Harrison township that John Ludlow
grew to manh(3od. a valued assistant to his father in the labors of improv-
ing and dexeloping the same. During the Civil ^Var he enlisted for the
Hundred-Day ser\ ice and ])articipated in the action against the Morgan raid-
ers and in the pursuit of the leader of that cavalry band. John Ludlow was
married in the fall of 1872 and for six years thereafter made his home on a
farm about four miles west of Harrisburg, in the immediate vicinity of his
hovhood home, and tlien moved to the farm where, his widow now resides,
and there spent the rest of his life, an active and successful farmer and a
progressive and public-s]iirited citizen, his death occurring on October 24,
19OT.

On September 10. 1872. John Ludlow was united in marriage to Martha
H. Atherton. who was born on a pioneer farm in the northwestern part of
Connersville township, this county, September 28, 1845, daughter of Stout
and Rachel (Martin) .\therton, natives of the state of Ohio, who became
early residents of this county anfl whose last days were spent on the farm
on which their daughter. Mrs. Ludlow, now lives. Stout .\therton was

890 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

born near Harrison, Ohio, in 1803, and there grew to manhood. In 1825
hq married and shortly afterward moved on up the Whitewater valley and
settled in this county, buying the farm on which Mrs. Ludlow now lives and
which at that time was but slightly improved. He straightway set about the
improvement and development of that farm and in time had one of the best-
improved places in that part of the county. He was an industrious and
progressive farmer and, as he prospered, added to his holdings until he was
the owner of two Inmdred and sixty acres, having owned besides the quarter
section on whicli he made his home, a farm of seventy acres, just east of
that place and thirty acres in Harrison township, and was long regarded as
one of the most substantial residents of that community. There he spent
his last days, his death occurring on September 16, 1878.

Stout Atherton was thrice married. In February, 1825, he was united
in marriage, in Hamilton county, Oliio, ta Mary Ann Safer, who died on
April 27, 1835, leaving four small children. On December 3, 1835, he mar-
ried Rachel Martin, who was bom in the neigh1x)rhood of Middletown, Ohio,
January 20, 1810, and who had come to this county when a child, with her
parents, Samuel and Ann (Potter) Martin, early and influential pioneers of
Fayette county. Samuel Martin was born on September 4, 1778, probably
in New Jersey, and in that state, in 1805, married Ann Potter, who was born
on February 24, 1784. After his marriage Samuel Martin moved to Butler
county, Ohio, and some years later came on up into this part of Indiana and
settled on a farm about four miles west of Connersville, where he spent the
rest of his life, his death occurring on January 9. 1851. His widow survived
until March 14, 1863. Rachel (Martin) Atherton died on November 4, 1851,
in the forty-second year of her age. She was the mother of ten children,
eight of whom grew to maturity. After her death Mr. Atherton married
her sister, Sarah E. Martin, this latter union being without issue.

To John and Martha H. (Atherton) Ludlow three children were born,
Cora, who died in infancy, and Orris S. and Edna. Orris S. Ludlow mar-
ried Maggie Maurer, and lives on a farm in Harrison' township, which his
father left him and which he has improved in excellent shape. He has a
fine home and is doing well in farming operations. Edna Ludlow mar-
ried Orris Williams, who is farming the Ludlow farm, and she and her
husband make their home with her mother there. Orris Williams was born
on a farm near Benton ville, this co.unty, May 17, 1879, son o^ Madison H.
and Ella (Crandall) Williams, who are now living at Connersville and further
and extended reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Orris

FAYETTE COCNTY, INDIANA. 89I

Williams is a progressive and enterprising farmer and since takine^ the
management of the Ludlow farm has made numerous improvements of an
up-to-date character, notably the installation of an electric-lighting plant for
the house. The Ludlow home is a beautiful country home, equipped witli
modern con\eniences, and is one of the most attractive places m that part of
the county. Orris Williams is a member of the local lodges of the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias and in the
afifairs of these two organizations takes a warm interest.

SAMUEL M. POST.

Samuel M. Post, a well-known citizen of Ea.st Connersville and a car-
riage trimmer in a Connersville automobile factory, is a native son of Fay-
ette county and has lived here all his life. He was born in the village of
Everton on October 2, 1871, son of John W. and Elizabeth (Murphy) Post,
for many years prominent resiflents of that village and both of whom are
now deceased.

John W. Post was born at Franklin, in Butler county, Ohio, in 183 1
and when about eighteen years of age came to Indiana, locating in Jackson
township, this county, where he began working as a cabinet-maker and also
as a hand in one of the waterpower mills or factories that were so numerous
along Elys creek in the eastern part of Jackson township in the early days
of the settlement of this county. There he presently learned shoemaking
and established a shoe shop at Everton, where he spent the rest of his life
thus engaged, his death occurring on .August 4, 1907. He was a Democrat
and ever gave close attention to local political afifairs. Fraternally, he was
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and took an active
interest in lodge work. His widow survived him for more than seven years,
her death occurring on February 20, 191 5, she then being nearly eighty
years of age. She was born on a farm in the southwestern part of what is
now Jennings township, this county. May 15, 1835, a daughter of Samuel
and Susan (Bybee) Murphy, natives of North Carolina, who were married
in that state and later came to Indiana, becoming early settlers in Fayette
county. Samuel Murphy bought a tract of school land in Jennings town-
ship and there established his home. His wife died there in 1846 and he
died about 1871, at the age of si.xty-five years.

Samuel M. Post grew up at Everton, receiving his schooling in the

892 FAYETTE COIINTV, INDIANA.

schools of that village, and when about nineteen years of age went to Con-
nersville, where he learned the trade of carriage-trimming, which he ever
since has followed, formerly working in a carriage factory there and, since
the establishment of the automobile industi-y engaged as a trimmer of auto-
mobile bodies. He makes his home in East Connersville and is one of the
best-known residents of that thriving suburb.

On October 10, 1901, Samuel M. it waS united in marriage to Goldie
C. Burk, who was born in the neighboring county of Union on July i, 1877,
daughter of Stephen D. and Jennie (Hess) Burk, the former a native of this
county and the latter of the state of Virginia. Stephen D. Burk was born
in Jennings township, this county, a son of Elisha and Mary Ann (Green)
Burk, the former of whom came to this county from Harrison, Ohio, and
settled on a farm south of Alquina, where he spent the remainder of his life,
living to the great age of ninety-three years. Jennie Hess was but a child
when her parents, W'illiam Hess and wife, came to Indiana from Virginia
and settled in Fayette county. After his marriage Stephen D. Burk made
his home in Union county until the summer of 1878, when he moved with
his family to Hancock county, wliere he died about one and one-half years
later, leaving a widow and one child, a daughter, now Mrs. Post, who was
about one year of age when her parents moved to Hancock county. After
the death of Mr. Burk his widow returned to Fayette county with her child
and here she spent the remainder of her life, her death occurring about fifteen
years ago. Mrs. Post is a member of the Pre.sbyterian church.

GEORGE EMMETT OLDHAM.

George Emmett Oldham, one of Fayette county's well-known and sub-
stantial farmers, a member of one of the county's oldest families and the pro-
prietor of a farm of nearly two hundred acres in Jennings township, about
three miles east of Connersville, is a native of this county and has lived here
all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm about one-half mile south of
Lyons Station, in Jennings township, March 3, 1870, son of George W. and
Emeline (Mullen) Oldham, both of whom were born in this county, mem-
bers of pioneer families, and whose last days were spent here.

George W. Oldham was born on that same farm, June 9, 1840, son of
William and Mary Ann (Johnson) Oldham, the former of whom was born
on the same farm, a son of Elder Stephen Oldham and wife, Rebecca. Elder

FAYETTE COLNTV, INDIANA. - 893

Stephen Oldham came In Indiana from eastern Tennessee and entered a tract
of land from the guvernnicnl in the sdutheast (juarter of section 22, jennin.s^s
township, this county, al)out 1810 or 181 1, the farm where \V. li. Ihown
now lives. He was a minister of the Primitive Baptist church and he and his
wife were constituent members of the New Bethel Baptist church, ort^anizcd
in 1814, and he was pastor of .the ,,'«jiie until his death in 1834, one of the
most influential pioneer residents ot tiie eastern part of this countw On
that pioneer farm A\'illiam Oldham grew to manhood. In addition to his
general farming he was long engaged as a dealer in live stock and liecame
one of Fayette county's best-known citizens. He was killed in a runaway
accident when his son, George W. Oldham was nine years of age. George
W". Oldham grew up on the farm on which he was born and in the summer
of 1857 married Emeline Mullen, who also was born in this county. When
the Civil War broke out he enlisted for service in the Union army as a
private in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment, Indiana
Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command for nearly three years,
serving in the armies of General Thomas and General Sherman. Upon the
conclusion of his military service he returned to the home farm and was
there engaged in farming until a year after his wife's death in 1874, wiien
he moved to another part of Jennings township, about three and une-half
miles east of Connersville, where he continued farming for years. In 1900
George W. Oldham was elected sheriff of Fayette county, as the nominee
of tlie Republican party, carrying every ward and township in the county, and
served in that cajjacitv for four years, at the end of which time he returned
to the farm and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in January,
1914. He was a member of the Primitive Baptist church, in tiie local con-
gregation of which he was one of the leading workers, and was a memljer
of the local post of the (irand Army of the KepuliJic, nf the local lodges of
the Knights of Pythias and of the \ie(\ .Men, and a member of the Patriotic
Sons of America, in tlie affairs of all of which organizations he took ;i warm
interest.

George W. Oldham was twice married. In the summer of 1857 '^^
married Emeline Mnllen. a member of one of the pioneer families of Fayette
countv, and to that union eight children were born, one of whom died in
infancv and se\en of whom grew to maturity. Of these latter, Sylvester A.
Oldham died in 1900 and Jesse K. died in January, 19 17. The four sur-
vivors are, besides the subject of this sketch, Charles F., Mrs. Mary Isal)el
Melbourne. William and Mrs. Gertha Riggs. After the death of the mother

894 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of these children, George W. Oldham married Sarah Elizabeth Ferguson,
who died in January, 1907, she having preceded her husband to the grave
about seven years. That second union was without issue.

George E. Oldham was reared in Jennings township, receiving his
schooling in the local schools there, and has lived there all his life, following
the vocation of farming, in which he has been successful. He remained at
home until after his marriage in 1896, when he began farming on his own
account and he now owns a well-kept farm of one hundred and ninety-five
acres in Jennings township, about three miles east of Connersville, where he
and his family are very pleasantly and veiy comfortably situated. Mr. Old-
ham is a Republican and has ever taken an earnest interest in local political
affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.

On January 12, 1896, George E. Oldham was united in marriage to
Laura Belle Stanley, who also was born in Jennings township, this county,
about one mile south of Lyons Station, a daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth
(Grimes) Stanley, the former of whom was born in Tennessee and the latter,
in Lidiana, who were well-to-do and substantial residents of the eastern part
of this county. Nathan Stanley was born in Campbell county, Tennessee, in
1810, son of Garland and Nellie (Noble) Stanley, and was about eleven years
of age when he came to Indiana with his mother in 1821, his father having
died in Tennessee in 1813, the family settling in Union county. In 1824 he
came over into Fayette county with his mother and settled in Jennings town-
ship, where she died in 1840 and where he also spent the rest of his life, his
death occurring in 1893. Nathan Stanley was a good farmer and became
the owner of nearly three hundred acres of land lying south of Lyons Station.
He was an earnest Republican and ever took an active interest in local political
affairs.

Nathan Stanley was twice married. About 1838 he married Mary
Golden, who died in 1855, leaving eight children. Preston, Rush, Edwin,
Sarah, Lewis, Eliza, Steplien and Elizabeth. In 1856 Mr. Stanley married
Elizabeth Grimes, who was born in the neighboring county of Union, and to
that union five children were born, those besides Mrs. Oldham being Frank,
Samuel, Robert and one son who died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Oldham have one child, a son, George Heber Oldham,
who was born on January 19, 1899. They are members of the Primitive
Baptist church and Mr. Oldham is a member of the local lodges of the
Knights of Pythias and of the Improved Order of Red Men, in the affairs
of which organizations he takes a warm interest.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 895

GEORGE GREEN.

Of the native sons of Eayette county who have Hved their hves in the
county, and have met with success and have become prominent in tlie district,
is George Green, a well-known resident of Connersville, who was born in
Waterloo township on March 20, 1857, the son of William and Martha Ann
(Cross) Green.

William and Martha Ann (Cross) Green were born in Baltimore county,
Maryland. William Green came with his parents when but a boy to Indi-
ana, and with them settled in Wayne county. The father died shortly after
coming to his new home, and the son, William, was left to his own resources.
For nine years he lived with the family of Joseph Howard, when he started
out for himself. He later came to Fayette county, where he was marrietl.
After his marriage he and his wife established their home in Wayne county,
near the Fayette county line, and there he engaged in farming for some years.
He later purchased a farm in Waterloo township, Fayette county, and there
he engaged in general farming and stock raising until his death on January
7, 1895, at the age of seventy-one years. His wife died ten years later, at
the age of eighty-one years. They were a most estimable people and their
lives were devoted to the interests of their family and the community in
which they lived and where they were held in high regard.

William and Martha Green took an active interest in the affair.s of the
district, and had much to do with the moral and civic development of the
township. Mrs. Green was an active member of the United Brethren church
and had much to do with the activities of her home society. Mr. Green as
a young man identified himself with the Democratic party, and alwavs took
a keen interest in the affairs of the township as well as the county. .Although
he was ne\er a seeker after office, he felt it the duty of every man to assist
in the election of the best men to office. He was a successful farmer and
raiser of stock, and was known as a good business man and an excellent
citizen. He and Mrs. Green were the parents of the following children,
Samantha Melinda, Susan Elizabeth, Levi, George, \\'illiam R. and Anna
Martha. Samantha, now deceased, was the wife of A\'illiam V. Crawford
and lived in Waterloo township; Susan Elizabeth died in 1902; Levi N.
married Christine Spencer and they reside in Waterloo township, where Mr.
Green is a substantial and prominent farmer and stockman; William R..
Anna Martha and George live together in Connersville.

Until 1905 George, William and Anna lived on the old home farm, when

896 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

they left the farm and moved to their home at 716 Central avenue. They
still look after the intere.sts on the farm, where they spent so many years of
their lives. George and William, reared on the farm, soon in life became
impressed with the life of a farmer and stock raiser. They remained with
their father as long as he lived, and were to him a great assistance in the
management of the farm and the care of the stock. After the death of the
mother, the three children moved to Connersville. As farmers and stock-
men, George and William have been successful, and their management of the
farm of five hundred and sixty acres has demonstrated their ability in that
line.

William Green and his wife were devoted to the cause of education, and
their best efforts were ever exerted on the behalf of better schools. Their
children were all educated in the home schools, and have since become prom-
inent in the affairs of the communities in which they live. Mr. Green was
known throughout the county for his ability as a farmer and business man,
and his advice and counsel were often sought in financial matters, as well
as in the civic affairs of the district. Few men were better known over the
county and few were held in higher regard and esteem. At his death, the
community knew that a good and worthy man had gone to his reward, after
a busy life of usefulness.

JOHN M. CULBERTSON.

John M. Culbertson, one of the best-known and most substantial farm-
ers of the Glenwood neighborhood in this county, has lived here since 1S63,
when he established his home on the fine farm he has developed in Orange
township, and has for years been recognized as one of the best-established
citizens of Fayette county. Mr. Culbertson is a native of Ohio, born in the
city of Cincinnati on April 20, 1837. son of John C. and Jane (Moody)
Culbertson, natives of Pennsylvania, where they were married and later
moved to Cincinnati, where they established their home and where their last
days were spent.

John C. Culbertson was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and
as a young man served as a soldier from that state during the War of 181 2
and in the battle of Chippewa on July 5, 18 14, was severely wounded. He
later became a sutler and when Ft. Snelling was established on the upper
course of the Mississippi in 1822 he conveyed a stock of goods lo that
point and started a trading station and for some time did a thri\-ing business

MRS. CATHERINE CULBERTSOX.

JOHX M CrLllKRTSOX.

FAYKTTE COINTV. IXDIAXA. 897

trading- with the ImUans. tlius acquiring an excellent financial fnundation tr)r
his later successful banking career in Cincinnati. It was in iSji) tliat he
located in Cincinnati and there, during the forties, he and two others fonndxl
the Franklin Bank, Mr. Culbertson becoming one of the most successful
bankers in the Queen City and a man of considerable means. It was in
Pennsylvania that he married Jane Moody, who also was born in Cumber-
land county, Pennsylvania, and to that union were bom seven sons who
grew to maturity, of whom the subject of this sketch, the eldest and the
last-born are now the only survivors.

John ]\I. Culbertson grew up in Cincinnati and was gi\en excellent edu-
cational advantages in his youth. From the E. S. Brooks Academy in Cin-
cinnati he was sent when twelve years of age to the H. and S. M. ITamill
Classical and Commercial School at Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and thence
to Princeton University. Returning to Cincinnati upon the completion of
his schooling he remained in his home city until 1863, the year of his mar-
riage, when he came up into Indiana and bought a farm of two hundred and
forty acres one mile east of Glenwood, on the Connersville and Rushville
pike, in this count}', where he erectetl a large and substantial brick residence
and where he ever since has made his home. When Mr. Culbertson's house
was built it was regarded as one of the best houses in this part of the state
and is still looked upon as one of the finest in that section. The other build-
ings on the farm are in keeping with the appearance of the dwelling and the
farm plant is kept up in admirable shape.

In June, 1863, John M. Culbertson was united in marriage to Catherine
Donnelly, of Boston, who died in 1896, and to that union eight children were
born, two of whom died in infancy, the others being Mary J., Alice C, Mar-
garet J., Anna E., John M., Jr.. and Henry C. The junior John M. Culbert-
son is now a resident of Indianapolis. Henry C. Culbertson, who lives on a
farm not far from his father's place, married Nellie Jeffrey and has two
children, a daughter, Mary Eleanor, and a son, Henry C, Jr. The motlier
died on December 10, 1896. The four Misses Cull^ertson are living with
their father in the comfortable old farm home east of Glenwood. The Cul-
bertsons have ever taken an earnest interest in the development <>f the gen-
eral social life of the community in which the\' live. Henry C. Culbertson
was a member of the class of 1898, Indiana University, and Margaret Cul-
bertson attended college at Oxford. Ohio.

Mr. Culbertson has always voted the Republican ticket. His first presi-
dential vote was for Abraham Lincoln.
(57)

898 1-AYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

CHARLES W. MARTIN.

Charles W. Martin, one of Connersville township's best-known and most
substantial farmers and who also is engaged in the road-building and con-
tracting line, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life.
He was born on a farm adjoining that on which he now lives, in the north-
west part of Connersville township, March 24, 1859, son of Ezra and Caro-
line (Dale) Martin, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter,
in this county, both now deceased, who spent their last days on the old Martin
homestead in Connersville township.

Ezra Alartin was born in Miami county, Ohio, and was but a child when
his parents, Samuel and Ann (Potter) Martin came over into Indiana and
settled in Fayette county, on the farm where the subject of this sketch was
born, in Connersville township. There Ezra Martin grew to manhood, tak-
ing his part in the work of developing a pioneer farm. After his marriage
he for some years conducted a store at Bentonville and also served as post-
master of that village. After the death of his father he bought the interests
of the other heirs in the home place and there established his home, becoming
a. well-to-do farmer. He served for some time as assessor of Fayette county
and was later for some years a member of the board of county commission-
ers, giving his earnest attention to public affairs. Ezra Martin died at his
home on the old home farm in 1892 and his widow survived him about six
years, her death occurring in June, 1898. She was born on a pioneer farm
near Harrisburg, this county, a daughter of Joseph Dale and wife, the latter
of whom was a daughter of Doctor Bradburn, a pioneer physician and sur-
geon, well-known throughout this part of the state in pioneer days. Joseph
Dale was but a child when he came to this part of Indiana with his parents
from Kentucky and he grew up in Harrison township and became a success-
ful farmer there and one of the most influential men in that part of the county.

Charles W. Martin grew to manhood on the home farm in Connersville
township and after his marriage in 1895 rented the home place and began
farming there on his own account. Three years later he bought a tract of
one hundred and twelve acres, the place on which he is now living, just south
of the traction line, four miles west of Connersville, and has since made his
home there. Mr. Martin has added to his original holdings until he now is
the owner of two hundred acres of well-improved and profitably cultivated
land. Of recent vears he has given considerable attention to dairying and
has demonstrated to his own satisfaction that there is profit in that phase

I'AYKTTK COrXTV, INDIANA. 899

of taniiiiii:;- in tliis section. I'or tliirty year.s, or until the fall df 1913, Mr.
Martin was the proprietor of a threshing-rig and did a large husiness in that
line throughout the part of the county in which lie li\es. .\hout seven \ears
ago he and Thilip W'ilk engaged in general road contracting and ha\e dune
much in that line, building roads in Rusli, Fayette, Franklin and L'nion
counties, under the operation of the new tiiree-niile road law. Mr. Martin
is a public-spirited and energetic citizen and has done much for the general
ui)building of the county. It was he who circulated the petition for the con-
struction of a good road past his farm and he was one of the few persons
whci gave land for the right-of-wa\- f(jr the traction line from Connersville
to Rushville.

In 1895, as noted abo\e, Charles W. Martin was united in marriage to
Lydia J. AX'ebster, who was born on a farm two miles south of Connersville.
a daughter of Joseph M. and Ellen (Parker) Webster, both of whom were
born in Butler county, Ohio, and who came to Indiana in 1865 and died in
Connersville. Joseph M. Webster was born on May 3, 1838, a son of Dr.
I'^lias and Mary ( Kane) \\'ebster, and grew up in Butler county. Ohio, wliere
he married Ella I'arker. who also was born and reared in that county, a
daughter of John and Jane I'arker. In the spring of 1865 he and his wife
and his parents. Doctor Webster and wife came to Indiana, he and his wife
locating on a farm near Knightstown, in Rush county, and Doctor AVebster
locating on the Whitewater, two miles south of Connersville. There .Mary
Kane Webster died and the Doctor afterward remarried and moved to Con-
nersville, where he continued in practice until his death on No\ember 2,
1891. He was an official in the Methodist Episcopal church and was for
>-ears active in church work.

Upon locating in the Knightstown neighborhood, Joseph M. Webster
bought a farm there, but in 1869 traded the same for his father's farm south
of Connersville, where he lived luitil 1909. when he retired and moved to
Connersville, where he died, prior to which he gave close attention to the
operation of his farm of two hundred and sixty acres, on which for years
he w'as extensively engaged in stock raising and for eighteen years also gave
much attention to dairying, profitably maintaining a herd of from fifty to
seventv-five dairy cattle. Joseph M. AVebster and wife were members of the
Methodist Episcopal church and their children were reared in that faith.
There are five of these children, those besides Mrs. Martin, the third in order
of birth, being Mary. Mrs. .Anna Williams. Mrs. Rosa Heck and C"harles
Henrv Webster.

900 li-AYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin have three children, Rosella, Woodford and
Frank! Thev have a very pleasant home and have ever given proper atten-
tion to the general social activities of the community in which they live, help-
ful in promoting all agencies having to do with the advancement of the com-
mon welfare.

JAMES T. FISHER.

James T. Fisher, former trustee of Jennings township and one of the
best-known old settlers in Fayette county, the proprietor of a farm in Jen-
nings township and for years identified with the community in which he lives,
is a native of the Keystone state, but has been a resident of Indiana since
1851 and of this county since 1866, coming here from the neighboring
county of Union, where he had lived since he was eleven or twelve years
of age. He was bom in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1839,
son of Samuel and Mary Ann (Maloney) Fisher, both natives of Virginia.

The Fisher family is of Scotch-Irish origin and its history in Virginia
can be traced back to Colonial days, Winchester, in that state, having been
the home of the family since before the Revolutionary period. The paternal
grandparents of James T. Fisher were Thomas and Margaret Fisher. It is
said that Fisher's Hill, which was the scene of one of the important battles
of the Civil War, the battle in which General Sheridan defeated the Con-
federates under General Early, was so called in honor of Thomas Fisher.
Thomas Fisher spent all his life in Virginia. His son, Samuel Fisher, father
of the subject of this sketch, was one of a family of six brothers and was
born on the old Fisher homestead in Virginia on November 13, 1808. In
that state he grew to manhood and there married Mary Ann Maloney, who
was born in that same locality on April 11, 1811. After their marriage he
and his wife moved to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in
the butcher business and where he died in 1849, leaving his widow and their
only son, James T., then ten years of age. The Widow Fisher returned to
Virginia with her son and there, in the following December, gave birth to
another son whom she named Jonathan Samuel. After a year spent at her
old home in Virginia, she returned with her children to Pennsylvania and for
a time made her home there with her deceased husband's brother. She then
came to Indiana with her children and for some time made her home with
her brother, B. F. Maloney, in Dnion county, a few years later going over

FAYETTE COrNTY. JNDIANA. qOl

into Oliio, where she made her iionie with a half-brolher and some time later,
at Dunlapsville, in X'nion county, this state, married Joseph Dungan, who
died a few years later. She spent the latter years of her life with her younger
son at Muncie, Indiana, where she died in 1895. at the age of eighty-three
years.

James T. l-'isher was twehe years nf age when his father died and was
still but a hoy when he came to Indiana with his mother. Here he found a
pleasant home with his uncle. B. F. Alaloney, and when he was fifteen years
of age his inicle, who desired him to remain with him, offered to pay him
one hundred and fifty dollars when he was eighteen years of age if he would
remain. When that time arrived his uncle urged him to remain longer and
j)roposed that he would give him five hundred dollars if he would reiuain
until he was twenty-one years of age. and, as the uncle was an invalid, liound
that proposition by inserting a clause to that eft'ect in his will. The uncle
died before his nephew had reached his majority and the latter remained with
the family, receiving the stipulated five hundred dollars upon coming of age.
Four hundred dollars of this sum he loaned at good interest to a person
whom he thought responsible, but the borrower turning out to be an irre-
sponsible individual, he lost his loan. With the remaining hundred dollars
he bought a horse, which he presently traded for another horse, receiving a
twelve-dollar watch in "boot", and someone stole the watch. Mr. Fisher
has always regarded that experience as a dear one, but valuable.

During his youth and young manhood, while living on his uncle's place,
James T. Fisher was carefully trained as a farmer and upon lea\ing his
uncle's place continued farming in Union county, Indiana, working for other
farmers by the month. He was married in iS''>3 and remained in L'nion
countv until 1866, when he came o\er into I-'ayette count}-, where he e\er
since has resided, long having been regarded as one of the substantial old
settlers of this county. In 1895 Mr. Fisher bought his present farm of
ninetv-two acres in section 22 of Jennings township, a farm originally owned
by William Scholl, who made the initial improvements on the place. In con-
nection with his farming operations in this county Mr. Fisher for twenty-
five vears was engaged in the bu_\ing and selling of live stock and did a
prosperous business in that line. Mr. h'isher is a Democrat and has for years
given his thoughtfid attention to local ci\ic aft'airs. having served for eight
years as trustee of Jennings township and in other ways contributed of his
time and his energies to the public service.

On h'ebruary 2^. 1863, in Union county, this state, James T. Fisher was

902 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

united in marriage to Mary E. Hill, who was torn in that county on October
15, 1843, a daughter of Israel and Harriet (Edwards) Hill, the former a
native of New Jersey and the latter of Ohio. Israel Hill was born on August
15, 1813, and before he was two years of age moved with his parents, Charles
and Mercy Ann (Hendrickson) Hill, to Ohio, where he grew to manhood
and where he was married to Harriet Edwards, who was born five miles
south of Hamilton, in Butler county, that state. About the year 1835 Israel
Hill and wife moved over into Indiana and settled on a farm in Union county,
where they spent the remainder of their lives.

To James T. and Mary E. (Hill) Fisher nine children have been born,
namely : Benjamin F., a farmer, of Columbia township, this county, who
married Elizabeth Price and has three children, Cynthia, Ruby and Frank :
Emma, who married George M. Davis, a farmer, living in the northwestern
part of Jennings township, and has seven children, Jacob Phares, Benjamin
Harrison, Israel Frank, Ruth Rebecca, Mary Eliza, Clara Isabel and Harriet
Ethel; Harriet, who is at home with her parents; Samuel, a grocer, living in
Union county, who married Jennie Lemon and has one daughter, Darlie
Teannette ; George, the owner of a farm across the highway from his father's
place, who married Mary Scholl and has a daughter, Mary; Alice, who mar-
ried Elmer Scholl, a farmer, of Jennings township, and has two children,
Maurice La Verne and Harriet Inez; Clara, who married James Lake, a
farmer lix-ing southwest of Everton, and has two childien, Dorothy Jane and
James Earl ; Alpha, who married Edwin Thomas and. who, with her hus-
liand, is engaged in missionary work, and Frederick, living on a farm near
Dunlapsville, who married Sophia Bryson and has three children, James Ray-
mond, Herschel Eugene and Opal Rebecca. Alpha I'isher completed the
course in the local schools and then attended Earlham College, later attend-
ing Wittenburg College, in Ohio, where she met Edwin Thomas, also a
student of that institution. Both later became missionaries to India and
were married in that country. Edwin Thomas was in India for more than
seven years, having been there some time before Alpha Fisher was sent as a
missionary to the same station, she having been there for nearly five years.
They continued in their missionary labors some time after their marriage and
are now in the L'nited States on a furlough. Mr. and Mrs. h'isher are mem-
bers of the Primitive Baptist church and they and their family have ever
been helpful in all local good works. Mr. Fisher is a member of the local
lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest
in the affairs of that popular organization.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 903

EDMUXD B. TRl-SLER.

Edmund B. Trusler, one of Fayette county's most substantial farmers
and the proprietor of "Spring Dale Farm", a well-kept place of one hundred
and sixty-six acres in Connersville township, is a native Hoosier and has
lived in this state all his life, with the exception of about nine years spent in
Colorado. He was born on a farm in Decatur county, this state, March 4,
1871, son of Ezra and Emeranda Josephine (Miller) Trusler, both of whom
were born in Franklin county, this state, members of pioneer families there.

Ezra Trusler was born in Blooming- Grove township, Franklin county,
Indiana, April 6, 1S47, son of Edmund B. and Permelia (Moore) Trusler,
the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky, whose last days
were spent in Franklin county, this state. The senior Edmund B. Trusler,
grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born on August 18, 1804, son
of James Trusler and wife, the former of whom, also a native of the Old
Dominion, was born on June 7, 1755, and was a soldier in the patriot army
during the Revolutionary War, and the latter of whom was born in tliat
same colony on June 27, 1755. Wlien a young man Edmund B. Trusler
came over into Indiana and settled in Franklin county. He married Per-
melia Moore, who was born in Kentucky on May 20, 1806, and he and his
wife reared a large family, all their childi^en having been born in Indiana.
Of these, the first-born was born in 1824 and Ezra was the next to the last-
born. Grandfather Trusler died in Franklin county on October 27, 1863,
and his widow survived him for more than twenty-five years, her death
occurring on February 13, i88g. Ezra Trusler grew to manhood on the
home farm in Franklin county and in that county was married, June 22,
i86q, to Emeranda Josephine Miller, who was born in that county, June 25,
1850, daughter of Isaac and Elizal)eth (Buckley) Miller, members of pioneer
families in Franklin county and who were married there. Isaac Miller was
a son of Abraham and Elizabeth ^Miller, the former of whom was born on
September 17, 1802, and the latter, June 28, 1798, and who came to Indiana
in an early day in the settlement of this state and located in Franklin county.
Elizabeth Buckley was born on September 23, 1830, a daughter Anson and
Jane (Harrell) Buckley, the former of whom was born on Octol)er 2, 1803.
and the latter, July 2, 181 1. Isaac Miller died on October i, 1865.

After his marriage Ezra Trusler located in Decatur county, this state,
where, in partnership witli one of his brothers, he engaged in blacksmithing
and was thus engaged until his last illness, when he was taken back to the

904 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

home of his parents in Frankhn county, where he died on March 28, 1874,
leaving a widow and one child, a son, Edmund B., the subject of this sketch,
then three years of age. After the death of Ezra Trusler, his little daughter,
Lena, was born, August 7, 1874. His widow, meanwhile, had gone back to
the home of her parents and there little Lena died on May 24, 1877. Mrs.
Trusler became a nurse after the death of her husband and remained thus
engaged the rest of her life, her death occurring on May 5, 1905.

Edmund B. Trusler was reared by his maternal grandmother, Mrs.
Elizabeth Miller, in Blooming Grove township, Franklin county, and there
lived until 1891, when, he then being twenty years of age, he went to Brook-
ville, where for four months he was engaged in a baker's shop, later going
to Rushviile, where he worked at the baker's trade until January 5, 1895,
when he went West and was for nine years* located in Colorado. He was
married in the fall of 1901 and in January, 1904, returned to Indiana and
located on a farm in the southeastern part of Connersville township, this
county, a place that belonged to his father-in-law, and there has farmed ever
since. His father-in-law died the next year, the farm then descending to
Mrs. Trusler. When Mr. Trusler located on that farm it consisted of one
hundred and fourteen acres, and he has since added to the same by pur-
chase until he and his wife now own a fine farm of one hundred and sixty-
six acres, "Spring Dale Farm," which is one of the best-improved and most
thoroughly equipped farm plants in that part of the county. In 191 3 Mr.
and Mrs. Trusler built a fine, new modern house, equipped with bath, sani-
tary plumbing, furnace and acetylene-lighting systan, and are now very
pleasantly and very comfortably situated. They are members of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church and Mr. Trusler is a member of the local lodge of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

On October 16. 1901, Edmund B. Trusler was united in marriage to
Efifie Belle Remy, who was born on a farm two miles north of Brookville, in
Franklin county, this state, a daughter of Moses A. and Susan J. (Jemison)
Remv, the former of whom was born on the same farm and in the same house
as was his daughter, June 17, 1849, a son of Henry and Catherine (Cory)
Remy and the only child of that union to grow to maturity. Henry Remy
farmed all his life on the place v>'here ]\Irs. Trusler was born. His father
had come out here from the East, from Maryland, according to family tradi-
tion, and settled in Franklin county in 1819, establishing his home on what
came to l)e known as the old Remy farm north of Brookville. There Moses
A. Remy grew to manhood and on October 4, 1871, married Susan J. Jemi-
son, who was born on a pioneer farm three miles south of Connersville, Octo-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 9O5

her 8. 1846, a daughter of \\'ilhani and Martha (Dunlap) Jcmison, who were
married on March 30. 1845, ^"<J ^^'^o \Wed to celebrate tlieir golden wedding-
anniversary. William Jemison was bom near Connersvilie and ail his life
was spent in this county. He was a son of John and Cynthia (Coe) Jemi-
son, the former of whom was born in Mason county, Kentucky, in i7(),v
^^'llen quite young John Jcmison's father died and he was bound out to
learn the tanner's trade. He married, in Cincinnati, Cynthia Coe, wlio was
born in Louden county, Virginia, in 1796, and who was reared near Parkers-
burg, and in 181 3 he and his wife came up into Indiana and he entered a
tract of land from the government in Jackson township, this county, and
there erected one of the first tann.eries in Fayette county. John Jemison was
an industrious, upright citizen and did much to advance the early interests
of this county. He died in 1851 and his widow survived him until 1874.
After his marriage Moses A. Remy li\ed on a farm adjoining the old Remy
homestead until after his father's death, when he occupied the old home place
and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on February 0, u)05.
His wife had preceded him to the grave about five years, her death having
occurred on March 20, 1900. They were members of the Methodist Epis-
copal church and were the parents of three children, those l^esides Mrs. Trus-
ler being William, who lives in Jennings township, this county, and Martha
Katherine, who married Oliver Redmond and lives on the old Remy home-
stead north of Brookville. Mr. and Mrs. Trusler have one child, a daughter.
Irene Josephine.

lOHX S. CLARK.

John S. Clark has been a continuous resident of the farm on which he
now lives, in the western edge of Connersvilie township, and which he now
owns, since the year 1873. He was born not far from there and his wife
was born about a mile south of the place and they ha\e both been residents
of that neighborhood all tb.eir ]i\es. He was Ijorn on a farm at the foot of
Bunker Hill, west of Connersvilie, February i, 1851, son of John and Nancv
(Woods) Clark, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of the state
of Kentucky, who spent their last days on their Bunker Hill farm.

John Clark grew to manhood in his native Scotland and then came to
this country, coming to Indiana anfl locating in this county about 1840.
He bought a small farm at the foot of Bunker Hill, on the west side of the
creek, and after his marriage establi.shed his home there, both he and his wife

906 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

spending their last days there. He was a stone mason by trade and gave
more attention to his trade than he did to his farm, the demand for his
services as a stone mason keeping him pretty busily engaged at that vocation.
He died in 1881 and his widow sur\'ived him but a year, her death occurring
in 1882. She was born in Kentucky and was but a child when her parents
came to Indiana and settled in the Blooming Grove neighborhood, in Frank-
lin county. John and Nancy Clark were Presbyterians and their children
were reared in that faith. There were thirteen of these children, nine of
whom grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch being as
follow : Elizabeth, who married Samuel McCrory and is now deceased ;
Mrs. Jane Queen, deceased; Mrs. Anna Clawson, deceased; Mrs. Jessie Fre-
mont Roots, deceased; Mrs. Mary McCrory, of Fairview township; Vinson
H., of Nebraska; Frank, of Fairview township, and Samuel, of Hawkins-
ville, in Harrison township.

John S. Clark lived at his home in the vicinity of Bunker Hill, a valued
assistant in the labors of the home farm, until he was twenty-two years of
age, when, in 1S73, he became a resident of the old McCrory farm on the
western edge of Connersville township, where he ever since has resided. He
farmed for William McCrory as long as the latter lived and then remained
with the family, continuing to look after the farm. William McCrory died
in 1876, leaving a widow, four daughters and his wife's mother living on
the home farm, and it was for these latter that Mr. Clark continued the man-
agement of the farm. After his marriage in 1895 he established his home
there and when the place finally was sold at administrator's sale, he straight-
way bought it from the purchaser and has been the owner of the place since
November 13, 19 15. Mr. Clark's farm contains two hundred and six acres,
is well improved and has been profitably managed, Mr. Clark having given
the place as earnest attention during all the years of his management of the
same as though he had owned it personally.

In 1895 John S. Clark was united in marriage to Annie Woodcock, who
was born on a farm a mile south of her present residence, a daughter of
Homer B. and Flester (McCrory) Woodcock, the former of whom was born
in that same neighborhood, on the farm now owned by Palmer T. Bilby.
His parents came to this county from the state of New York and settled in
the southern part of Connersville township, in what then was known as the
"Stumptown" neighborhood, where they bought a tract of heavily-wooded
land. Later they went to Illinois, where their last days were spent. It was
on that pioneer farm in "Stumptown" that Homer B. Woodcock grew to
manhood. He later spent two years in Logansport, this state, and then moved

FAYETTK COrNTV, INDIANA. QOJ

to Coiinersville, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in
1896. His wife, Hester McCrory, was l>orn on the farm where Mr. Clark
now lives, a daughter of William and Melissa J. (lies) McCrory, and she
survived him for nearly twenty \ears. her death occurring on November 21,
191 5. William McCrory, one of tlie real "old settlers" of Fayette county,
was a native of Ireland, born on April u. 1S04. and was but six years of
age when his parents came to this country. At a very early day in the settle-
ment of Fayette county the) came here and settled in the western part of
Coiinersville township, at that time an unbroken forest, and tiiere established
their home. William McCrory had a brother, Robert McCrory, who also,
in time, estaljlished his home in this county, locating in Fairview township,
about a mile and a iialf northeast of Glen wood. He also had a sister, Mar-
garet Saxon, who lived in Fairview township. William McCrory grew to
manhood in Connersville township and on March 22, 1838, married Melissa
J. lies, who was born in Kentuck}' on January 30, 1818, and who came witii
her parents to this county, the family settling near P'airview. After William
McCrory 's marriage he established his home on the farm now owned by Mr.
Clark, and there he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on
November 29, 1876. His widow survived him many years, her death occur-
ring on January 28, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Clark ha\e four children, lone,
Albert, William and John.

MAYNARD MARION ERB.

Maynard Marion Erb, member of the I'^ayette county council, proprietor
of "The Owl" drug .store at Connersville and also actively connected with
the lumber business now operating at Macon, Georgia, was born on a farm
in the neighborhood of Blooming Grove, in the adjacent county of Franklin,
September 25, 1873, son of \\^ Harrison and .Anna L. (Fowler) Erb, the
latter of whom is still li\in,g. now making her home near Connersville.

W. Harrison Erb was born in Lancaster county. Pennsylvania, and was
but an infant when his parents. David Erb and wife, drove through to the
then Territory of Indiana, in 1813. and settled in the vicinity of Fairfield, in
Franklin county. Da\id Erb entered a fractional section of land there and
the original parchment deed given by the government for the same and bear-
ing the signature of President James Madison is now in the possession of
the subject of this sketch, grandson of the first settler on that tract. Upon
settling on his place in Franklin county David Erb put up a small log cabin

908 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and there established his home. David Erb was a man of vigorous mind
and body and early became acknowledged as one of the leaders in the new
community. In 1820 Governor Jennings appointed him major of the Six-
teenth Regiment, Indiana State Militia, and he was long a familiar figure at
the annual musters and on other occasions of public gathering throughout
that section. He held various local ofifices and was widely sought by his
pioneer neighbors and consulted in matters requiring legal advice. Harrison
Erb grew up on that pioneer farm and lived in that neighborhood all his life,
a lifelong farmer. His wife, Anna L. Fowler, was born in Arkansas, a
daughter of Dr. John West and Mary ( Scott j Fowler, natives of Indiana,
who had moved to Arkansas not long after their marriage. In 1863 Dr.
John West Fowler started to return from Arkansas with his family to Indi-
ana, but died in Missouri, en route. His widow and her three sons and
two daughters continued the journey and upon their arrival in Indiana settled
in the Everton neighborhood, in this county, later moving down into Frank-
lin county and locating at Fairfield, where Anna L. Fowler was living at the
time of her marriage to Harrison Erli. Mr. Erb died in 1903 and his widow
is now living near Connersville. To her and her husband three children
were born, two sons and a daughter, the subject of this sketch having an
elder brother. W. H. Erb, who is living on a farm three miles south of Con-
nersville, and a sister, Mrs. Frank M. Hanson, who is living south of East
Conners\'ille.

Maynard Marion Erb grew up on the paternal farm in Franklin county
and received his early schooling in the schools of that county. When eighteen
vears of age he entered Purdue University and was graduated from the
department of pharmacy in that institution in 1893. Thus equipped for the
business to which he had decided to devote his life Mr. Erb engaged in the
drug business at Connersville and when the McFarlan building was com-
pleted he rented a room in that building and moved his store to that point,
remaining there for two or three years, at tlie end of which time he became
engaged as a traveling salesman for a wholesale drug house. Later he
bought a drug store at Muncie, but eighteen months later he became engaged
in the lumber business and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he
remained for five or six years, at the end of which time he returned to Con-
nersville, where he ever since has been located, though continuing to main-
tain his interest in the lumber business he established at Chattanooga. It
has since ]^en moved to Macon, Georgia, where it is now being successfully
operated. In 191 1 Mr. Erb bought "The Owl" drug store at Connersville
and has since been conducting the same, at the same time continuing to look

FAYKTTE COL'XTV, INDIANA. qO<)

after liis extensive lumher interests. l"Aer since his return tci C(>nners\ille
Mr. F.rh has oiven his close attention to county politics, lias l)een treasurer
of the Kepul)lican county central committee for several )ears and is now a
meml)er of the county council, giving his earnest attention to county affairs.
h'or a luimber of years he also was treasurer of the Fayette County Free
F'air Association and in other ways has contributed of his time and his
energies to public and semi-public movements, long having been regarded as
one of the "live wires'" of the hustling citv of Conners\ille. Mr. Erb is a
thirtv-second-degree Mason, affiliated with the Indiana]M)Iis consistory,
Ancient .\ccepted Scottish Rite, antl a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of
.Vobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with Murat Temple, at Indianapolis,
He also is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias.

In 190J Maynard M. Erb was united in marriage to Laura Lowe, who
was born at Camden, Ohio, a daughter of Alexander and Ellen (Campbell)
Lowe, natives of the state of Ohio, who moved to this state and located on
a farm in the Connersville neighborhood when their daughter, Laura, was a
child, .\lexander Lowe was an honored veteran of the Civil War, having
enlisted at Ivichmond, tliis state, for service in the Thirty-sixth Regiment,
Indiana \'olunteer Tnfaiitr}', and served with that command for four years.
He was severely wounded at the battle of Chickamauga. He died more tiian
thirtv vears ago and his widow is now making her home with Mr. and Mrs
Erb.'

JAMES MOXROE HARLAX.

James Monroe Harlan, one of Connersville t<iwiiship's substantial and
well-to-do farmers, was born on the farm on which he is now living and has
lived there the greater part of his life. He is a representative in the third
generation of one of the oldest families in Fayette county, the Harlans hav-
ing been here since the year 181 5, one year before Indiana was admitted to
statehood, and ha\e therefore been jiarticipants in the development of this
county from the \ery beginning of a social order hereabout. He was born
on February 10. 1849, son of Enoch and Mary Ann (Honeywell) Harlan,
the former of whom was born in that same locality- on July 31. 18 19, son of
Samuel and Xaiicy ( Brown ) Harlan, who were amonn^ the earliest settlers
in Fayette county, having come out Iiere in what then was the "wilds" of the
West from their native South Carolina ami settling in the woods in what is
now Connersville townsliip, this county.

9IO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Samuel Harlan was born in Laurens county, South Carolina, April 30,
1772, and grew to manhood and was married there to Nancy Brown and
several of their children were bom in that county. In 181 1 Samuel Harlan
and two of his brothers set out on horseback on a prospecting trip into the
West, seeking a new location. They proceeded west as far as Mississippi,
but not being favorably impressed with the lay of the land in that direction
turned and came back north and east, up through Tennessee and Kentucky
and on up into Indiana Territory. They were very much taken with the
appearance of the rich timber lands in this ))art of the country and here
Samuel Harlan picked out all of section 31 and the northwest quarter of sec-
tion 6. in what afterward was organized as Connersville township, this county.
The nearest land ofifice at that time was situated at Cincinnati and thither he
went to secure title to his land. There he paid for his title in gold which
he had carried with him in all his journeying through the wilds, and then
returned to his old Carolina home, where he began disposing of his interests
there and making preparations for settlement on his timber tract back in
Indiana. Early in the spring of 18 r 5 he and his family, among whom were
the sons, Stephen, Matthew, George and Amos, the latter, then but a babe in
arms, being carried on horseback by his eldest sister, started for the West.
The household goods were packed in a big Conestoga wagon, substantially
built and trimmed with brass, to which was attached a brass-bound and
heavily riveted money-box. one of the rivets of which released a secret spring
which ga^•e access to the strongbox. "Without undue adventure the Harlan,
family arrived at their destination in the wilderness and on the bank of Vil-
lage creek, at a point just east of where the bridge over that creek now is
located, they "pitched their tent." .And tent it literally was, for during the
first year of the family's residence in this county and while thev were getting
ready to build a house, they made their home in a kind of a tent, or shanty,
constructed of canvas and poplar bark, supported by poles driven into the
ground. Nearby, on the nortliwest quarter of section 6, there was an exten-
sive pigeon-roost deadening and there, on a tract of about eight acres, the
Harlans raised their first crop. They had brought poultry with them and
not long after their arrival at their new home in the wilderness they set out
for the hamlet of Connersville to di.spose of a surplus of eggs, starting
through the woods in what they thought was the general direction of the
hamlet, but so thick was the timber that they lost their way and presently
found themseh'es back at their own place, having wandered in a circle. By
observing the moss on the trees and thus keeping a true course, they later

lAYlCTTK COINTV, INDIANA. 9II

found their way to tlie hamlet an<l it was not long- until they had a well-
detined trail to the market i)lace.

Samuel Harlan farmed un that pioneer tract the rest of his life and
becaiue early recogniized as one of the most substantial and inlluential settleis
in that community. He gave the land for the Village Creek cemetery and
there he is buried, his death having occurred on April i8, 1858, he then being
eighty-five years, eleven months and twenty-nine days of age at the time of
his death. His widow, who was born on November 27. 1778, survived him
for about thirteen years, dying on January 12, 1871. she then being then at
the great age of ninety-one years, one month and fifteen days. Other chil-
dren were born to them after they came to Fayette county and they were
the parents of eleven sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to maturity.
When Grandmother Harlan died she not only had many grandchildren and
great-grandchildren, but several in the fourth generation of her descent.

Enoch Harlan, one of the eleven sons of this pioneer couple and who is
mentioned above, grew up in Connersville township amid pioneer conditions
and remained a farmer all his life. For some years after his marriage to
Mary Ann Honeywell, wiio also was a member of one t^f the pioneer families
of Fayette county, he CDUtinued to li\e at the old home place, but later traded
with one of his brothers and received the farm where his son, James M.
Harlan, was born and where the latter now li\es. There Enoch Harlan died
on February 281. 185 1, and bis widow surxived him liut a few years. They
were the parents of three children who grew to maturity, tliose besides the
subject of this sketch being Harrison Harlan, who now li\es at Kokomo,
this state, and Judith, who married Edmund Burk and is now deceased.

James M. Harlan was but a small child when his father died and was
btit about five years of age when his mother died, and he thereafter was
taken care of in the family of his uncle. Samuel Harlan, until he was eighteen
years of age, when he started out for himself, presently taking charge of the
farm where he was born and where he ever since has made his home. He
owns one hundred and ninety-se\en and one-half acres of excellent land and
has a well-ec|uipped farm plant. In addition to his general farming, Mr.
Harlan has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has
done very well. He and his wife have a very comfortable country home and
are quite pleasantly situated.

On January 27, 1870, James M. Harlan was united in marriage to
Susanna Agnes Knipe. who was liorn in Posey township, this countv. daugh-
ter of Thomas and Mary (Meranda) Knipe. the former of whom was of
English parentage and the latter of whom was born in soutliern Ohio, prob-

gi2 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ably near Higginsport, and who came to this county with her parents, Samuel
and Susanna (Shinkle) JNIeranda, who settled in Posey township in pioneer
days, Samuel Meranda getting part of his land there from the government.
Thomas Knipe was both a farmer and a cabinet-maker. He died when his
daughter (Mrs. Harlan) was eight months of age and his widow survived
liim less than seven years, Mrs. Harlan thus having been orphaned at almost
as tender an age as was her husband.

EDWARD V. HAWKINS.

In the amazing industrial de\'elopnient that has marked Connersville
during the past third of a century or more, there has been no more active
personal factor than Edward V. Hawkins, president of the Conners\'ille
Furniture Compan)^ former president of the Connersville Commercial Club,
president of the Connersville city school board and in numerous ways identi-
fied with the growing interests of that city. He has been a resident of Con-
nersville since 1874, in which year he arrived there as a journeyman cabinet-
maker to take a position in the factory of the old Indiana Furniture Com-
pany, and eyer since locating in that city has given his most earnest atten-
tion to the development of its various interests. The coming of Mr. Hawkins
to Connersville hinged on an apparently trivial incident, but that incident
proved fruitful of important consequences and unquestionably was far-reach-
ing in its effect upon the later development of the industrial life of the city.
Mr. Hawkins was about twenty years of age at the time. He had just com-
pleted an apprenticeship at cabinet-making at Vevay, his home town, and
was a skilled craftsman in that line. One evening he was sitting in a barber
shop at Vevay, awaiting his "turn" for tonsorial attention, when his atten-
tion was called to a copy of the Connersville Weekly Examiner that had been
forwarded to Vevay by a former resident. In the local column of this issue
was a notice that the new Indiana Furniture Company would be ready to
begin operations March ist. Believing that the prospect might open up
further opportunities in the way of advancement in his trade, the young man
decided to apply for a position, which was obtained. He, thereafter, came to
Connersville, arriving with twenty dollars in money and his chest of tools,
practically his total wordly possessions, and there he Las remained ever since
and for many years has been recognized as one of the leading forces in the
city.

^. l^Ji

lAYKTTE cor NT Y. IN'DIANA. 9I3

In 1874 luhvard \'. Hawkins arrived at Conncrsville and tiiere bet^an
working in the plant <if tlie uld Indiana l-"nrnitnre Company, at that time
one of the leading concerns in liiat line in Indiana. So satisfactory did his
work prove to his employers that he presently was promoted to the position
of foreman of the plant and, later, to the position of general superintendent
of the same, occupying the latter position when, in 1882, he conceived the
idea of organizing a factory for manufacturing furniture. He approached
Charles Mount, F. M. Roots and some other men of Conncrsville, who became
interested, joining him in the organisation of a com[)any for the purpose of
manufacturing bed-room furniture. Mr. Ha\\kins had little money for
inxestment in the proposed concern, but he had what was far more valuable,
expert experience in the manufacture of furniture, and he cast his lot with
the new company, the same being incorporated as the Conners\ille Furniture
Company, of which Mr. Hawkins has long been the president and general
manager. The Conncrsville Furniture Company is an incorporated concern
with a capital stock of two hundred thousand dollars, one hundred and titty
thousand dollars common and fifty thousand dollars preferred. It now
employs two hundred men, occupying a plant with a Hoor space of o\er one
hundred thousand square feet and in iqiO did a business exceeding five hun-
dred thousand dollars, its products being sold in all parts of the United States.
The present officers of the company are as follow : Edward V. Hawkins,
president and general manager: Mrs. M. L. Hawkins, vice-president; Edward
P. Hawkins, secretary and assist;int general manager, and 1'. J. Snider,
treasurer.

In 18S7 Edward V. Hawkins was united in marriage to Margaret L
Pratt, who was born in the state of Xew ^'ork and to this union was born
one child, a son. Edward P. Hawkins, mentioned above as secretary and
assistant general manager of the Conncrsville P'urniture Company and a
biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume. Mr.
and Mrs. Hawkins are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church
and for many years have been among the leaders in all good work hereabout.
Mr. Hawkins is one of the most active workers in the church to which he
is attached and, as an office-bearer, has served the congregation of the same
in various capacities. Since the year 1893 he has been a member of the city
school board, with the exception of two years of that time, and since 1908
has been president of the board. He and his wife, some years ago, presented
to tlie city, through the public schools, in i^eqit'tuity. an attractive tract of
ground covering three and one-half acres at the end of Eastern avenue, the
(58)

914 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

same to be used for plaj-gronnd purposes, and the tract has been very properly
styled the Hawkins playground, a continual memorial to the children of the
city of the kindness of heart and benevolence of its donors.

JOHN J. WILLIAMS.

John J. Williams, one of Connersville township's most progressive young
farmers and the proprietor of a farm of three hundred and fifty-five acres in
that township, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his
life. He was born on a farm in Jackson township on June 15, 1884, son of
Madison Homer and Ella (Crandall) Williams, both of whom also were
born in Jackson township and who are now living at East Connersville,
where they have resided since 1914.

Madison Homer Williams was born on November 18, 1858, a son of
Jesse and Adeline (Benner) Williams, the former of whom was born in
Jackson township, this county, a son of Elisha and Martha (Baker) Will-
iams, who were among the early settlers in that part of Fayette county, the
Williams family thus havin gbeen represented in this county since the days
of the beginning of a social order hereabout. Elisha Williams was born in
Pulaski county, Kentucky, August 3, 1802, son of Virginia parents, and was
about fourteen years of age v/hen his parents moved with their family up
into Indiana, settling in the Brookville neighborhood, whence, a year later,
they came on up into Fayette county and settled in Jackson township, not
far west of the present village of Everton. Elisha Williams there grew to
manhood and became a farmer, remaining in that community all his life.
He early turned his attention to the church and was for years one of the
best-known ministers of the Methodist church in that part of the country.
He was three times married. His first wife and the mother of all his ten
children, was Martha Baker, who was born in 1808 and died in 1856. The
Rev. Elisha Williams died in 1884. His son, Jesse Williams, also grew up
in Jackson township, where he farmed all his life. His first wife, Adeline
Benner, was born in Wabash county, this state. She died about 1861, leav-
ing two small children, Madison H. and Emma, the latter of whom is now
Mrs. Emma Handley. Jesse Williams later married Anna Marie Rously,
which union was without issue.

It was in Jackson township also that Madison H. Williams grew to
manhood and there, in 1878, he married Ella Crandall, who also was born
in Jackson township, a daughter of Jonathan and Emaline (Myer) Crandall,

FAYF.TTK COIXTV, I X 1)1 A X A. 9I5

also memliers ui pioneer lamilies liereahout. Jonathan I'randall was also
born in Jackson township, this countv. a son nl' F.lisha and Sarah ( ( idlden )
Crandall. North Carolinians, who came to Indiana in 1S15 and settled in
PXvette county, Elisha Crandall enterin.<; a tract of ■'Conj,;ress land" in Jen-
nings township, north of Everton. and in this county spent the rest of their
lives. Jonathan Crandall was a life-lonj; farmer in Jackson township, where
he and his wife spent their last days. She was horn in Union county, this
state, a daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Landis) Myer, the former of whom
was born in Bedford county, Pennsyhania, in 1805, and the latter in Bote-
tourt county, Virginia, in that .same year, both coming to Indiana with their
respective parents in 181 1 and settling in I'nion county. Jaculi M\er was
the son of Abraham Myer and wife an<l in i8_'(j, in I'nion county, he mar-
ried Sarah Landis, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth ((irof) Landis. Ten
years later, in 1839, Jacob Myer and his family mo\ed mer into b'aNette
county and settled in Jackson township, where he spent the rest of his life,
his death occurring in 1883. His widow survived until 1892. They were
earnest members of the German Baptist church and took an active part in
the afTairs of the same. Ella Crandall grew up in Jackson township and was
residing there at the time of her marriage to Madison M. Williams, .-\fter
their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Williams located on a farm Mr. Williams bought
in Posey township, this countw and there remained for live \ears, at the end
of which time they moved to the n]<l Williams farm in Jackson tow'n.ship,
where they remained until their retirement in i()i4 and removal to East Con-
nersville, w'here tliey are now li\-ing. .Mr. Williams still retains his farm-
ing interests in Jackson township, where he owns ;i well-im])roved farm of
one hundred and eighty-nine acres.

To Madison H. and Ella (Crandall) Williams four children have been
born, namely: Oris, who married Edna Ludlnw ;ind lives in the northwest
part of Connersville townshi]); Maude, who married n.-miel liroadns. of Har-
rison township, and has two sons. Ilomcr and Horace; John J., the immedi-
ate subject of this biographical sketch, and Perry, who died at the age of
two years and six months.

John J. W'illiams was reared on the home farm in Jackson township,
where he was born, and received his schooling in the local schools. Erom
boyhood he was a valued aid to his father in the labors of developing and
improving the home farm and reni.ained there until his marriage in 1906,
when he bought a farm on Big Williams creek, .southwest of Connersville,
where he farmed until i(;!J, when he nio\ed to the old Bundrant farm,
formerly owned b\' his wife's father, and has since made that his place of

gi6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

residence, at the same time continuing- to operate the farm he first bought
In 1914 he bought the Bundrant farm, on which there are two dwelHngs,
and is now tlie owner of three hundred and fifty-five acres of well-improved
land. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Williams gives a good deal
of attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and has done very well
in his farming operations.

In 1906 John J. Williams was united in marriage to A'laude Bundrant,
who was born on the farm on which she and her husband now live, three
miles west of Connersville, a daughter of Edward L. and Anchor (Petro)
Bundrant, both of whom also were iiorn in this county, members of pioneer
families. Edward L. Bundrant was born on the farm where Mr. and Mrs.
Williams now live and where he spent all his life. He was the only son of
Charles H. and Jane (Branson) Bundrant, the former of whom was born
in Virginia and the latter in Henry county, this state. Charles H. Bundrant
was born on March 12, 1822, son of Thomas and Susan (Lockett) Bundrant,
also natives of the Old Dominion, and was about eight years of age when his
parents left Virginia in 1830 and came to Indiana, settling in Fayette county,
where Thomas Bundrant died five years later. Thomas Bundrant was a
soldier during the War of 1812 and marched with his command from Harpers
Ferry, Virginia, to Natchez, Mississippi. His ancestors came to this country
from France in Colonial days and became a well-established family in Vir-
ginia. After the death of his father, Charles H. Bundrant was "bound out"
to a tanner of the name of Brown at Connersville and after serving an
apprenticeship of six years, became a partner of Brown and was thus engaged
in the tanning business for fi\e }ears, at the end of which time he bought a
farm of eighty-five acres west of Connersville, the place now owned by JNlr.
WilHams, and there farmed the rest of his life. On May 13, 1851, he mar-
ried Jane Branson, who was born in Henry county, this state, daughter of
William and Sarah (Pickering) Branson, and to that union was born one
son, Edward L. Bundrant, father of Mrs. Williams, who married Anchor
Petro, who was born a short distance east of Connersville, daughter of
Leonard and Sarah Petro, and spent all his life on the farm on which he was
born, his death occurring in 1914.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams have two daughters, Ruth Eorene and Edric
Naomi. They have a very jileasant home and take a proper part in the gen-
eral social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. Williams is a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both of the subordinate
lodge and of the encampment, and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that
popular organization.

FAYETTE COINTV, INDIANA. OI7

ANDREW M. B]':LL.

A native of tlie state of Indiana, ami one who has continued to live in
tlie state, where he has met with much success, and where he is held in tiie
iiigliest retjard. is Andrew M. Bell, a retired farmer of East Connersville,
who w^as bnrn in l'"r;,nklin county, Indiana, (in December lo, 1837, and is tiie
son of John and Mari^^aret ( Cliamhers ) ISell.

John and .Maroarct (Chambers) Hell were Ixirn in the state of Mary-
land, and there they were educated in the public schools and there the\' mar-
ried. They established their home in that state and continued to live there
until 1835, when they left their home and came to Indiana. They located
in Franklin county, where they remained but a few years, and engaged in
farm work. They made the journey from Maryland with horses and wagon,
sutTering many of the hardships of that means of travel. o\-er a new territory
and through the liea\\- forests of that time. On lea\ing l"r;uiklin county
they went to I'niim county, Indiana, where they obtained land. 'i"hc tract
at that time was in the woods and covered with heavy timber. Here they
made a home in the wilderness, and li\ed the li\es of the pioneers of those
times. The farm was in time developed and improved and here Mr. Bell
engaged in fanning until 1861, when the family returned to Franklin county,
where Mr. and Mrs. Bell died some years later. They were active members
of the Methodist Episcopal church, and prominent in all the activities of
their district. Mr. Bell was identified with the Whig party and later with
the Republican party, and always took a keen interest in the affairs of his
county and township. He and Mrs. Bell were the parents of nine cliildren,
three of whom are now li\ing, Andrew M., Henrietta Ramex', of I'^ranklin
county, and Ada. also of that county. 'i"o Mr. and Mrs. Bell is due much
honor and credit for the great work that they did in transforming the wilder-
ness into well-cultivated fields.

.Andrew M. Bell was educated in the old log scho(jl house of that time
and attended a subscription school, for there were no -public schools in the
section at that time. He grew to manhood on the old home ])lace where he
assisted his father with the farm work and remained on tlie farm until Julv,
1861, when he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-seventh Regiment, Indiana
Volunteer Infantry, in Union county, .\fter having enlisted he was sent
to Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where the regiment was organized and then on
to Louisville, Kentucky. They later joined BuelTs army at Xashvillc. He
was in the battles of Shiloli. Tullaboma, Dunkard .Station, Chickamauga,

qiS FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Tunnel Hill, Buzzard Roost, and \\as with Sherman at Atlanta and on the
march to the sea. He was with the army in the march to Washington and
took part in the Grand Review. He received his discharge in August, 1865,
at Indianapolis. He returned to his home happy in the thought that he had
done his duty, as best he could, though he carried the scars of five wounds
that he recei\'ed while in the service.

After his return frcwn the army service, Mr. Bell lived at various places,
until 1870, when he was united in marriage to Candace Keyger, Franklin
county, Indiana. After their marriage, they located on a farm in Franklin
county, where they remained until 1880, when they came to Fayette county,
where they purchased a farm of one hundred acres of land in Connersville
township, where they continued to live, and where they successfully engaged
in general farming and stock raising until the death of Mrs. Bell on June 25,
1902. After the death of his wife, Mr. Bell rented his farm, and moved to
East Connersville, ^\here he has a pleasant home and seven acres of ground.
Mrs. Bell was a most pleasing woman and one who was held in the highest
esteem by all. She was de\oted to the interests of her husband and of the
community in which she lived for so many years. Mr. Bell has long been
identified with the Republican party and has taken a keen interest in the
affairs of his township and his county.

JOHN NEI.SOX WILLIAMS.

Born in the state of Ohio, on June 12, 1844, "ear Elizabethtown, the son
of Richard W. and Phoebe (Carter) \Villiams, John Nelson Williams came
to Columbia township, Fayette county, with his parents, when he was but
seven years of age.

Richard W. and Phoebe Carter Williams were natives of the state of
Ohio and F"ranklin county, Indiana, respectively. They received their edu-
cation in the schools of their respective states and were married in Indiana
and returned to Ohio, where they continued to live until 1851, when they
decided to locate in the Hoosier state. They established their home on a
farm in Columbia township. Fayette county, and there the father engaged
in general farming and stock raising, with much success. After many years
of residence on the original farm, Mr. and Mrs Williams moved to near the
town of Columljia, where the father died in the year 1895 and the mother
in 1893. Mr. Williams was a strong advocate of the principles of the Repub-

•AYETTE COUNTY,

919

lican party, and he and his wife were de\oted members of the Methodist
Episcopal church. They were the parents of nine children as follow :
Thomas W., Margaret E., John N., Isaac Newton, Arthur, Esther, Amelia,
Phoebe and Morton. Thomas, Isaac Newton, Amelia and Phoebe are now
deceased, Isaac Newton, a twin of John N., died when he was but eighteen
months old; Margaret E. is the widow of C. H. Brown, and resides in
Columbia township: Arthur lives in the state of Iowa, and Morton is a well-
known resident of Connersville township, Fayette county.

John Nelson Williams received his education in the schools of Columbia
township, and was reared on the home farm. He remained at home until
June, 1864, when he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth
Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was at once transferred to
Nashville, Tennessee, where he did guard duty at that place and also in Ken-
tucky. He was also detailed to transfer prisoners to Chicago. He was dis-
charged from the sei-vice in September, 1864, at which time he returned to
the home of his parents, where he remained for a year. He then engaged
in general farming in Connersville township, where he purchased eighty-
eight acres, which he developed and improved, and built a home. He later
purchased fifty-five acres of the old home place, and was for many years one
of the successful and substantial farmers and stockmen of the county.

On November 20, 1873, John Nelson Williams was united in marriage
to Mary F. Hardy, a native of Columbia township, the daughter of Charles
and Elizabeth Chapman (Heizer) Hardy. Her parents were natives of
Franklin and Fayette counties, Indiana, the father having been born in the
former count\- and the mother, in the latter. They were of the farming
class and highly respected people. They were active members of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church, until the time of their deaths, the father having died
in March, 1883, and the mother in April, 1895. They were the parents of
three children, as follow- William, now deceased; Man- F. and Alva S.,
who is dead.

John Nelson and Mary F. Williams are tlie parents of one child. Homer
L., who was born on December 16, 1874. He received his education in the
local schools and at the Columbia high school, and was reared on the home
farm. As a young man he decided that he too would be a farmer, and is
now engaged in that calling. He is married to Fannie Johnson, and to tiiem
six children have been born as follow ; Mary F., died at the age of four
years; Carl W.. died when si.x weeks old; Opal, James Nelson, Garnet L. and
Mildred.

Soon after his marriage, John Nelson \\'illiams located in Columbia

920

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

township, where he siicce.«sfully engaoed in general farming and stock rais-
ing, until he retired from the more active duties of life, on November 17,
1916, and established his home at East Connersville. He sold his farm and
now lias a beautiful home on Main and Fiant streets and owns several acres
of land. He and his v/ife are prominent and active members of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church, and are among the highly respected people of their
home citv. Mr. Williams is a member of the Red Men and the Haymakers.

JOSEPH JARRET COLE.

Joseph Jarret Cole, president of the Cole Motor Car Company, of Indi-
anapolis, and one of the best-known figures in the automobile industry in
the United States, is a native son of Fayette county and, though years a
resident elsewhere, has never ceased to retain the liveliest and most affectionate
interest in the affairs of his old home county, his occasional visits back here
to the scenes of his boyhood ever giving him peculiar pleasure. It is there-
fore but proper and fitting that in presenting a series such as this of the
biographies of those who have done well their respective parts in the develop-
ment of Fayette county or have larought honor to the county through dis-
tinguished personal service or endeavor in whatever line, a brief sketch of
the life and career of this distinguished son of old Fayette should, here be
included.

Elsewhere in this volume there is set out at considerable length a history
of the Cole family in Fayette county and all of those interesting details need
not therefore be repeated here, it being sufficient to say that the Coles have
been sturdily represented here since pioneer days. The progenitors of the
family in this county were Joseph Jared and Patience (Foster) Cole, who
came to Indiana in ,the days of the beginning of a social order in this part
of the state and, after a sometime residence in the neighboring county of
Wayne, came down into Fayette county and established their home in Water-
loo township, becoming influential and useful pioneers of that community,
there spending their last days. Joseph Jared Cole was one of the most active
pioneers of Fayette county and became the owner of about one thousand
acres of land. He later became engaged in the pork-packing business in
Connersville and, on meeting reverses in that business, was compelled to divert
a portion of his fortune in land to the less successful line of endeavor. He
and his wife were the parents of six children, two sons and four daughters.

1--AYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 92 1

One of tliese sons, Josepli J. Cole, second, grew to manliood in this county
and married Margaret Thomas, who was born in tliis county, daughter of
Benjamin Thomas and wife, who came to Indiana from Maine and l)ecanie
pioneers of Fayette county, where they reared a large family. The second
Joseph J. Cole established his home on a farm in \\'aterloo township after his
marriage and there remained, one i)f the most substantial and influen-
tial farmers in the mirthern part of the county, until iC)o6, in which year
he retired from the farm and moved to Comiers\-ille, where he sjient the
rest of his life, his death occurring there on June lO, t()i4. at the age of
seventy years and ten months, and where his widow is still living, very
comfortably situated at her pleasant home at 1610 Virginia avenue. Joseph
J. Cole was a Democrat and ever took an active part in the political affairs
of his community, for years serving as trustee of Waterloo township. He
attended the Methodist Episcopal church and he and his wife were ever
mindful of the public welfare, doing well their part in promoting such agencies
as were designed to advance the cause of the common good in the community
in which they were so long useful and influential factors. Theirs was a
hospitable home and in other days was the scene of 'many a social gathering,
both Mr. Cole and his wife being fond of company and of the companionship
of tlieir friends, and as their children grew up the latter contributed largely
to the general social activities of the community. There were five of these
children, those besides the subject of this sketch, the fourth in order of birth,
being as follow : Harry Claude, who died in hifancy ; Lillian Maude, wife
of Ellis Filby, of Cambridge City; Efifie Patience, wife of R. I). Eby. of Con-
nersville, and Benjamin Walter Cole, treasurer of Fayette county and a bio-
graphical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this \-olume.

Joseph Jarret Cole, fourth in order of birth of the six children born to
Joseph J. and Margaret (Thomas) Cole, was born on the old Cole farm
in Waterloo township on March 23. 1869, and there spent his boyhood, sup-
plementing the schooling he received in the neighborhood school by a course
in the Connersville high school, after which he took a course in the Rich-
mond Business College, at Richmond, this state, and then, at the age of
eighteen years, became a clerk in the oftice of the Parry M;inufacturing
Company at Indianapolis, manufacturers of buggies. Two years later. Iia\-
ing in the meantime become thoroughly grounded in the details of that
company's business and familiar with every point in relation to its output,
Mr. Cole was made a traveling salesman for the PariT Manufacturing
Company, in which capacity he traveled all over the United States. He was
thus engaged until 1896, in which year he transferred his services to the

922 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Moon Brothers Carriage Company, of St. Louis, and was engaged as a trav-
eling salesman for that company for two years, at the end of which time,
having meanwhile become a small stockholder, he was elected secretary of
the company and for four years thereafter was stationed in the office of the
company at St. Louis. In 1904 Mr. Cole disposed of his interest in the St.
Louis carriage-manufacturing concern and returned to Indianapolis with a
view to engaging in business in that city on his own account. There he or-
ganized the Cole Carriage Company, of which concern he was the principal
stockholder and controlling factor, and bought the plant of the Gates-
Osborne Company, a concern which had been organized about two years
before for the manufacture of carriages. They operated the same as a car-
riage-manufacturing plant for five years, or until 1900, when the present
wonderful successful Cole Motor Car Company was organized to take over the
plant of the Cole Carriage Company and turn the same to the manufacture
of automobiles. The instant success of the Cole Motor Car Company, of
which Mr. Cole has been president since the day of its organization, is a
matter of industrial history familiar in automobile circles the world over.
Mr. Cole's idea in projecting his new enterprise was to construct a car that
would be simple in construction, yet durable and dependable, with standard-
ized parts; that is, parts of such dimension and form as could be readily
duplicated in almost any well-equipped service station. Buyers were not
slow to recognize the advantages possessed by such a car and to avail them-
selves of the same, with the result that the Cole Car has become one of the
most popular cars in the United States and also has been favored by an ex-
tensive foreign demand. The Cole Motor Car Company was incorporated
in 1909 with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, but this cap-
italization has since been increased to one million dollars, all paid up. Mr.
Cole's long connection with the carriage-manufacturing business and his
wide experience as a traveling salesman in that line gave him a singularly
intimate knowledge of the country's needs from a vehicle-maker's point of
view and this knowledge has been an invaluable asset to the company of
which he is the head and the controlling factor.

In September, 1891, Joseph jar ret Cole was united in marriage to Nellie
Goodman, of Connersville, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Burns) Goodman,
who came from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to this state, and to this
union one child has been born, a son, Joseph Jacob Cole, the fourth J. J. Cole
in direct descent, who was born in Connersville on September 15, 1899.
Mr. and Mrs. Cole are members of the Catholic church and take a proper
interest in the affairs of their home parish in Indianapolis. Mr. Cole is a

FAYETTE COUNTV. IXDIAXA. 923

member of the National Association of Manufacturers and is also connected
with tlie Indianapolis Board of Trade, the Chamber of Commerce, the Co-
lumbia Club, the Turnverein, the Canoe Club and the Atliletic Clul) at In-
dianapolis.

EDWARD A. EXOS.

Born at Walnut Hill, Cincinnati, Ohio, on December jo, 1853, Edward
A. Enos came to Connersville, Fayette county, with his parents, William and
Rebecca Enos, when he was but one year of age.

William and Rebecca Enos were both natives of the state of Ohio and
there they received their education in the public schools and were later mar-
ried. As a young man, William Enos learned the trade of a brick mason,
at which he worked for a number of years in the city of Cincinnati. In 1S54
he and his family came to Connersville, where they established their home,
and here Mr. Enos worked at his trade until the time of his death, at the age
of eighty-four years, his wife having died at the age of fifty years. In 1865
he built the first brick house in Conners\-ille, and many of the early homes
and business blocks were built under his supervision. He was a Democrat,
and took a keen interest in the affairs of the city. He and his wife were
members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and were among those who took
much interest in all church work. The}- were the parents of the following
children. Amelia Jane. Laura. Edward A.. William, Aaron. Emma. Clem
and Clarence O.. the two latter being twins. Amelia Jane is the wile of S.
Adams and resides at Los Angeles. California ; Laura, William and Emma
are deceased: Aaron is a successful farmer at Los Angeles, California; Clem
O. lives in Indianapolis and Clarence O. is a resident of Denver, Colorado.
Mr. and Mrs. Enos were among the prominent and highly respected people
of their home community, and were a devoted father and mother and took
the greatest interest in the affairs of their children.

Edward A. Enos received his education in the local schools of his home
township, and walked two miles to the schocil house, where he recei\ed his
early educational training. He lived at home until the time of his marriage
on October 17. 1877. to Mary E. Pattee. a native of Connersville. and the
daughter of Desira X. and Barbara (Po\\ell) Pattee. Her father was born
in Erance. where he received his education, and where he lived until he was
fifteen years of age. when he came to the Lnited States. He remained in
this countrv but a short time, when he returned to his native -land. He

924 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

later returned to the United States and located at Oxford, Ohio, where he
lived for a time before coming to C'onnersville. Mr. Pattee, as a lad learned
the trade of a cabinet-maker, to which he devoted his life. His death
occurred in tlie year 1902 at the age of eighty-four years: his wife died in
1901 at the age of seventy-four years. They were active members of the
Methodist Episcopal church, in the services of which they took great interest.
They were the parents of the following children, James, John Alfred and
Mary E. James is a well-known carpenter of Connersville ; John Alfred is
now deceased and Mattie is the wife of Willis Suttles, of East Connersville.

Edward A. and Mary E. Enos are the parents of two children. Otto E.
and Clara E. Otto E. was born on October 28, 1878. He received his
primary education in the local schools, and after completing the work in
the high school of Conners\'ille. he took a course in a business college, and
was for a numlier of years, a most successful laookkeeper. He was always
a great reader and student, and made a deep study of religious subjects. In
191 5, he was ordained a minister in the Nazarene churcli and for the past
year has been located at Upland, Indiana. He is married to Emma Baylor,
anf! to them one daughter has l^een liorn, Phyllis. Clara E. was born on
November 26, 1880, and received her education in the local and the high
schools, and li\ed at home until her marriage to Clarence Pippen, a success-
ful mechanic, of East Connersville. They are the parents of two chiklren.
Otto and Mildred.

As a young man Edward A. Enos engaged in mill work, and was for
several years an employee of tlie Hamilton and Shery mills, later known as
the Hamilton Company. He learned the business thoroughly and was a
most efficient man in the Ixisiness. He then decided to engage in the busi-
ness on his own account, and with Mr. Taylor, the saw- and planing-mill was
established and conducted under the firm name of Taylor & Enos. It was
thus continued until 1892, when Mr. Enos purchased the business and incor-
porated it under the name of the E. A. Enos Company. He conducted the
business with success until July, T905, when he leased the business to the
East Side Eumber Company for a period of ten years. In 191 5, the mill
was torn down and on the site were erected by Mr. Enos five splendid resi-
dence properties. He has always had much faith in the city of Conners-
ville, and today is the owner of thirty-three houses in that city and at East
Conner.sville, in addition to much other real estate. He built his own home
in 1877, but since that time he has remodeled and modernized the structure,
until today he has a beautiful, ten-room house and one of the best in East
Connersville.

1 \YETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 925

Mr. and Mrs. Eiios are active members of tlie Metliodist Epi.scopal
church, and have long- been prominent in the social life of their home city.
A[r. Enos is affiliated witli the Democratic party, and during his long resi-
dence in tlie county has taken a keen interest in local affairs. He is a mem-
ber of the Masonic order al Connersville, and is a man universally respected
and admired.

WILLIAM THOMAS HARRY.

William Thomas Harry, one of Jackson township's well-known farm-
ers and a veteran of tlie Spanish- American War, is a native son of Fay-
ette county and has lived here nearly all his life. He was born on a farm
in Jackson township, not far from the place on which he now resides,
August 7, 1867, son of John and Catherine (Spears) Harry, natives of
\'irginia and the former of whom was an honored veteran of the Civil
AVar, whose last days were spent in this county, his death occurring when
his son, the subject of this sketch was four years of age. His widow later
remarried and is still living, now a resident of the adjoining countv of
Wayne.

John Harr_\- was but a lad when his parents, Allan Harr\- and wife,
moved from \'irginia to Kentucky, shortly afterward coming on up into
Indiana and locating in Grant county, where John Harry's bovhood and
young manhood were spent. He then went to I-'ranklin county, this state,
and there marrietl Catherine Spears, who also was born in Virginia and
who had come into this state, by way of Kentucky, with her parents, the
family settling in Franklin county. When President Lincoln's first call for
seventy-five thousand volunteers to put down the Southern rebellion was
made, John Harry resjxjuded to the same and enlisted as a private in Com-
pany C, Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana X'olunteer Infantry. At the end of
his initial term of enlistment he re-enlisted and served altogether as a sol-
dier of the Union for four years and ten months, during the most of which
time his command was attached to the x\rmy of the Potomac. During his
army service Mr. Harry was on one occasion captured by the enemv and
for nine months thereafter was confined in Libby Prison, the terrible depriva-
tions he suffered there so weakening him that he had to be carried out on a
stretcher when he finally was exchanged. Upon the completion of his mili-
tary service Mr. Harry returned to his home in Jackson township, this county
and attempted to resume his farming, but his health was so badly broken bv

926 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the sufferings he had undergone in a Rebel prison that he was practically
an invalid from that time on and he died in 1871, the subject of this sketch
being then but four years of age. John Harry left a widow and four chil-
dren, all of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother,
John Harry, and two sisters, Mrs. Gertrude Reed and Mrs. Matilda Maple.
Some time after the death of her soldier husband the mother of these children
married Richard Daniels and is now living near Milton, in Wayne county, in
the eightieth year of her age.

William T. Harry was reared on a farm and has spent most of his
life farming, though for some time in the days of his young manhood he
worked in a spring factory. When the Spanish- American War broke out
in 1898 he enlisted his services and was assigned to Battery L, First Heavy
Artillerv. United States Army, and served until the end of his term of enlist-
ment, chiefly on coast-guard duty, though for awhile he was stationed on
shipboard, on patrol duty. Mr. Harry has traveled over a considerable
portion of the United States, including Oregon, California, Florida and
other sections. In 1901 he married and since then has been chiefly engaged
in farming. For the past three years he and his wife have been making
their Inome on the old Brumfield farm in Jackson township, where they are
very jileasantly and very comfortably situated. Mr. and Mrs. Harry are
members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a warm interest in the
general social acti\'ities of the community in which they live. Mr. Harry's
paternal grandfather was a pioneer Baptist preacher and rode a circuit on
horseback through Grant and adjoining counties in early days, being for
years one of the best-known and most influential figures in that part ol the
state.

On February 14, 1901, ^^'illianl T. Harry was united in marriage to
Rosella Brumfield, who was born on a pioneer farm in the western part of
Jackson township, the daughter of Daniel and Hannah (White) Brumfield,
both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families.
Daniel Brumfield was born in the western part of Jackson township in 1841,
a son of John and Catherine (Myers) Brumfield, the former a native of Ken-
tucky, and the latter of Virginia, who were married in Ohio and later came
to Indiana, settling in this county, where their last days were spent. John
Brumfield was born in Bracken county, Kentucky, in 1806, a son of William
Brumfield and wife. William Brumfield died in Kentucky and his widow
and children moved to Miamisburg, near Dayton, Ohio, where John Brum-
field grew to manhood and where he married Catherine Myers, who was
born in Virginia and who had moved to Miamisburg, Ohio, with her parents,

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 927

John and Catlierine (Xeff) Myers, .\bont 1830 the ]\Iyers family moved
over into Indiana and settled in the western part of Jackson township, this
county. About three years later John Brumfield and wife also came on over
here and located on a farm adjoining the Myers place and there both families
spent the remainder of their lives and are buried in a httle family graveyard
at the top of the bluff just south of the Brumfield home, where Mr. and Mrs.
Harry are now living.

John Brumfield had been trained to the trade of a wagonmaker in Ohio
and for five or six years after coming to this county followed that same voca-
tion, after which he entered upon the life of an agriculturist and farmed for
the rest of his life. \Mien he took possession of his farm but a small por-
tion of it had been cleared and tlie task of preparing the place for cultiva-
tion fell upon him. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children, but
six of whom grew to maturity, Henry, George, John and Susan dying of
typhoid fever about 1856; another died of scarlet fever at the age of two
years and a daughter, Amanda, died in girlhood. Of the other six, Sarah
remained a spinster and lived to the age of seventy-nine, her death occurring
in April, 191 5. Of those who married, Daniel, Mrs. Mary Jane Elliot and
Benjamin are now deceased, there being but two survivors of the family,
Mrs. Kate Nefif. of Connersville. and Alonzo D. Brumfield, of Hancock
county, this state.

Daniel Brumfield spent his life as a farmer on the farm in Jackson town-
ship where the Harrys are now living. He erected a handsome and substan-
tial home and had a good farm of one hundred and thirty-one acres there
and another tract of good farm land at Mt. Zion. In addition to his gen-
eral farming, he gave much attention to the raising of pure-bred live stock,
with particular reference to Aberdeen cattle, and did very well in his opera-
tions, long having been regarded as one of the most substantial and pro-
gressive farmers in that part of the county. His wife. Hannah White, who
was born in Waterloo township, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Boyd)
White, died on February 5, 1884, leaving two daughters, Mrs. Harry having
a sister, Mrs. Clara Lockhart, of Connersville. Daniel Brumfield later mar-
ried Anna Trusler, also a native of this county, born in Jackson township, a
daughter of Milton and Isal)el Trusler, and to that union was born one child,
a son, Daniel Milton Brumfield, who is now living at Iowa City, an instructor
in Iowa University. Daniel Brumfield died on August 29, 191 5. His wife,
Anna, had preceded him to the grave about two years, her death having
occurred in iqi3. They were members of the Universalist church and Mr.
Brumfield was a member of the Everton lodge of the Independent Order of

928 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Odd Fellows. Daniel Bnimfield was born on March 10, 1841, and his early
schooling was obtained in the little log school house near Smallwood, his
teacher having been the late John Lockhart. He later entered the seminary
near Knightstown and finished the course there. He was twenty-one years
of age when he married and he and his wife started housekeeping in a cottage
on the place where Walter Neff now lives and there their daughter Rosella
was born. In 1865 he bought the Jarvis Ball place, where his daughter
Clara was born, and in 1875 erected the present house on that place. There
he spent the remainder of his life. He was an active, energetic man and did
much toward the general development of that part of the county in which he
lived so long.

ULYSSES GRANT HINCHMAN.

L'lysses Grant Hinchman, one of Fairview township's best-known and
most substantial farmers and for years actively identified with the public
life of that community, was born on the old Hinchman farm, over the line
in Union township, Rush county, a farm that had been settled by his grand-
father, and has lived in that vicinity all his life. He was born on October
15, 1868. son of Allen and Nancy (Moffett) Hinchman, prominent residents
of that community, both of whom were born in that same vicinity and both
of whom are now deceased.

Allen Hinchman was born on a pioneer farm in Union township, Rush
county, not far from the Fayette county line, February 3, 1836, son of John
and Margaret (Nickell) Hinchman, natives of Virginia and early settlers
in Rush county. John Hinchman was born in Monroe county, Virginia,
October 10, 1801, a son of John and Sarah (Vinson) Hinchman, the former
a native of Maryland and the latter of Virginia. The senior John Hinchman
was the descendant of an Englishman who came to the American colonies
when the Calverts were the go\-ernors of Maryland colony. When fourteen
years of age the place of his residence was changed to Monroe county, Vir-
ginia, where he grew to manhood and where he married Sarah Vinson, who
was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, but who had moved to Monroe
county with her parents when she was a girl. To that union were born six
sons and five daughters, Joseph, William, Thomas, James, John, .Andrew,
Polly, Melinda, Nancy, Elizabeth and Cynthia.

The junior John Hinchman grew up in the Old Dominion and in 1822,
being then twenty-one _\ears of age, he and his brother James came out to

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 929

Indiana and entered land from the government in Union township, Rush
county. Returning to Virginia, he there, on August 12, 1823, was united in
marriage to Margaret Nickell, daugliter of George and Margaret (Nelson)
Nickell, natives of Monroe county, that state, the former of English descent
and the latter of Irish descent. In the fall of that same year he and his
bride came out here into the then "wilds" of Indiana to make their home on
the land he had entered from the government the year before. Upon his
arrival in Rush county, John Hinchman had but fifty cents remaining, but
he and his wife had stout hearts and willing hands and they lost little time
in getting their humble home established in the "spice brush." He would
work all day at clearing the place of its dense growth of timber and under-
brush and at night his wife, whose days would be equally well filled with
the manifold duties of her household, would help him in the task of burning
the accumulated brush. Thus facing difficulties that would have discour-
aged less dauntless hearts, they perservered and in time had a comfortable
home and were on the highway to prosperity. John Hinchman was a good
manager and as he prospered he added to his land holdings until he came
to be the owner of more than one thousand acres of land in Rusli county,
besides valuable property in Connersville, liis estate at the time of his death
being valued at above seventy-five thousand dollars, a considerable fortune
for those days. Originally a Whig, he became a Republican upon the or-
ganization of the latter party and was an ardent supporter of the principles
of the same. From the very beginning of the general wave of anti-slavery
sentiment he was an out-spoken Abolitionist and was one of the foremost
leaders in that movement throughout tliis part of the state. Two of his sons,
Ira and Morris, served as soldiers in tiie Union army during the Civil War
and Ira Hinchman was severely wounded. Ever an active participant in
public affairs, John Hinchman ser\'ed his township in a number of positions
of trust and also was for some time a member of the board of commissioners
of Rush county. He gave freely to churches and schools and during the
days of tlie raih-oad agitation contributed thousands of dollars to the promo-
tion of railway projects in Rush county. He also contributed earlier to the
building of the White Water canal and was equally liberal with his contribu-
tions to the cause of better roads and public improvements in general. His
death occurred on June 2, 1865, and his widow survived him for more than
thirteen years, her death occurring on October 5, 1878. She was one of the
thirty persons who founded the Union Church of Christ on Ben Davis creek
on June 20, 1829, one of the first organizations of the Christian church in
C59)

930 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Indiana, and was ever a leader in good works in the community which she
had seen develop from log-cabin days, both she and her husband ever striv-
ing to make better conditions of living in the neighborhood in which they
took so much pride and delight. They were the parents of thirteen children,
Joseph, William, Madison, Margaret.. James, George, Allen, John H., San-
ford, Ira, Morris, Marshall and Jacob.

Allen Hinchman grew to manhood on his father's farm and his life
proved him worthy of his parents. He was a man of large physique and was
equally strong morally and mentally, like his father ever taking a warm in-
terest in movements designed to advance the common welfare. He was an
ardent Republican and in 1895 was elected to the board of commissioners of
Rush county. It was during that incumbency that Rush county's new court
house was built and Mr. Hinchman, as a member of the board, from the
very first insisted on a building commensurate with the growing greatness
of the rich county. Many shouted "economy" and he met with a storm of
opposition, but he persevered, traveling to other states to get the latest ideas
concerning court-house construction, and finally won out in behalf of the
plans for a good court house. Before the building was completed all were
applauding the spirit that had prompted him to stand out for the best. Mr.
Hinchman also was vitally interested in the religious life of his community
and for years was an office-bearer in the Christian church, to the affairs of
which both he and his wife gave their most earnest attention.

On December 22. 1858, Allen Hinchman was united in marriage to
Nancy Moffett, who was born in Fairview township, this county, April 23,
1840, a daughter of Andrew and Athalia (Rees) Moffett, worthy pioneers
of Fayette county. She joined the A\Sdie Chapel Methodist church when a
girl, but after her marriage joined the Ben Davis Creek Christian church,
with which she and her husband remained affiliated until their retirement
from the farm and removal to Rushville in 1900, when they transferred
their church letters to the church at that place. There Mrs. Hinchman died
on December 25, IQ12, she then being seventy-two years of age. It has been
written of her that "her Christian character shone out in her everyday life.
She was cheerful in spirit, a woman of prayer, and left a legacy of an
example of goodly living." After the death of his wife Allen Hinchman
made his home with his son, the subject of this sketch, where his death
occurred on June 4, 191 5. He and his wife were the parents of seven chil-
dren, but two of whom now survive, Minnie, wife of Albert E. Rich, and
Ulysses G., the subject of this biographical sketch, the others having been,
Margaret, who married Milton T. Smiley, and died on June 18, 1912; Nora,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. Q3 1

who married ^I. W. McCann, and died on July 30. 1907; (leorge W., wiio
married Pearl Shank, and died on September 7, 1Q08, had one daughter,
Ruth E., and two who died in infancy.

Ulysses G. Hinchman grew up on the paternal farm over the line in
Rush county, attending the Glenwood high school, I'^airxiew Academy and
Butler College, in which latter institution his father was a stockholder.
After leaving college he began farming and after his marriage, in 1890, he
established his home on the old Andrew Moffett homestead in Fairview
township, the home of his mother's father. There he lived for four years,
at the end of which time, in 1894, he bought the eighty acres known as the
Jesse Shortridge farm, a mile and a half south and a mile east of Fairview,
and there has lived ever since, .\bout ten years after taking possession of
that place he bought an adjoining eighty and thus has a quarter of a section
there, besides a cjuarter of a section over in Union township, Rush county,
a part of the old Hinchman homestead farm there. His father gave him an
"eighty" there and he later bought an adjoining tract of eighty acres, his com-
bined land holdings now amounting to an even half section. Mr. Hinchman
is a Republican and has held some local offices, as a matter of public duty,
ever taking an earnest interest in local civic affairs, as did his father and his
grandfather. Besides his farming operations he is interested in some other
enterprises of a business character and is a stockholder in the Glenwood
Bank. He and his family are members of the Christian church and have ever
given earnest attention to church work, as w ell as to other community good
works.

On October 22. 1890, Ulysses G. Hinchman was married. His wife,
Eva M. Huston, was born at Orange, this county. April 30, 1870, and was
educated in the school at Orange. She is a daughter of Thomas M. and
Alary E. (Harris) Huston, both also natives of this county. Thomas M.
Huston was born at Orange on February 2, 1840, a son of William and Jane
(Ramseyl Huston, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of the state
of Ohio. William Huston was born in County .Antrim, Ireland, and when a
lad was left an orphan. He later came to Indiana with his aunt, Ro.sanna
Houston, and settled in this county, locating north of Coimers\ille. He mar-
ried Jane Ramsey, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, the first white child
born in Israel township. After his marriage he located at Orange, where he
spent the remainder of his life. Thomas AI. Huston grew up at Orange as a
farmer and remained there until 1S90, when he moved to a farm near
Knightstown, later remn\ing to the city of Knightstown, where he now
resides. He is a veteran of the Civil War, having sened as a member of

932 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Company L, Third Regiment Indiana Cavalry, during the struggle between
the States, later being transferred to the Eighth Indiana Cavalry. Five of
his brothers and brothers-in-law also served as soldiers of the Union
during that struggle. He was present at the raising of "Old Glory" over
Fort Sumter, April 14, 1865, just four years after it was pulled down. Mr.
Hinchman's wife, Mary E. Harris, was bom in Fayette county, a daughter
of William R. and Sarah Ann (Sutton) Harris, who came to this state from
Pennsvlvania. Saraii Ann Sutton, a native of Pennsylvania, was an
orphan and came here with the McCready family. William Harris, a
native of Delaware, was a school teacher in Pennsylvania, his home being
along the Schuylkill river. His mother and the mother of Governor Mor-
ton, Indiana's war governor, were relatives. When a young man he came
down the Ohio river on a flatboat to Cincinnati and thence on up here, and
was married after he came to Franklin county on March 18, 1842. He later
moved to this county and during the greater part of his life here he was
engaged in the making of boots and shoes, being a skilled craftsman in that
line. Mary E. Harris grew up here and was married in this county. Both
Thomas M. Huston and his father took an active part in local affairs.. Eva
M. Huston grew up at Orange and accompanied her parents when they
moved to the farm near Knightstown, where she was living when she mar-
ried Mr. Hinchman. To that union three children have been born, Clarence
Paul, Allen Berle and Mary Athalia.

Dr. Clarence Paul Hinchman, now a practicing physician at Geneva,
Indiana, was graduated from the Connersville high school in 19 10, having
had his earlier schooling in the Fairview schools. In the fall of that year
he entered Indiana University, from which he received the degree of Bache-
lor of Science in 1914, and from the School of Medicine, of which institu-
tion he was graduated in 1916, following which he was given a yeaf of
hospital work as an interne in the City Hospital at Indianapolis. He then
passed the examination of the state board of medical examiners and was
licensed to practice medicine, having passed with a grade of nine hundred
and forty-nine points out of a possible one thousand points, the highest
record made for many years. Doctor Hinchman is a member of the Delta
Upsilon and Phi Chi fraternities, and takes a warm interest in the affairs of
these organizations. On April 17, 1913, he married Nellie Lee Shortridge,
daughter of Sanford and Ida (Dora) Shortridge, and to this union twin
sons were born, one of whom died in infancy, the surviving child being
Wayne Deryl.

Allen Berle Hinchman was graduated from the Connersville high school
in 1912, his previous schooling having included a course of three years in

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 933

Fair\ie\v Academ\-. He tlien spent the terms of 191J-13 and 1913-14 as a
student in the agricultural dei^artnient of Purdue University, durins^- which
period he became affiliated with the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. On
December 14, 1916, he married Vera \'. Poppoon, daughter of John and Flor-
ence ( Grififin ) Poppoon, of the Raleigh neighborhood, over in Rush county.
Allen Berle Hinchman and wife live on the old Allen Hinchman farm in
Rush county, thus occupying in the fourth generation the place originally
entered by his great-grandfather liack in pioneer days and which is now
owned by U. G. Hinchman.

Mary Athalia Hinchman was graduated from the Fairview high school
in 1913 and in 1914 was graduated from the commissioned high school
course in the Muncie Normal School. She then entered Butler College, Init
on account of illness was compelled to abandon her studies there in Feb-
ruary, 1915. She has made a special study of elocution and oratory and has
become quite proficient along those lines. 1

THOMAS C. McBURXEV.

Thomas C. McBurney, long a resident of Fayette county, and now a
well-known, retired citizen of Connersville, was bom in Preble county, Ohio,
on May 21, 1845, the son of Samuel and Jane (Hall) McBurney.

Samuel and Jane (Hall) McBurney were natives of Ireland and there
they received their education in the public schools, grew up and were mar-
ried. They established their home in their native land, but soon thereafter
decided to come to America. On their arrival in the United States they
settled on a farm in Preble county, Ohio. Mr. McBurney was not to long
enjoy the pleasures of working for a home in the new land, for his death
occurred in 1848. The widow continued to live in the county and rear her
children, and there she died in 1S88. She was a woman of remarkal)le
ability, and a splendid manager. Her life was for the most part a busy
one, yet she took much pleasure in the care and attention of her children,
after the death of her husband. Both Mr. and Mrs. McBurnev were hard-
working people and were greatly admired for their many qualities of true
manhood and womanhood. They were the parents of five children, as fol-
lows, Eliza Ann, AVilliam John, James B., Margaret and Thomas C, all
of whom are now deceased with the exceptions of James B., of Kingman
county, Kansas, and Thomas C.

Thomas C. McBurney received but a limited education in the schools

934 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of Preble county, Ohio, where he was born and reared. Circumstances made
it necessary that he should begin life's battle for himself at the age when
most boys are in school. He worked as a farm hand and thus supported
himself and assisted his mother, as much as it was possible for him to do.
He learned the painter's trade at which he worked for about three years.
In 1868 he was united in marriage to Etta Campbell, of Bloomington, In-
diana, and the daughter of Benjamin and Susan (Payton) Campbell. For
two years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. McBurney lived in Preble
county, when in 1870, they came to Rush county, Indiana. Here Mr. Mc-
Burney engaged in general farming by the day and for two years he worked
for J. B. Cook. He then came to Fayette county, and for eight years he
farmed on the Robert Martin place in Orange township. The family then
moved to Glenwood, Indiana, where Mr. McBumey engaged in teaming
until 1882, when he came to Connersville and engaged in the lumber and
timber business. He continued in this business until 1901, since which time
he has devoted himself to the interest of his farm of two hundred acres in
Connersville township, one and one-half miles west of town. He is suc-
cessful in the management of his farm and his stock and insists upon the
best cultivation, and keeps some splendid stock. In addition to large in-
terests in the farm, he is a stockholder in the Fayette Farmers and Mer-
chants Trust Company at Connersville and a director of the Bank of Glen-
wood, at Glenwood, Indiana.

Mr. and Mrs. McBurney are the parents of one child, Rossie M., who
received her educarion in the local and high school, and is now at home
with her parents. The mother and daughter are active members of the
Methodist Episcopal church and take much interest in all church and reli-
gious work. The family are prominent in the social life of their home city,
where they are held in high regard.

Mr. McBurney is a Republican and has always taken a keen interest in
local affairs, and was for six years a member of the county council of Fay-
ette county, and for two years a member of the city council of Connersville,
in which capacity he was recognized as a faithful public servant. His best
efforts were exerted in the interests of the general public and for the growth
and betterment of the county and city. He was most progressive and ad-
vocated improvements that would bring the most good to the greatest num-
ber of people. He believed in substantial public improvements, and the en-
forcement of the laws as they are written. He rendered much ^'aluab]e
service to the city and assisted in the inauguration of reforms, that will have
a lasting effect on the future greatness of the city. He has always taken

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 935

tlie deepest interest in the success of the schools, for he has known from
experience the hardships of a hniited education. The present l)eautitul lii.i^h
scliool was buih wliile he was a member of the city council.

Mr. McBurney has liad a busy and eventful life. Thri)\\ii uiion iiis own
resources, when he was but a lad. he has known wliat it was to shift for
himself. Starting life with a limited education and with no financial .sup-
port, he has risen to a position of influence, and is today recognized as one
of the substantial and successful men of the county. He has always been a
hard worker and a good manager. His early life on the farm and in the
timber business was to him what school would be to most boys. His desire
was ever to give to his employers the best service that was his to give, and
whether he was in the log lumber business, on the farm or teaming, he felt
the dignity of his work, and when yet a lad, became impressed with the
notion that to succeed one must do well the work in hand, and not wait
for another position to demonstrate his ability. Today, the orphan lad of
many years ago, in that Ohio county, is an honored and respected citizen
of one of the thriving little cities of Indiana, for here Thomas C. McBur-
ney is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.

In 1902 was organized the Fayette county Free Fair, and Mr. McBur-
ney was one of the organizers; he has been superintendent of the fair ever
since except for one year and was president for one year.

JOSEPHUS WRIGHT HOLTER.

Josephus Wright Holter, a well-known and prominent resident of Con-
nersville, Fayette county, was born in Clermont county, Ohio, on Novem-
ber 24, 1 87 1, and is the son of Gen. Marcellus John Wesley Holter, whose
wife was Helen Jefferies. The parents were natives of Ohio and there they
were educated in the public schools, grew up and were married. The father
enlisted in the army at the time of the Civil War, and entered the service
as a private and was mustered out as a brigadier-general.

Marcellus John Wesley Holter was born on a farm near Olive Branch,
Clermont county, Ohio, January lo, 1834, and was in his eightieth year at
the time of his death. He inherited a vigorous physical and mental constitu-
tion. His education was rounded out by one year's attendance at the Farm-
er's College, College Hill, Ohio, when Freeman Carey was its president.
He was teaching school at the outbreak of the Civil War and resigned his

QS'^ FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

position to enlist as a private soldier. He first enlisted in Company E,
Twenty-second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served during the
three months memorable campaign in western Virginia, during which time
he was promoted to orderly sergeant.

On September 3, 1861, Orderly-sergeant Holter enlisted in Company
F, Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and in a few weeks was appointed
first lieutenant, serving until August, 1862, when he was made adjutant of
the regiment. On May 27, 1864, he was taken prisoner at the battle of
New Hope Church. Georgia, in which battle his brother, Rufus, was killed.
He was confined in three southern prisons and in November, 1864, was
exchanged by a mistake. In March, 1865, General Cowen appointed Holter,
who was then a captain, to be lieutenant-colonel of the One Hundred and
Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, by telegram without previous notice.
The regiment was placed in his command and sent to Shenandoah Valley.

In July, 1865, the regiment was ordered to Alexandria, Virginia, where
the government stores were placed under Colonel Holter's charge. While
at Alexandria he was commissioned colonel, and in April, 1865, he was
brevetted brigadier-general for gallant and meritorious service. He was
stationed at Alexandria until December, 1865, when he was mustered out.

General Holter participated, among others, in the following battles —
Ivy Mountain, Pittsburg Landing, Stone's River, Crab Orchard, Perryville,
Wild-Cat Mountain, Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. He was with
Sherman's army in the Atlanta campaign and was engaged at Tunnel Hill,
Buzzard Roost, Adamsville, Dallas and New Hope Church, where he was
captured. He was wounded but once and then not seriously. He was
among the first to reach the top of the crest at Missionary Ridge, where he
planted the regimental colors on a Confederate battery. While doing this,
the scabbard of his sword was shot off.

As a husband, father, friend and private citizen, his life depicted a
pastoral. His career as a soldier developed an epic. His memory will
shed a perpetual benediction.

Josephus Wright Holter received his primary education in the public
schools of his native state and then took a course in a business college and
engaged in the work of a bookkeeper. He came to Indiana in the year 1892,
and engaged with the Indiana Furniture Company, with whom he remained
for several years. He was later with the McFarlan Company and is now
employed with the Rex Company, whose service he entered as an inspector
and now has charge of the stock department.

On Novanber 22, 1897, .Tosephus Wright Holter was united in mar-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 937

riage to May Webb, who was born eight miles southwest of Connersville, in
Cokimbia township, and is the daughter of Forrest M. and Cornelia (Jones)
Webb. Her father was born on the farm in the county, that his grand-
father Edward Webb had owned. P>oth lier fatlier and mother were born in
Columbia township, Fayette county. .Great-grandfather Webb, who was
Edward, was born in 1769 in Virginia. He went to Boone county. Ken-
tucky, then to Indiana Territory, near Harrison, Ohio, and later, in 181 1, to
Fayette county, Columbia township, where he died on Julv 21, 185 1. He
was one of the associate judges for twenty-seven years. Since that time the
farm has been out of the family for but thirty years, and is now owned by
May Webb Holter. Forrest Webb received his education in the old log
school house. He continued to reside on the old Webb homestead, until the
death of his wife, Cornelia (Jones) Webb, on May 24, 1880, when he retired
from the fami, and was later married and moved to Laurel. In addition to
being a successful farmer, Mr. Webb, at one time operated a grist-mill at
Milroy, and was interested in a drug-store with Doctor GifFord. He was
also an extensive dealer in live stock, and was known as one of the sub-
stantial and influential men of the county. He was a stanch Republican,
and his father had been a supporter of the principles of the Whig party.
He was always active in local affairs and held many of the township offices.
He was an active member of the Christian church and of the Knights of
Pythias lodge. By his fir.'^t wife he was the father of three children, Forrest,
who died in 1876; Nellie May and Paul Jones, who is now deceased. By his
second marriage one child was born, Harry I., a conductor on the Big Four
railroad. The Webb family were always prominent in the activities of the
county, and had much to do with its development and improvement. The
early members of the family having come to this section of the state when
the greater part of the district was an undeveloped wilderness, and when the
government was still having much trouble with the Indians. Tiieir lives
were hard ones, and much honor and credit are due them for the work that
they did. They assisted in the laying of a foundation for a splendid gov-
ernment, the establishment of good schools and the building of churches.
Today the .splendid farms, modern schools, beautiful churches and up-to-date
towns and cities are due to the men and women who first settled in this
county.

Josephus Wright and ]\Iay (Webb) Holter are the parents of one child,
Forrest Webb, who was born on September 6, 1899. He is now a student
in the high school at Connersville and will finish the course of study with the
class of 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Holter have long been prominent in the social

938 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIATJA.

and the religious life of their home community, .and are a most worthy people,
who are held in the highest regard by all who know them. Their families
have had much to do with the history making of the United States, as well
as the state of Indiana. Representatives of the family were active in the
War of the Revolution, the Indian wars, as well as the wars in which the
nation has been engaged. They are of families of patriots and noble
citizens, who have rendered valuable services at all times. They have been
closely identified with the interests of Fayette county and the city of Con-
nersville for many years, and their best efforts have always been given for
the advancement of their home community.

WILLIA^I W. WAINWRIGHT.

William W. Wainwright, president of the Wainwright Engineering
Corporation, of Connersville, has been a resident of that city since the year
1 87 1, and has had much to do with the later development of the city in an
industrial way. He was born at Cottage Grove, in Union county, this state,
June 7, 1S54, son of Benjamin J. and Huldah (Miller) Wainwright, the
former a native of the state of Virginia and the latter of Preble county,
Ohio, and. who were the parents of six children, those besides the subject
of this sketch being as follow : Anna M., who married Dr. T. P. Wagoner,
of Knightstown, this state, and is now deceased ; Luella, who married John
Todd, of Logansport, this state ; Lucy, who died in infancy, and Ida Belle
and Charles Franklin, who died in youth.

Benjamin J. Wainwright was but a child when his parents, Isaac and
Margai-et (Johnson) Wainwright, moved from Virginia to Indiana and
settled on a farm in Union county and there he grew to manhood. Isaac
Wainwright was born in the city of Philadelphia and his wife was a native
of Virginia. He died in Union county, this state, at the age of eighty-four.
He was thrice married, the grandmother of the subject of this sketch hav-
ing been his second wife. Benjamin J. Wainwright married Huldah Miller,
who was born in the neighborhood of Eaton, in Preble county, Ohio, daugh-
ter of Melyne and Huldah (Ayers) Miller, early settlers of that county, the
former of whom, a native of New Jersey, was a surveyor and engineer.
Melyne Miller and his wife spent their last days in Preble county, both liv-
ing to advanced ages. Not long after his marriage Benjamin J. Wain-
wright moved to Iowa and settled on a homestead farm near Wapello, in

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 939

Louisa county, whicli he proceeded to develop and on which for scjuie years
he was actively engaged in the raising of live stock. He later disposed of
his interests there and returned East, making his home for some time there-
after at Eaton, Ohio, hut later went to Black Rock, Arkansas, where his
death occurred in 1S9S. His widow survived him for about eight years,
her death occurring at the home of her son, the subject of this sketch, at
Connersville, April 11, 1906, she then being eighty-two years of age. Ben-
jamin J. Wainwright and wife were members of the Methodist church and
their children were reared in that faith.

William \V. Wainwright was but a small child when his parents moved
from Indiana to Iowa and much of the time in his early boyhood days was
spent in the saddle, herding cattle on his father's ranch in the latter state.
He was not yet sixteen years of age when the family returned East, Decem-
ber 29, 1869, and he completed his schooling at Eaton. Ohio, where he began
working in a brick yard. In August, 1871, he came over into Indiana and
began working in the old Eagle mills in East Connersville, and was there
employed until the day before Christmas Day of that same year. On the
day following Christmas he started to work in a machine shop at Conners-
ville, with a view to learning the machinist's trade, and he ever since has been
engaged along this line, long having been regarded as one of the leading
machinist engineers in this part of the state. After his marriage in 1876
Mr. Wainwright further qualilied himself by technical study and was not
long thereafter made foreman of the machine plant in which he was working
and was later made superintendent of the same. In 1903 Mr. Wainwright
started in business for himself, establishing a small machine shop and under-
taking general manufacturing, engineering and contracting. From the very
beginning of this venture the business proved successful and the establish-
ment has been enlarged from time to time until it now employs nearly two
hundred persons. In May, 1905, Mr. Wainwright associated with him in
the business his eldest son, Harry A. Wainwright, and in 1916 another son,
Benjamin E. Wainwright, was taken into the concern, which at the same
time was reorganized and incorporated as the \Vainwright Engineering Cor-
poration and has since been doing business under that firm style, but later
severed his connections and moved to Macon, Georgia, to organize a manu-
facturing company in which he was to be largely interested. Mr. W^'lin-
wright is independent in his political views and has never taken a particularly
active part in political affairs. He is a thirty-second-degree Mason, affiliated
with Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons, at Comiersville,
and with the consistory. Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, at Indianapolis.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

On June ii, 1876, William W. Wainwright was united in marriage to
Wilhelmina C. Baker, who was born at Essen, the seat of the great Krupp
gun works, in Germany, daughter of Leopold and Wilhelmina (Wickahoff)
Baker, also natives of Germany, both now deceased, who were the parents
of six children, those besides Mrs. Wainwright being Henry L., Maximilian,
Charles, Lena and one who died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright
six children have been born, namely : Harry A., who is associated with his
father in the Wainwright Engineering Corporation and who married Emma
K. Frank and has three children, Francis Jack, William Nelson and Richard
Denman; Mabel C, who is at home; Charles F., who married Hazel Gibbs
and lives in Chicago;- Benjamin F., who married Marie Fowler, of Macon,
Georgia; Emmet P., an artist and newspaper cartoonist, who married Ella
Cornell, of Logansport, Indiana, and William Warren, Jr., a machinist, who
lives at home. The Wainwrights have a very pleasant home at Connersville
and have ever taken a proper interest in the general social activities of their
home city.

ALANSON ADAMS.

Alanson Adams, a well-known manufacturer of pumps, and now living
a retired life at Connersville, Fayette county, was bom at Lodi, New York,
on December 6, 1835, and is the son of Wilson T. and Elizabeth (Fruits)
Adams.

Wilson T. Adams was born in Maryland in the year 1796, where he
lived until the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Fruits, who was born in
Kentucky, at the head of Lucky river, in 1800. They were educated in the
schools of their respective states, and soon after their marriage they came
to Indiana and established their home at Franklin, in the year 1817. As a
young man, Mr. Adams learned the trade of a cabinet-maker, at which he
worked in Franklin and later moved to Brookville, where he had a mill.
His home near Brookville was in the heavy timber and during a part of the
year, he did much hunting and trapping, and met with considerable success.
He and his wife later moved to the state of New York, and located in Cat-
taraugus county, where they lived for thirty-five years, and reared a large
family of children. Mr. Adams at this time in his life decided to return to
Indiana, and made much of the trip by river boat, loaded with lumber. He
purchased one hundred pumps made out of cucumber timber, and on his
arrival in the state, he located in Fayette county, near Everton, on Ellis

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. Q4I

creek. He did niucl! l)u.sincss in tiie pump business and was tlie orininatur
of the .\danis pump, ilie first modern wood pumj) of its l<ind put on tiie
market. He also invented tlie cylinder pump, for which he trained nnich
recognition. He li\ed (in I-lllis creek foi- luany years and later sold to his
son, Sabine, and took up his home on liear creek, where he (hcd some years
ago. His widow died at the home of her son, Alanson. .Mr. and .Mrs.
Adams were tlie parents of the following children: .\n infant, .Xmbrose,
Andrew, Sabina, Martin. Lydia, .Marion, .Mansun, I)a\id, Sarah and
Wilson. The family are now all deceased with the exception of .Manson,
David, who lives with his children; Sarah, the widow of John Hamilton,
and Wilson, of Kokonio, Indiana.

Alanson Adams received his education in the old log school house, with
a slab for a seat and a shelf on the side of the building for a desk. He
remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age, when he started
in the pump business for himself, on Bear creek. He remained there for
seven years, when he purchased land on Ellis creek, and in i8g8 moved to
Jonesboro, Indiana, where he remained for twelve years and for one year
he lived at Lyonsville. In Fel)ruary. 1862, he was united in marriage to
Elizabeth Taylor, who was born in Jackson township, Fayette county, and
was the daughter of Samuel and lAuida (Water) Taylor.

Alanson and Elizabeth Adams were the parents of twelve children, four
of whom are now living: William Heniy, Elizabeth, Samuel, and Wilson
T. \\'illiam Henry was born in I'ayette county, where he received his edu-
cation and grew to manhood. He engaged in the pump business and now
lives at East Connersville. He is married to Elizabeth Crolley and they
are the parents of si.x children, Walter, Robert, Nellie, Marie, Kenneth and
Homer. Elizabeth was also born in Fayette county, and here received her
education in the public schools. She was first married to George Homing,
and after his death was united in marriage to Lucas Browning, of East Con-
nersville, and to them have been born five children : Ralph, Rufus, Frank,
Curtis, and Lina. Samuel, a nati\c of the county, is now successfully
engaged in general farming, and the mill business in Jack,son township.
He is married to Mary C. Bradburn, and they are the parents of the hallow-
ing children: Edward, now deceased: Arvilla, Stella and Efifie. ^\■ilson T.
is a team.ster of East Connersville. and is married to Grace Fleming, and
to them have been born three children. Milburn, Josephine and Russell.
Mr. and Mrs. Adams are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and Mr. Adams is a memlier of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and
of the Knights of Pythias. William Henry is a member of the Knights of
Pvthias. and Wilson is a Mason, a Red Man and a Moose.

942 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

EDGAR DWIGHT JOHNSTON.

Edgar Dwight Johnston, president and general manager of the P. H. &
F. M. Roots Company at Connersville, president of the Connersville Hydrau-
Hc Company, president of the Hydro-Electric Light and Power Company
and a member of the board of directors of the First National Bank of Con-
nersville, is a native of the neighboring state of Ohio, but has been a resident
of Connersville since 1885 and has thus been a witness to and a participant
in the wonderful development that has marked the industrial and commer-
cial life of that city within the past thirty years. He was born at Cedar-
ville, in Greene county, Ohio, October 11. 1861, son of David and Eliza
(Bogle) Johnston, natives of that same state, both now deceased, whose
last days were spent in the city of Tacoma, Washington.

David Johnston was born on a farm in Adams county, Ohio, son of
David Johnston and wife, pioneers of that county, the latter of whom died
in Ohio and the former in the state of Iowa, who were the parents of
several children, among whom were Robert, David and SaUie. The younger
David Johnston became engaged in the wool trade and also was interested
in the pork-packing business. He later became engaged in the piano busi-
ness in Cincinnati and from that city moved to Tacoma, Washington, where
he engaged in business in the same line and where he spent the rest of
his life, his death occurring in 1913, at seventy-seven years of age. His
wife had preceded him to the grave about seven years, her death having
occurred in Tacoma in 1906, at seventy-three years of age. She was a
daughter of James Bogle and wife, who were early settlers in the Spring-
field neighborhood, in Clark county, Ohio, and who were the parents
of eight children, those besides Mrs. Johnston having been Retta, Jennie,
Elmita, Cora, Mattie, Joseph and James. David Johnston and his wife
were reared in the old Covenanter or Reformed Presbyterian church, but
later became members of the Presbyterian church, in which for years the
former was an elder, and their children were reared in that faith. There
were six of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third
in order of birth, the others being as follow: James Stewart, deceased;
Howard Agnew, of Chicago, Illinois; Mary Elizabeth, wife of James Simon,
of Chatham, Ontario; Jennie Retta, wife of E. W. McKenna, of New York
City, and David Walter, of Chicago.

Edgar Dwight Johnston spent his childhood in Cedarville, Ohio, and
there received his early schooHng, continuing his studies in the public schools

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 943

at Portsmouth and later takiiig^ up the study of music and voice cuUure at
Cincinnati. Upon completing his studies in that connection he was made
a teacher of piano and voice in the College of Music at Cincinnati and con-
tinued thus engaged there until 1885, when, after his marriage, he became
connected with the P. H. & F. M. Roots Company at Connersville and
moved to this city, where he has made his home ever since. This company
was incorporated in 1887, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand
dollars, and has since been engaged in the manufacture of jMsitive-pressure
blowers, gas exhausters and pumps. The company employs about two hun-
dred and fifty men and its products are sold in all parts of the world. In
1889 Mr. Johnston was elected vice-president and general manager of the
company and in 1898 was elected president of the same, a position he ever
since has occupied. He is also president of the Connersville Hydraulic Com-
pany, president of the Hydraulic-Electric Light and Power Company of
that city and a member of the board of directors of the First National
Bank of Connersville. Mr. Johnston is a Republican, but has not been a
seeker after public office.

On October 8, 1885, Edgar D. Johnston was united in marriage to
Jane Lewis Roots, who was tern in Connersville on October 17, 1864, daugh-
ter of Francis Marion and Esther E. (Pumphrey) Roots, the former a
native of the state of Vermont and the latter of Virginia, both now deceased,
who were for many years regarded as among the most substantial and influen-
tial residents of Connersville. The Roots came over into Indiana from
Oxford, Ohio, who settled at Connersville, where, in 1859. Francis M. Roots
and his brother, P. H. Roots, founded the P. H. & F. M. Roots Company
for the purpose of operating a woolen-mill. During the Civil War period
this companv filled extensive contracts for woolen goods for the manufac-
ture of the uniforms of the Union soldiers and, after the war. continued
to extend their operations, the company gradually expanding into its present
prosperous proportions. Francis M. Roots and his wife spent their last days
in Connersville, where their family was reared. They were the parents of
six children, those besides Mrs. Johnston being Albert, Daniel T., Esther,
Sylvia and Hal. To :Mr. and Mrs. Johnston three children have been born,
Francis, Esther Elizal^eth and Sylvia Yale. Francis Johnston, who was
attending New York University, was drowned while home on a vacation, he
then being twenty years of age. and his body never was recovered. Esther
E. Johnston, who was graduated from Tudor Hall at Indianapolis and later
spent a year at Mrs. Somers' finishing school for young women at Wash-
ington, D. C, married Earl G. Meeks, of Muncie, this state, and has one

944

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

child, a daughter, Sylvia Jane. Sylvia Yale Johnston also was graduated
from Tudor Hall and was later graduated from the finishing school for
young women at Briarcliff, New York. She married Logan G. Thompson,
of Cincinnati, and has one child, a son, Dwight Johnston. Mr. and Mrs.
Johnston are members of the Presbyterian church at Connersville, in the
various beneficences of which they have for years taken an active interest,
and Mr. Johnston is a member of the session of the same.

WILLIAM WINFIELD SCOTT.

Though it has been many years since he left his boyhood home in this
county to seek success in other lines and in other fields, WiUiam Winfield
Scott, a well-known and successful druggist of Indianapolis,' has never lost
his love for the old home and the famiHar scenes of his native county and
among the works of art hanging on the walls of the library of his beautiful
home in the capital city there are several paintings by the late R. B. Gruelle,
depicting scenes in Fayette county. Among these is a painting of the old
brick house in Orange township where Mr. Scott was reared, together with
the noble grounds surrounding the same, and a view of that neighborhood
looking far east to the blue hills beyond the White Water, and a scene near
the point where Mr. Scott taught school in this county in the days of his
young manhood. Not only are the scenes of Fayette county dear to the
memory of Mr. Scott, but the history of the county in which his venerated
father. Judge John Scott, labored so long and so usefully is precious to him
and it is therefore but fitting and proper that there should here be presented
something in a biographical way concerning this former resident of Fayette
county, even though his active residence here ceased long ago.

William Winfield Scott was born on a pioneer farm in Orange township,
this county, February 7, 1852, son of Judge John and Sarah Snodgrass
(Carter) Scott, the former of whom was a native of the state of Pennsyl-
vania and the latter of Wytheville, Virginia, born on July 25, 1820, a daugh-
ter of Enos and Ann (Snodgrass) Carter, substantial and influential pioneers
of Orange township. Enos Carter was born in Franklin county, Virginia,
November 14, 1792, and at Wytheville, in that state, about 1819, married
Ann Snodgrass, who was born in Botertout county, that state, on April 4,
1796. After three of their children were born, they came to Indiana and
settled in Fayette county, locating at first south of Columbia, near the mouth

WILLIAM W. SCOTT.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 945

of Garrison creek, about 1823, where they remained until 1825 or 1826, when
they moved farther up the creek and settled on land previously entered by
their brother-in-law. John Cooley, in 1822, the same being the west half of
the southwest quarter of section i, township 13, range 11 east, now owned by
John R. Gray, whicli they bought in 1828. On August 25, 1831, Enos Carter
entered the east half of the northwest quarter of section I and in the follow-
ing year built on the same a hewed-log house. He was a carpenter by trade
and he afterward weatherboarded the house and made other improvements to
the same, that pioneer structure standing to this day and still habitable. Enos
Carter died in May, 1874. His wife had preceded him to the grave nearly
twenty years, her death having occurred on June 11, 1856. They were the
parents of eight children, five sons and three daughters, all of whom are now
deceased.

Judge John Scott, as noted above, was a native of the old Keystone state,
born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, April 5, 1799, a son of Robert and
Martha Jane f Mitchell) Scott, the former of whom was a son of William
Scott, of Scotch-Irish blood. Another son of William Scott was Moses
Scott, who held a commission as a captain under General Harrison during the
War of 181 2. In 1804 Robert Scott moved from Pennsylvania to Adams
county, Ohio, and settled at the mouth of Brush creek, where he died in the
winter of 1811-12. He was born about 1770, probably in Penn.sylvania ;
perhaps in Virginia. His widow, Martha Jane Mitchell Scott, survived him
many years, her death occurring near Warren, Indiana, August 27, 1852.
She was born on June 12, 1772, and was married about 1794. In the fall of
1820, when the lands of the "New Purchase" were thrown open to settle-
ment, Moses Scott, son of Robert and brother of John, came over into Indi-
ana and on October 19, at the land office in Brookville, entered a tract of land
in what is now the extreme northeast corner of Orange township, this county,
acting in that transaction both for himself and his brother John, and the
brother^ almost immediately thereafter entered upon possession of their
pioneer tract in the wilderness and prepared the same for habitation. John
Scott built a story-and-a-half log house near the center of the south half of
the northeast quarter of section 36, in the northeast corner of Orange town-
ship, and then returned down the valley trail for his family, which meanwhile
had been spending the season on General Harrison's farm at North Bend,
he having previously moved them down the river from Adams county, Ohio,
on a flatboat made bv himself without aid of tools other than an ax and an
auger, and in 1822 established his home in this county, his mother, brothers
' (60)

946 FAYETTE COUN" " INDIANA.

and sister accompanying him. One of John Scott's first acts after effecting
a sufficient clearing on his place was to plant an orchard and set out a garden.
At that time wolves still were plentiful thereabout and the howling of the
"varmints" in the spice bush surrounding that humble pioneer home made the
nights hideous.

John Scott was an active, energetic and progressive pioneer and it was
not long before he had his home well established and was on his way to
ultimate success. From the very beginning of his residence in this county
he took an active part in local civic affairs, served for several terms as trustee
of Orange township, for several terms as justice of the peace in and for that
township and from 1847 to 1852 was associate judge of Fayette county.
Judge Scott's influence in the pioneer community ever was exerted in behalf
of the good and not only in his magisterial capacity, but in his capacity as a
citizen he was for many years a potent force in all good works in this county.
It is said of him that perhaps there never was another man in this county who
was so often chosen to administer the affairs of decedent's estates as was
Judge Scott and he also served on innumerable occasions as an arbiter in dis-
putes between neighbors, thus averting many a lawsuit. A notable instance
of the high regard in which his services in this connection were held by his
neighbors was in the case of a neighbor who for forty years had disagreed
with the Judge over the location of a line fence, but he was chosen by the
children of this neighbor as administrator of his estate. For many years
Judge Scott served as a member of the board of directors of the Fayette
County Agricultural Society and in that capacity and in other ways did much
to promote the betterment of rural and general industrial conditions in this
county. About fifteen years after he had built his log cabin in the wilder-
ness he erected a substantial two-story brick house, made from bricks burned
on the place, and in that fine old house he spent the remainder of his days, his
death occurring at Rushville, suddenly, December 2, 1871, he then being
seventy-two years of age.

Judge John Scott was twice married. In 1831 he was united in mar-
riage to Julia Orr, who was born in Kentucky in 181 1, a daughter of John
and Susan (Luke) Orr, who came to this county from Kentucky in pioneer
days, and to that union four children were born. Julia Orr Scott died at her
home in Orange township on January 3, 1846, and on March 30, 1847, Judge
Scott married Sarah Snodgrass Carter, who was born in this county on July
20, 1820, daughter of Enos and Ann (Snodgrass) Carter, mention of whom
has been made above, and to that union seven children were born. Mrs.
Sarah S. Scott survived her husband many years, her death occurring at her

KAYETTE COUNTY. IN'DIANA. 947

home in Tmliaiiapdlis nn July T/, iSo6. She was an earnest inenilier of tlie
Cliristian chtirch ami was e\er devoted to s,'ood works, a stron.t;- and hel])fnl
influence in the social life of the comniunitv in which she lived duriiii^ her
many years of residence in this county. Of the eleven children of Jud,i;e John
Scott, but two now survive, the subject of this sketch and his younjjer brother,
John ■\ritchell Scott, who also is engaged in the drug business in Indianapolis
and a biographical .sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume.

William W. Soitt was reared on the paternal farm in Orange township
and as a lad was a valuable assistant in the labors of improving and develop-
ing the same. He supplemented the schooling received in the local schools
by a course in the Northwestern Normal School at T.ebanon, Ohio, and from
1870 to 1S75 was engaged during the winters in leaching school in this
county, teaching one term at the Samuel Little school and four terms in dis-
trict No. 3. in the southwestern part of Connersville tow^nship. In the mean-
time he had been studying medicine with a view to devoting his life to the
medical profession, but in the spring of 1875 became diverted from that course
l)y a proposition from his medical preceptor, Dr. James W. Barnes, to engage
WMth the latter in the drug business at Oxford, in Benton comity, this state,
and he formed a partnership with Doctor Barnes and went to O.xford, where
lie opened a drug store. In Sejitemlier of that same year Mr. Scott dissolved
his partnership with Doctor Barnes and moved to the neighboring village of
Otterbein. in the extreme southeastern corner of Benton county, and there
formed a partnership with John A. Savage and with the latter was engaged
in the drug business at Otterbein for about two years, at the end of which
time he gave up the business there and moved to Indianapolis, where he ever
since has made his home. When Mr. Scott went to Otterbein that place was
just finding its place on the map. the village consisting of but a few houses,
two stores and a grain ele\ator. During his residence there he served as
postmaster of the place. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Scott took up his residence
in Indianapolis. He had been married during the summer of the previous
year and upon nio\ing to Indianapolis established his home there and has
ever since made that city his place of residence, for about forty vears con-
tinuously engaged in the drug business, and is thus recognized as one of the
veteran druggists of the capital city. Mr. Scott is a far-sighted business man
and about ten years ago, recognizing in advance the wonderful strides the
city was making toward the north, moved his drug store to its present site
at College avenue and Maple Road boulevard and the success which has met
him there affords ample evidence of the excellence of his judgment in mak-
ing the change of location.

948 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

On August 16, 1876, William W. Scott was united in marriage to Ida
Gray, who was born in Indianapolis, daughter of Robert Patton and Lucinda
W. (Clark) Gray, he a member of a pioneer family in the northeastern part
of Orange township, this county, and she born in Maine. These parents had
moved back to Fayette county from Indianapolis when their daughter, Ida,
was fourteen years of age. Robert Patton Gray was for some years engaged
in the milling business in Indianapolis in association with his brother-in-law,
John Carlisle, and later moved to Xenia, Ohio, where, from 1858 to 1861,
he was the owner and publisher of the Xenia N^ezvs, during which ownership
he employed as editor his cousin, Whitelaw Reid, afterward owner and editor
of the New York Tribune, who died while serving this country in the capacity
of ambassador to England. Mr. Reid was succeeded in Mr. Gray's employ
by Coates Kinney, who was a noted writer and poet. From the days of her
childhood Mrs. Scott has taken much interest in music. After a course in
music in the conservatory at Xenia she was employed as a teacher of music in
Geneva College and was later engaged in operatic and other musical work in
New York City. During her long residence in Indianapolis she ever has
taken an active part in club work and in the work of promoting various
modern reform movements and has been particularly active in her efforts in
behalf of woman's suffrage. Mr. and Mrs. Scott have a delightful home in
College avenue, Indianapolis, and have ever given proper attention to the
general social activities of their home town, helpful in good works.

AZARIAH T. BECKETT.

Azariah T. Beckett, one of Jackson township's well-known farmers,
was born in the upper part of that township, in the immediate vicinity of the
place on which he now lives, and has lived there all his life. He was born
in a log house on the old Beckett homestead, January 31, 1852, youngest son
of Azariah T. and Emily (Ross) Beckett, who were for years among the
best-known residents of that section of the county and whose last days were
spent there.

The senior Azariah T. Beckett also was born in Jackson township,
December 16, 18 16, the year in which Indiana was admitted to statehood,
and he lived to see this section develop from a wilderness to a highly-
developed land. He was a son of William T. and Dosia (Thorn) Beckett,
natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Indiana Territory in 1814 and set-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 949

tied in this county, l>econiing early recognized as among the most substan-
tial and influential pioneers of the northeastern part of Jackson township.
William T. Beckett's father was a native of Ireland and had been educated
in his native land for the priesthood. Coming to America, he settled in
Pennsylvania, where he abandoned his plan of becoming a clergyman, mar-
ried there and later moved to Butler county, Ohio, settling in the neighbor-
hood of Hamilton, where he spent the remainder of his life. It was from
that neighborhood that William T. Beckett and his wife moved up here into
the then "wilds" of Indiana and established their home in Fayette county.
Upon coming to this county William T. Beckett entered a tract of three
hundred and twenty acres of "Congress land," later increasing his holdings,
but afterward lost the greater part of his property through unfortunate
investments. During the old "muster" days he was captain of the local
militia and took an active part in public affairs. He served for years as
justice of the peace in and for his home township and in other ways con-
tributed to the public service. The log house in which he established his
home in 1814 is still standing on the old homestead, now owned by his
grandson, William E. Beckett, on the eastern edge of Jackson township.
It was in that log house that Captain, or "Squire," Beckett used to hold
court on the rare occasion that some local misdemeanant would be called
before the l)ar of the court. The jury on such occasions would be sent to
the upper room in the little cabin and would not be permitted to come down
until a verdict had been reached. Happily, there was not much trouble
or litigation in that neighborhood, for it was in the midst of a Quaker
settlement and peace was the watchword of the settlers thereabout. There
formerly stood just west of the Beckett homestead a Quaker meeting house,
erected about 1816, but which has for many years existed only in the memorv
of a few old settlers, who still recall its appearance; the only present physi-
cal evidence of the former location of the little meeting house being the
little pioneer graveyard amid the trees on the nearby hill.

It was on that pioneer farm that the elder Azariah T. Beckett grew to
manhood. He received but a limited education, the school facilities of tiiose
days having been hardly organized to any formal e.xtent, and he early began
doing for himself, presently becoming engaged in the teaming line between
Connersville and Cincinnati. He later and for some years was interestefl in
a packing-house at Connersville and while thus engaged probablv lx)ught
more hogs throughout this section of the country than any other man doing
business here at that time. Following his trips to Cincinnati with flour
.and produce, it was nothing uncommon for him to drive back at night, with-

950 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

out delay, in order that the "wild-cat" currency he would receive for his
merchandise would not depreciate too greatly before he could pay it out.
He presently began investing in farm lands and became the owner of a fine
farm of five hundred acres in Jackson township, besides three hundred and
fifty acres of land he gave to his children. It was in 1838 that he married
Emily Ross, who was born on July 17, 1814, and to that union eight chil-
dren were born, five of whom grew to maturity, but of whom but two are
now living, William Edwin Beckett, who is living on the old Beckett home-
stead, and the subject of this sketch. The mother of these children died
on October 28, 1881, and the father survived for many years, his death
occurring on October 28, 1904. He had long taken an active part in public
affairs and for years was accounted one of the leaders of the Republican
party in his part of the county. He was twice appointed county commis-
sioner, to fill vacancies on the board, and was afterward elected for four
terms as a member of the board, thus having filled that important office
for fourteen years. He also held numerous minor offices. He was an
earnest member of the Masonic fraternity and was the first person initiated
by the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Everton
after the institution of that lodge.

The junior Azariah T. Beckett was about a year old when his father
moved from the old homestead to another nearby farm and there erected
the house in which the subject of this sketch is now living and where, with
the exception of a few years, he has lived all his life. That house, despite
the fact that it has weathered the storms of more than sixty winters, is still
in excellent condition and Mr. Beckett and his family are very comfortably
situated there. Mr. Beckett completed the course in the local school before
he was seventeen years of age and then entered Earlham College, where
he remained two years, at the end of which time he returned to the home
farm and has since continued to make that his place of residence, with the
exception of two or three years, and has been successfully engaged in general
farming and stock raising. He formerly owned one hundred and eighty-
six and six-tenths acres, but has recently sold part of this farm to his son,
Erwin. who is managing the place.

Mr. Beckett has been twice married. On his twenty-fourth birthday
he was united in marriage to Eleanor Taylor, who was born in the eastern
'part of Jackson township, this county, daughter of Richard Taylor and
v/ife, and who was left an orphan at a tender age and was reared by her
maternal grandfather, Thomas E. Curry, an old resident of Jackson town-
ship. To that union two children were born, daughters, Lina, who mar-
ried Cort Heim and lives at St. Bernard, Ohio, and Esta, who married Ray-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 951

mond Beckett, also of St. Bernard, Ohio, and has two sons, Edward and
Charles. The mother of these two daughters died in 1879, when the last-
born was but an infant, and in 1883 Mr. Beckett married Cora Murphy,
who was born at Everton, this county, a daughter of William and Jane
Murphy, and to that union four children were born, namely : Horace, wlio
died whep about three years of age; Emily, who died at the age of two
years; Erwin, who is farming the home place, and Catherine, also at home.
Erwin Beckett married Sarah Davis, who was born at Alquina, this county,
daughter of Leander Lee and Elizabeth (VoUand) Davis, the former of
whom also was born at Alquina and the latter in Ohio. Mrs. Cora Beckett
died on October, 1909, and Mr. Beckett is now making his home with his
son and the latter's wife, on the old home place. Mr. Beckett is a nieml>er
of the Universalist church. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, with the Knights of Pythias and with the Improved
Order of Red Men and in the affairs of these several organizations has for
years taken a warm interest.

PALMER TEXX^'SON BILBY.

Palmer Tennyson Bilby, a well-known and progressive farmer of Fair-
view township, was born in that township and has lived there all his life, with
the exception of a period of less than two years spent in the city of Denver.
He was born on a farm in the southeast part of Fairview township, not far
from his present home, June 18, 1870, son of the late Francis AI. and Dorcas
(Atherton) Bilby, the former also a native of this county and the latter a
native of Hamilton county, Ohio, further and fitting reference to whom is
made in a biographical sketch relating to Morton L. Bilby, eider brother of
the subject of this sketch, presented elsewhere in this volume.

Reared on the paternal farm, Palmer T. Billjy remained at home, a
valued aid in the labors of improving and de\'eloping tiie home place, until
his marriage in 1897, when he moved to a farm nearby, his present well-kept
and well-improved place in the southeastern corner of Fairview township.
In addition to that farm he also owns land adjoining the .same, on the north-
ern edge of Orange township. Mr. Bilby is an excellent farmer and is con-
ducting his operations along the lines approved by modern scientific research
as applied to agriculture, the general well-kept appearance of his farm plant
bespeaking the progressive character of his methods. In December, 191 2,
Mr. and Mrs. Bilby w-ent to Denver, Colorado, where they remained eighteen

952 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

months. During their absence their farm house was destroyed by fire. In
the spring of 1914 their present handsome residence was erected. This house
is of the bungalow type, Avith floors and interior finish of hardwood, was
planned in accordance with the most recent ideas in architecture and is fur-
nished in the best of taste. The house has a furnace, bath, built-in book
cases, a modern fireplace and other appointments designed to give t® its occu-
pants the greatest measure of comfort and convenience.

On December 16, 1897, Palmer T. Bilby was united in marriage to Sid-
ney Simpson, who was born on a farm just east of Lyonsville in the north-
east part of Jennings township, this county, daughter of Henry C. and Narsis
(Monger) Simpson, also natives of this county, representatives of pioneer
families in the northeastern part of the county. Henry C. Simpson was
born in the southeastern part of Waterloo township on Simpson creek, April
30, 1846, a son of William and Ada Simpson, the former of whom was born
in Tennessee, a son of Thomas and Sarah (Mabry) Simpson, natives,
respectively, of Maryland and North Carolina, who located in Tennessee and
who moved thence, in 1805 or' 1806, to Ohio, whence, in 1809, they came
over into Indiana and settled in what afterward came to be organized as
Fayette county, on a tract of land entered from the government on a line
between Jennings and Waterloo township, where they established their home,
among the very first settlers in this part of the state. On that pioneer farm
Thomas and Sarah Simpson- spent the remainder of their lives, his death
occurring in 1848, he then being seventy-five years of age. She survived him
about seventeen years, her death occurring in 1865, she then being nearly
ninety-two years of age. Thomas Simpson and his wife were earnest mem-
bers of the Baptist church and took an active part in the development of the
religious life of that commimity during the formative days of the settlement.
They were the parents of ten children.

William Simpson was but a child when his parents came to this county
and he spent the rest of his life here, living to the age of eighty-one years,
his death occurring in 1883. When he came to the county, Indians and wild
game still were plentiful hereabout and the great primeval forests were hardly
touched by the white man, there being only here and there throughout this
section of the then Territory of Indiana a cabin of some hardy settler who
had penetrated into the forest wilderness, and he lived to see the county
develop in all ways and in that development did well his own part. His
grandson, Henry C. Simpson, grew up near Lyonsville and farmed there the
most of his life. On November 20, 1867, he married Narsis Monger, who
was born in a log house on the old Monger homestead east of Lyonsville, the

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 9S3

place now owned by Frank Montgomery. Slie was a danp^liter of T.cwis and
Maryan A. (Reeder) Monger, \'^irginians, the fomier born on ,\ugust i",
1803, and the latter, March 3, 1805, who became early settlers in Waterloo
township this connty. Lewis Monger was a son of George and Frances
Monger, who followed their son out here from Virginia and settled in this
county in 1833. It was in 1827 that Lewis Monger and his wife came to
Indiana and located in this county, settling on a farm in Waterloo township,
where they spent the remainder of their lives, useful and influential pioneers
of that region. For nearly sixty years they were members of the Christian
church and did well their part in the encouragement of all local good works.

Some years after his marriage Henry C. Simpson moved to Conners-
ville and there his wife died on August 17, 1887. ^^ '^ter moved to Lyons-
ville, where his last days were spent, his death occurring on May 28, 1896.
To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Bilby one child has been bom, a son, Francis M.,
born on October 8, i8g8. Mr. and Mrs. Bilby have a very pleasant home
and have ever taken an earnest interest in the general social activities of the
community in which they live, helpful in promoting all mo\ements having
to do with the advancement of the common welfare.

Mrs. Bilby traces her descent from Nicholas Monger, bom in 1623, the
first of the Monger family to come to America; then through John Monger,
born in 1660: Jonathan Monger, 1697; Lewis Monger. 1729; David Monger,
1756: George Monger, 1778: Lewis Monger, 1803; Narcis Julia Frances
Monger, 1847. The name of Lewis Monger (1729) appears on the muster
roll of Capt. Archibald McNeal's company in the French and Indian War,
also in the Revolution with Capt. Andrew Martin's company of minute men.

CLARENCE E. EDWARDS.

Clarence E. Edwards, one of Jackson township's well-known and pro-
gressive farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and fifty-
four acres in that township, was born on a farm east of Connersville, about
midway between that city and Alquina, in Jennings township, December 12,
1876. He is the son and only child of Charles M. and Phoebe (Sparks)
Edwards, both natives of this county, members of pioneer families, the former
of whom, now deceased, was born on that same farm and the latter of whom
is still living in this county.

Charles M. Edwards, who was a son of Lewis and Sarah (W^ard)

y54 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Edwards, pioneers of Jennings township, remained on the home farm until
he was about twenty-three years of age, when he moved to Howard county,
this state, moving thence, four years later, to Kansas. There he remained
four years, at the end of which time he returned to Indiana and again located
in Howard county, resuming his farming there. He remained there until
I go I, when he returned to Fayette county and located on a farm in the west-
ern part of Jackson township, a tract that had been entered from the govern-
ment by his cousin, Daniel Greene, in 1812, and which has ever since been
in possession of the family, a period of more than one hundred years. On
that pioneer farm Charles M. Edwards spent his last days, his death occurring
there in September, 1909, and his widow is still making her home there.
She was born, Phoebe Sparks, on the old Sparks homestead two miles south
of East Connersville, a daughter of the Rev. William Sparks and his wife,
Elizabeth. The Rev. William Sparks was a minister in the regular Baptist
church and his father, also named William and born about 1770, also was a
minister of that faith. Through the Greenes the subject of this sketch traces
his descent to Gen. Nathaniel Greene, of Revolutionary fame.

Clarence E. Edwards was reared on the farm in Howard county and
was graduated from the high school at New London, that county. From
the days of his boyhood he was a valued assistant to his father in the labors
of the farm and upon the family's return to this country he accompanied his
parents and has since been farming in Jackson township, though he taught
school before coming to his present place. He is the owner of an excellent
farm of one hundred and fifty-four acres, on which he is engaged in gen-
eral farming and where he is doing very well. He has a well-built new
house and he and his family are comfortably situated there.

On December 31, 1S99, a little more than a year before his return to
this county, Clarence E. Edwards was united in marriage ~to Lillie Kenworthy,
who was born in Cass county, this state, a daughter of Marion and Laura
Kenworthy. She, too, attended the high school at New London and was
later graduated from the course in stenography in a business college. To
Mr. and Mrs. Edwards one child has been born, a son, Carl K., who was born
on February 13, 1901. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church,
in the various beneficences of which they take a proper interest, and also give
proper attention to the general social activities of the community in which
they live. Mr. Edwards is a member of the Masonic fraternity and both he
and his wife are members of the local chapter of the Order of the Eastern
Star.

FAYETTK COUNTY, INDIANA. 955

FRANKLIN Z. LAKE. =" "

Franklin Z. Lake, a well-known and progressive young fanner of Jack-
son township, was born on the farm on which he is still living, the did L.ikc
homestead on Bear creek, in the southwestern part of Jackson township, and,
with the exception of the period of his life spent away at school, has lived
there all his life. He was born on September 6, 1891, a son of Zachariah
and Susan Belle (Veatch) Lake, both members of pioneer families in this
county, who are now living retired at Everton.

Zachariah Lake was born on the old Lake homestead on Bear creek,
;\L-irch 28, 1859, a son of \Villis and Elizabeth (Ray) Lake, who were among
the early settlers in that part of Fayette county. Willis Lake was born on a
pioneer farm in Dearborn county, this state, just across the river from Har-
rison, about the year 1820, a son of William Lake and wife, who later came
up the river and settled in Jackson township, this county, where they estab-
lished their home and became prominently identified with the early interests
of that pioneer community. Elsewh.ere in this volume there is set out at con-
siderable length something of the history of the family of William Lake, the
pioneer, and there the reader will find much of interest that will fit in well
in connection with this present narrative. ^Villis Lake was little more than
a boy when he came to Fayette county with his parents and here he spent the
remainder of his life, prominently identified with the developing interests of
the Everton neighborhood. He was chiefly engaged in farming, but for some
time he and his brother, Phenas Lake, further reference to whom is made
elsewhere in this volume, operated a saw-mill at Everton. Willis Lake estab-
lished himself on a farm in the southern part of Jackson township and there
he spent his last days, his death occurring on November 10, 1903, he then
being at the age of eighty-three \ears. His widow survived him something
more than three years, her deatli occurring on April 14, 1907. She was
born, Elizabeth Ray, on a pioneer farm over the line in Franklin county, a
daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth Ray, further reference to whom is made
elsewhere in this volume. Willis Lake and his wife were earnest members
of the Methodist Episcopal church and their children were reared in that faith.
There were nine of these children, of whom four are still living, Mrs. Louisa
Adams, Lewis, Willis and Zachariah Lake.

Reared on the home farm, Zachariah Lake grew to the life of the farm
and after his marriage remained on the home farm for many years, farming
there until in March, 1914, when he retired from the active labors of the

956 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

farm and moved to Everton, where he and his wife are now living. He
is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and ninety-five acres and in' addi-
tion to his general farming ever gave considerable attention to the raising of
high-grade live stock, being quite successful in his farming operations.

In 1882 Zachariah Lake was united in marriage to Susan Belle Veatch,
who was born in Jennings township, this county, a daughter of Clay and
Charlotte (Scott) Veatch, both natives of this county and members of old
families here. Clay Veatch was born in Jennings township, a son of James
and Mary Veatch, early settlers in that part of Fayette county. Clay Veatch
farmed all his life in this county, remaining in Jennings township until about
1883, when he moved to Everton, where he spent the rest of his life, his death
occurring there in 1900. His wife, whose maiden name was Charlotte Scott,
had preceded him to the grave about nine years, her death having occurred
in February, i8qi. She was born in Jackson township, a daughter of Win-
field and Susan Scott, who came from Kentucky and settled in the southern
part of Jackson township in pioneer days, as told in the biographical sketch
of J. W. Scott, presented elsewhere in this volume. Clay V^eatch and wife
were the parents of nine children, of whom six are still living, those besides
Mrs. Lake being Winfield, James, Mrs. Mary Duckworth, Edward and
Grundy.

To Zachariah and Susan Belle (V'eatch) Lake five children have been
born, those besides the subject of this sketch, the fourth in order of birth,
being as follow : Leroy, now living in Franklin county, who married Edna
Wilson and has three children, Wilbur Clarence, Charlotte Josephine and
Frances Isabel; Willis Roland, living in Jackson township, east of Everton,
who married Mina Wilson; Melvin Ray, now living in East Connersville,
who married Inez Post and has two children, Maynard Ray and Ruth Eliza-
beth, and Edith Veatch, who is at home with her parents. Mr. and Mrs.
Zachariah Lake are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their
children were reared in that faith. Mr. Lake is a member of the local lodge
of the Knights of Pythias and of the Improved Order of Red Men, in the
affairs of these organizations takes a warm interest.

Franklin Z. Lake was reared on the home farm, early being trained in
the ways of modern agriculture, and upon completing the course in the high
school at Everton took a supplementary course at the Central Normal School
at Danville, this state, after which he returned to the farm and has ever since
resided there, having established his home there after his marriage in 191 2,
and since the retirement of his father from the farm in 1914 has been prac-
tically in charge of the place. Mr. Lake is a progressive young farmer, pur-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 957

suing his vocation in accordance with up-do-date methods, and is doing very
well in his operations.

In 1912 Franklin Z. Lake was united in marriage to Cleo Grist, who
also was bom in Jackson township, this county, daughter and only child of
Samuel Riley and Hattie (Hudson) Grist, both of whom were born in this
part of the state, members of pioneer families, and who are still living on
the old Grist homestead in the Bentley neighborhood. Samuel Riley Grist
was born and reared in the Bentley neighborhood, where he now lives, a life-
long farmer. He is a son of Samuel and Matilda (Pritchard) Grist, the
former of whom, a son of James Grist, grew up in the Bentley neighborhood
and spent his entire life there on the old Grist homestead. His wife, Matilda
Pritchard, was born near Liberty, in Union county and lived there until her
marriage. S. R. Grist's wife, Hattie Hudson, was born at Fairfield, in the
neighboring county of Franklin, and was but a girl when her parents, James
and Hannah (Loper') Hudson, moved up into Fayette county and located at
Connersville. James Hudson was a carpenter and contractor and his last
days were spent in Connersville. His wife, Hannah Loper, was born and
reared in Franklin county, a member of one" of the old families there. Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Z. Lake have two children, Virgil Theodore and James Grist.
They have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social
activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting all
agencies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare there-
about.

JAMES WILLLVM SCOTT.

James William Scott, a well-known and substantial farmer of Jackson
township, was born on the farm on which he is now living, two miles south
of Everton, and has lived there all his life, excepting twenty-one years when
he lived in Rush county. He was born on October 31, 1863, son of Francis
Marion and Mary Jane (Veach) Scott, both natives of Fayette county, and
the latter of whom is still living.

Francis Marion Scott also was born in the southern part of Jackson
township, October i, 1833, son of Wilson and Susan (Backhouse) Scott,
the former a native of Virginia and tiie latter of Pennsylvania, well known
among the old settlers of this county. \\'ilson Scott was born in Mont-
gomery county, Virginia, and there grew to manhood and was married. His
wife died there, leaving three children, and about 1830 he came out here into

958 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the "wilds" of Indiana, settling northwest of Everton, in this county, where
he presently married Mrs. Susan (Backhouse) Dunlap, widow of Oliver
Dunlap and the mother of one child, a daughter. Susan Backhouse was born
in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and was but a child when her parents, James
and Charlotte ( Breckenridge) Backhouse, started West and for a time lived
near Harrison, Ohio, coming thence over into Indiana and settling near
Brookville, Franklin county, and later coming to Fayette county and settling
on a farm now owned by Mrs. Capitola Mace, on the southern edge of Con-
nersville township, on the road from Connersville to Everton. There James
Backhouse bought land and established his home, building from bricks burned
on his own farm a substantial brick house which is still serving as a home for
one of the families of his descendants. Before coming to this county, James
Backhouse had owned and operated a grist-mill and tanyard near Brookville,
in Franklin county, and used to deal with the Indians there. His estab-
lishment there was destroyed by fire and he then came up into Fayette county,
as above noted. Wilson Scott was an expert driver of stage horses and was
accustomed to drive a six-horse team from here to Cincinnati, it being
related of him that he could turn a six horse team in a narrower space than
most men could turn a two-horse team in. At his death he left* a widow and
six children, four sons and two daugliters. His widow presently returned to
F'ayette county and located on a farm in the southern part of Jackson town-
ship, where two of her sons, Hugh H. and Francis Marion, farmed and
worked together from youth to old age and became quite well-to-do. They
started with one acre of land and worked and saved and managed until they
eventually became the owners of four hundred acres of excellent land. While
thus struggling for a start in life, they took a contract for grading and gravel-
ing one mile of the Connersville pike north of Everton, receiving one thou-
sand dollars for completing the contract. With this sum they made a pay-
ment on a seventy-acre fann and it was not long, with their general farming,
dealing in live stock and other forms of trade, until they began to see their
way clear to success. Hugh H. Scott remained with his mother in one house
on the farm and Francis M. Scott married and lived in a house near by, and
it is related of the two families that they lived in the most agreeable and
amicable relation, holding their family stores in common, and this beautiful
community of interest continued as long as Francis M. Scott lived. The
Widow Scott died about 1886. On May 20, 1909, Hugh H. Scott married
Mrs. Ella DeWees, who died on January 3, 1914. Hugh H. Scott is still
living, now in the seventy-seventh year of his age, and is a well-preserved

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 959

man, vigorous and alert, a typical representative of the pioneer breeil now
almost vanished from the well-settled communities of Hoosierdom.

On March 19, 1861, Francis Marion Scott was united in marriage to
Mary Jane Veatch, who was born in this county on January 18, 1838, a
daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah (Sharon) Veatch, the former of whom also
was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families, and the
latter in the state of Pennsylvania. Jeremiah Veatch was born on a pioneer
farm in the vicinity of Everton. son of James and Mary Veatch, early set-
tlers in that neighborhood. The land on which James Veatch settled when
he came to this county, in the southwestern part of Jennings township, is
now owned by George Lake. There James Veatch erected a house that was
somewhat more pretentious than those of his pioneer neighbors and the people
of that vicinity used to gather in that house for religious services in the days
before a church was built in that neighborhood. He gave the ground for
the establishment of the pioneer graveyard, now known as Mt. Garrison
cemetery, and one of his children was the first person buried in that burying
ground. It was on that pioneer fami that Jeremiah Veatch grew to man-
hood. He married Sarah Sharon, who was born in Pennsylvania, and who
had come to Indiana with her parents in pioneer days, and some years later
moved to Delaware county, this state, where he died not many years after-
ward. His widow remained in Delaware county until her daughter married
Mr. Scott and thereafter made her home with the Scotts, spending the
remainder of her days in that household. Francis M. Scott continued farm-
ing, in conjunction with his brother, Hugh H. Scott, and was thus engaged
until the time of his death, November 17, igii. He was a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, as is his widow, and their children were reared
in that faith. There were seven of these children, of whom the subject of
this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others Ijeing as follow :
Joseph B., who died at the age of thirty-eight years, leaving a widow and
two children; George Wilson, of Everton, a mail carrier, w4io married Ger-
trude Hubbell ; Mary Frances, who married Peter Lake, of Everton, and has
one child, a daughter, Opal; Walter, who married Lizzie Hall and is now
living at Connersville; Susan Olive, who married Ernest Handley, of Con-
nersville, and has two sons, Everett and Ivan, and Gertrude, who married
Arthur Clark, of Everton.

James W. Scott was reared on the home farm south of Everton, where
he now lives, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and
remained at home, a valued assistant to his father in the work of developing
and improving the home place, until his marriage in 1889, when he moved

q6o FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

over into Rush county and began farming for himself on a farm near Char-
lottesville, which he eventually bought from his mother, and where he made
his home for twenty-one years, at the end of which time, in 1910, he moved
back to the old home farm to take charge of the same for his father and has
lived there since. He now owns a total of three hundred and fifty acres,
part of which lies in this county and the remainder in Rush county, and is
thus accounted one of the substantial citizens of the Everton neighborhood.
He is a member of Empire Lodge, Knights of Pythias, at Everton, and takes
a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.

In 1889 James W. Scott was united in marriage to Martha Ann Wells,
who was born at Everton, a daughter of William and Sarah (Moore) Wells,
the latter of whom died when her daughter, Martha, was a child of two or
three years. After the death of her mother, Martha Wells was taken care
of by Willis Lake and wife and was reared in their household, remaining
there, the Lake farm being situated next to the Scott farm, until her marriage
to Mr. Scott. Her father married a second time and spent the rest of his
life at Everton. Mr. and Mrs. Scott have seven children, namely : Lawrence
Mitchell, who is at home; Perry Walton, who is living with his father's
uncle, Hugh H. Scott, married Pearl Myers and has one child, a son, Floyd
Marion, and Mary Ethel, Frank Herschel, Leonard, Leo and Charles, all at
home. The Scotts have a very pleasant home and take an earnest interest in
the general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful
in promoting all proper agencies for the advancement of the common wel-
fare thereabout.

ELLLS ROUNSEVAL LAKE.

Ellis R. Lake, one of Fayette county's best-known citizens and land-
owners, proprietor of a cement-vault factory at Connersville and an exten-
sive dealer in fertilizer at Everton, in which village he makes his home, was
born in the house in which he is now living at Everton and has lived there
practically all his life. He was the first person born in that house, which is
still standing, as good as any house in Everton.

The Lakes, an old family in this county, take their name from the
ancient founders of the family in England, a family which took the surname
"Lake" from the fact that it had its establishment in a home by a lakeside.
Ellis R. Lake has gathered through much effort, for the benefit of the entire
family, records of the Lake family which give dates back to 1585 in England,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 961

and about seven generations earlier, of whom dates arc not available, to
about the year 1295, in England. The founder of the family in America
was William Lake, a whaler, who bought land near Trenton, New Jersey,
established a home there and became the owner of several other tracts of
land. William Lake, one of the descendants of this forebear and grandfather
of E. R. Lake, and who died on December 9, 1857, was thrice married, his
wives having been Mary Rounseval, Elizabeth Carmichael and Sarah Veatch,
and was the father of seven children, Daniel, Deborah, Ellis R., Absalom,
Catherine, Phenas and Willis. Leaving New Jersey in 1815, William Lake
came out into Lidiana and settled on a farm in Dearborn county, across the
river from Harrison, and in 1835 moved up the river to Fayette county and
located on a farm in the Everton neighborhood, in Jackson township, where
he spent the rest of his life. On July 21, 1807, William Lake was married,
in New Jersey, to Mary Rounseval, wIjo was born in that state in 1785, and
they had four children when they came to this state.

Phenas Lake, who was the second of the children born to William and
Mary (Rounseval) Lake after their arrival in this state, was born on a
pioneer farm on the banks of the White Water, in Dearborn county, across
the river from Harrison, July 2^, 1820, and was about fifteen years of age
when his father moved to Fayette county and settled in the Everton neigh-
borhood. There Phenas Lake grew to manhood and in 1844 married
Rebecca Lambert, who was born near Everton on October 20, 1822, a daugh-
ter of William and Nancy Ann (Lee) Lambert, among the earliest settlers of
that community and the latter of whom was a distant kinswoman of Gen.
Robert E. Lee. Phenas Lake established his home at Everton, in the house
in which his son, the subject of this sketch, was born and is still living, and
there he spent the rest of his life, one of the most active and influential resi-
dents of that part of the county. In addition to farming on a considerable
scale he also for many years operated a saw-mill at Everton and also operated
an old horse-power threshing-rig, which he would set up in barns and with
which he would thresh the grain of his neighbors during the winter months.
By the exercise of his energ>' and excellent business judgment he became the
possessor of an estate valued at about eighty thousand dollars, a considerable
accumulation of property for one man at that time and place. He ever gave
his earnest attention to local civic affairs and for years served as justice of
the peace in and for Jackson township, a position in which he exercised a
wide influence for good throughout that part of the county. Phenas Lake
died at his home in Everton on March 18, 1888. and his widow sur\-ived him
(61)

962 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

for more than six years, her death occurring on December 18, 1894. They
weer the parents of ten children, namely: Nancy Jane, William, Sarah,
John, George W., Charles, Daniel D., Ellis R., Mary Ann and Peter.

Ellis R. Lake, eighth in order of birth of the ten children born to
Phenas and Rebecca (Lambert) Lake, was born at Everton, in the house in
which he now lives, June 9, 1S59, and has lived there all his life. He received
his schooling in the Everton schools and, in addition to being a helpful aid
in his father's farming operations, learned the carpenter trade, at which he
worked for some time, but has been actively engaged in farming most of his
life. At one time he was the owner of nearly five hundred acres of land,
but has reduced his land holdings until now he owns but about three hun-
dred and forty acres, the same lying in four tracts. About 1908 Mr. Lake
formed a partnership with Doctor Johnston, of Connersville, for the manu-
facture of cement vaults at Connersville, and later bought the Doctor's inter-
est in the factory and has since been operating the same alone. He also, for
the past seventeen years, has been dealing in fertilizers, with offices and
distributing point at Everton, also he has been agent for automobiles and in
both of these industries has done very well, long having been regarded as one
of the most substantial citizens of that part of the county. He has been suc-
cessful as a seller of automobiles. Mr. Lake has ever given his earnest atten-
tion to local civic affairs, but has never been a seeker after public office.

Ellis R. Lake has been thrice married. On February 22, 1883, he was
united in marriage to Indiana F. Murphy, who was born on a farm in the
vicinitv of Everton, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Corbin) Murphy, and
to that union one child was born, a daughter. Rosa Maude, who married
Clair Lake and lived in the Green settlement, near Nulltown, about four miles
west of Everton, until her death, on December 26, 1916, leaving twin daugh-
ters. On October 30, 1895, Mr. Lake married Phoebe Ella Kingei-y, a school
teacher, who also was born at Everton, daughter of Heniy and Amelia
ICingeiy, the former of whom operated a saw-mill at Everton, and to that
union two children were born, Edna May, who is now teaching school, and
Ella, who died in infancy. The mother of these children died on January 6,
1899, and on May 9, 1900, Mr. Lake married Coda B. J. Ritner, who was
born near Hartsville, in Decatur county, this state, daughter of Stafford and
Sarah (Johnson) Ritner, and to this union two children have been born,
Coda B. and Boyd J. The Lakes have a pleasant home at Everton and take
a proper interest in the general social activities of the village, helpful in pro-
moting all good causes in that community.

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. 963

JAMES MARTINDALE McINTOSH.

Though no longer a resident of Connersville, the city of his birth, the
Hon. James Alartindale Mcintosh, former representative from this district
to the Indiana state Legislature, former clerk of the Fayette circuit court,
former mayor of the city of Connersville, a former practicing attorney of
that city, for some time engaged in the banking business in that city, but
now and for some years past president of the National City Bank of Indian-
apolis and a resident of the state capital, continues to take a warm interest
in the affairs of his native city and county and no history of Fayette county
could be regarded as complete without some reference to his services in
behalf of this county during the years of his residence here.

James Martindale Mcintosh was born in the city of Connersville on
November 14, 1858, son of James C. and Elizabeth W. (Martindale) Mcin-
tosh, for years prominent and influential residents of Connersville, where the
former was engaged in the practice of law, one of the best-known lawyers
in this part of the state, and both of whom are now deceased.

James C. Alclntosh was a son of Joshua and Nancy Mcintosh, early
residents of this county. He completed his schooling and preparation for
the practice of law at old Asbury (now DePauw) University and during
his attendance there met and married Elizal^eth W. Martindale, who was born
at Indianapolis. Before she was ten years of age Elizabeth Martindale's
parents died and she was reared by her guardian, Alfred Harrison, a merch-
ant of Indianapolis, who sent her to Mrs. Larabee's select school for young
women at Greencastle to finish her schooling and it was there that she met
Mr. Mcintosh, a student in Asbury College, in that same city. After their
marriage at Greencastle they drove across to Connersville, the home of
Mr. Mcintosh, the journey requiring four days, and in that city established
their home, there spending the remainder of their lives. James C. IMcIntosh
became well established in the practice of his profession and was thus suc-
cessfully engaged until the time of his death in 1878. His widow survived
him for many years, her death occurring on November 16, 1916. She was
very active in church work, one of the leaders for many years in the work of
the Methodist Episcopal church at Connersville, and for years was the presi-
dent of the Home Missionary Society of that church, a position she occupied
at the time of her death. James C. Mcintosh and wife were the parents
of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order
of birth, the others being as follow: Horace P., an officer in the United

.964 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

States navy, with residence at Washington, D. C. ; Ida L., who is still living
at Connersville, the widow of William Newkirk; Allen Ernest, who died
in infancy; William W., whose last days were spent in Portland, Oregon,
and Charles K., vice-president of the Bank of Cahfornia, at San Francisco,
and a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of that city.

James M. Mcintosh received his early schooling in the Connersville
schools and in 1876 entered Asbury University with a view to completing
his law studies, he having begun his preliminary reading along that line, even
in his boyhood in the office of his father, but was compelled to leave the
university during his junior year, because of the death of his father. Return-
ing he there became engaged in a manufacturing line, secretary-treasurer of
the White Water Valley Plating Company, meanwhile continuing his study
of law, his father's extensive law library having been retained, and in due
time was admitted to the bar. He began practice in association with Charles
A. Murray and afterward was associated in practice with his father's old law
partner, Charles Roehl. In the spring of 1886 he was elected mayor of the
city of Connersville, serving in that capacity for four years, and in 1890 was
elected clerk of the Fayette circuit court, a public position he also held for
four years. It was during his incumbency in the clerk's office that the Fay-
ette county court house was remodeled and made over into its present more
modern style and he helped in the selection of the furniture for the court room.
In the fall of 1894 Mr. Mcintosh was elected to the state Legislature as
joint representative from the district comprised of Fayette and Wayne coun-
ties and served in that capacity during the session of 1895, after which he
resumed his law practice at Connersville. In the meantime, about 1893, Mr.
Mcintosh had been elected cashier of the First National Bank of Conners-
ville and remained thus connected with that bank until it changed manage-
ment. In 1899 he was appointed United States bank examiner for the dis-
trict comprising Indiana and western Kentucky and was thus engaged until
1907, when he resumed the banking business, having been elected in that
year to the position of president of the Union National Bank of Indianapolis,
remaining thus connected with that institution until January i, 191 2, when
the National City Bank of Indianapolis was organized and took over the
Union National Bank and the Columbia National Bank, occupying the build-
ing on Washington street formerly occupied by the Columbia National Bank.
Upon the organization of the National City Bank Mr. Mcintosh was elected
president of the same and has since occupied that highly responsible position,
giving his exclusive attention to the affairs of the bank. The National City
Bank of Indianapolis has a capital of one million dollars and a surplus of two

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 965

hundred thousaiul dollars and is resjarded as one of the strontjest linanciai
institutions in the state of Indiana, Mr. Mcintosh is a Repulilican and is a
member of the influential L'olumhia C'luh at Indianapolis. lie also is con-
nected with the Commercial CliU) and with the Country Club in that city.
Fraternally, he is a Knight Templar Mason, retaining his connection with
the blue lodge and the commandery at Connersville, and is a noble of the
Ancient Arabic Order of Xol)les of the Mystic. Shrine, affiliated with Murat
Temple of that shrine at Indianapolis. During his college days he was
affiliated with the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He and his wife are
members of St. Paul's Episcopal church of Indianapolis.

On February 12, 1889, James M. Mcintosh was united in marriage, at
Connersville, to Anna Laura Pepper, of that city, daughter of Dr. \\'illiam
J. and Mary S. (Frybarger) Pepper, and to this union four children have
been born, namely: Mary E., who died on September 7, 1913, at the age
of twenty-three years; Jessie C, who on Novemljer 9, 1916, married Paul
H. Hawkins, of Indianapolis, and Dorothy J. and James Pepper Mcintosh,

Dr. William Jesse Pepper, father of Mrs. Mcintosh, was a native of
Kentucky, born in Mason county, that state, September 26, 1830, a son of
Abner and Sarah (Merrill) Pepper, natives of that same county. Abner
Pepper was a son of Jesse Pepper, a Virginian and a member of the famous
Lewis family in that state, who early settled in Kentucky, where he estab-
lished his home and where Abner Pepper in turn established his home. The
latter married Sarah Merrill, daughter of Reuben Merrill and wife, the latter
of whom was a Helm. Reuben Merrill was born in Xew Jersey and early
became a resident of Mason county, Kentucky. In that county William Jesse
Pepper received an academic training, including a careful drill in Latin, and
remained there until he was sixteen years of age, when he came up into Indi-
ana with his aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Merrill Wotten, locating at Connersville,
where he became a student in the office of Dr. G. R. Chitw<uid. one of the
best-known physicians in this part of the state at tiiat time. Under this
able preceptorship he was prepared for medical college and presently entered
the Western Reserve Medical College at Cleveland, Ohio, from which he
was graduated with distinction in 1856. Upon receiving his diploma. Doctor
Pepper returned to Connersville and for a time thereafter was engaged in
practice with his old preceptor. Doctor Chitwood. He then established in
that city an office of his own and was there engaged in the practice of his
profession to within a few weeks of his death, thirty-six years later, for
years having been regarded as one of the leading physicians of eastern
Indiana. Doctor Pepper was the first president of the Fayette County Medi-

966 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

cal Society, organized in 1879, and remained an active member of that organi-
zation the rest of his hfe, his death, on August 31, 1892, being made the
occasion for a formal and fitting official expression of sympathy and apprecia-
tion on the part of the society. The Doctor "was an ardent lover of music and
was a skillful performer on the violin. He and his wife were members of the
Presbyterian church and ever took an earnest interest in local good works.

On August 4, 1858, Dr.. William J. Pepper was united in marriage, at
Connersville, to Mary S. Frybarger, who was born in that city, February 24,
1 84 1, and who survived her husband more than twenty years, her death
occurring on December 31, 1915. She was a daughter of George and Eliza
(Eichelberger) Frybarger, natives of Maryland and of York county, Penn-
sylvania, respectively. Eliza Frybarger was a daughter of Adam and Sarah
E. (Wolf) Eichelberger, who also were born in York county, Pennsylvania,
Adam Eichelberger having been a son of Capt. Adam Eichelberger, born
in that same county in 1739 and who, upon the opening of the War for
Independence was commissioned by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania
as captain of a company of foot in the Third Battalion, Pennsylvania line,
from York county. Captain Eichelberger's wife was Magdaline Bechtel.

George Frybarger was born of German parents in Frederick county,
Maryland, December 28, 1796, and was but eight years of age when his
parents, in the spring of 1805, emigrated to Montgomery county, Ohio, and
settled in the vicinity of Dayton. At the early age of fifteen, George Fry-
barger taught a term of subscription school in his home neighborhood and
when sixteen became a clerk in a mercantile establishment at Dayton. In
that position he displayed such admirable fitness that within a few weeks
he was advanced to the position of chief clerk of the establishment and in
1819 was taketl into the firm as a partner of his employer, William Wotton.
In May, 1821, seeking a new field for the exercise of his talents and energy,
Mr. Frybarger left Dayton and came over into the new state of Indiana,
locating in the then promising village of Connersville, where he at once
entered upon his wonderfully successful business career, for many years
thereafter there being few enterprises of importance projected in that town
that were not in some way or another touched by his influential direction and
before his death on March 26, 1853, he had built up what for those days was
regarded as a handsome fortune. For many years Mr. Frybarger was a
member of the board of trustees of the growing village of Connersville
and his service in that conection undoubtedly did very much toward start-
ing the town out right in the way of its present remarkable industrial develop-
ment. As one of the organizers and a member of the board of directors

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 967

of the Richmond branch of the Indiana State Bank he was an inllucntial
factor in the financial Hfe of this region in early days and that influence
always was exerted in behalf of progress. He also was interested in various
mercantile enterprises in Connersville, took a prominent part in the work
of constructing the old White Water canal, a director of the company that
constructed the canal ; erected quite a number of business blocks in Conners-
ville, some of which are still standing; established a pork-packing plant on
the banks of the river and from the date of its organization until his death
was the president of the Bank of Connersville. He died in his fifty-seventh
year, active in business up to the very last.

To Dr. William J. and Mary S. (Frybarger) Pepper seven children
were born, of whom but three grew to maturity, Mrs. Mcintosh having two
sisters, Irene, widow of Tracy B. Johnson, former vice-president of the Tracy
Shoe Company of Portsmouth, Ohio, and who is now living at Connersville,
and Miss Sophia E. Pepper, who is living with her aunt, Mrs. Sophia Chit-
wood, at Connersville.

ALBERT E. GOBLE.

Albert E. Goble. one of Jackson township's well-known anil substantial
farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of three hundred and thirty acres
just southwest of Everton, was born at Harrison, Ohio, January 25, 1872,
son of Samuel and Louisa (Stone) Goble, the former of whom was born in
Canada and tiie latter in Ohio, who later became residents of Fayette county,
where the father died, his widow now making her home at Richmond, this
state.

Samuel Goble was a son of Iden Goble and wife, the former a native of
England, who came from his native Hampshire to this country and settled
at Harrison, Ohio, where he married and later moved to Canada, where he
lived for about twelve years. At the end of that time he returned to Har-
rison, Ohio, bought a farm in that vicinity and there spent the rest of his life
His widow is still living there. Samuel Goble was about twelve years of
age when his parents returned to Harrison, Ohio, and on the home farm in
that vicinity he grew to manhood. There he married Louisa Stone, who was
born and reared there, a daughter of Asel and Margaret Stone, and a few
years later moved over into Indiana, locating on a farm near Brookville, in
Franklin county, coming thence up into Fayette county and settling on a
farm in the eastern part of Jackson township, where he spent the rest of his

968 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

life, his death occurring in November, 1904. His widow is now Hving at
Harrison, this state.

Albert E. Goble was but a child when his parents moved over into Indi-
ana from Ohio and he grew up accustomed to the work of the farm. At the
age of fifteen years he began making his own way in the world, working at
various forms of employment, and was thus engaged until his marriage in
1896. For about five years thereafter he was engaged in saw-milling, oper-
ating two mills in Jackson township, after which he began farming and was
thus engaged until 1908, when he engaged in the automobile business at
Connersville. In 1911 he disposed of his interests in the city and resumed
farming, being now the owner of three hundred and thirty acres of excellent
land in Jackson township, where he has a very comfortable home and where
he and his family are very pleasantly situated, their home being just on the
edge of the village of Everton.

On December 24, 1896, Albert E. Goble was united in marriage to
Bessie White, who was born in Jackson township, a short distance southwest
of Everton, and who was reared in the house in which she is now living,
a daughter of the late William Madison White and a sister of John Melvin
White, former county commissioner. In a biographical sketch of the latter,
presented elsewhere in this volume, there is set out at considerable detail a
history of the White family, one of the oldest families in Fayette county.
Mr. and Mrs. Goble have three daughters, Mabel May, Sarah Josephine and
Olive Catherine.

CHARLES BEESON.

Charles Beeson, one of Fayette county's best-known and most sub-
stantial farmers and stockmen and the proprietor of beautiful "West View
Farm" at the west edge of the pleasant village of Bentonville, is a native
son of this county and has lived in Posey township all his life. He was
born in that township on November 15, 1853, son of Templeton and Sarah
Ann (Loder) Beeson, both of whom also were born in this part of the
state, the former just over the line in Wayne county and the latter in Posey
township, this county, and who spent their last days here, useful and influ-
ential residents of the Bentonville neighborhood.

The Beesons are among the old families of this section, having been
prominently represented here since pioneer days. The Beeson family is of
Colonial stock, the first of the name to settle in this county having been

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 969

Edward Beeson, who emigrated from Lancashire, England, with one of
the parties coming to join William Penn's colon}- in 1682. Edward Beeson
located first in Pennsylvania and then moved to \'irginia, later moving to
Delaware, where he bought land on the Brandywine, land now ci)\cred l)y
the city of Wilmington, and there he spent his last days. Eifth in descent
from Edward Beeson was Isaac Beeson, whose son, Richard, had a son,
Benjamin, who had a son, Benjamin, Jr., who married Dorcas Starbuck
and was the father of Templeton Beeson. The junior Benjamin Beeson
came out into Indiana from North Carolina in pioneer days and settled in
the southern edge of Wayne county, just over the line from where Beeson
Station now is located, this county, and there spent practically all the rest of
his life. He and his wife were the parents of ten children. Othniel, Bezaleel,
Templeton, Mark, B. Frank, Mrs. Julia E. Dick, Mrs. Cinderella. Har\ey, Mrs.
Amanda Emerson, Mrs. Delila Patterson and Mrs. Rachel Harvey.

Templeton Beeson grew to manhood on the pioneer farm his father
had settled, up in Wayne county, and there lived until his marriage to
Sarah Ann Loder, after which he bought a farm two and one-half miles west
of Bentonville, in Posey township, this county, established his home there and
there spent the rest of his life, one of the most substantial farmers and stock
raisers in that part of the county. He died in January, 1881, and his widow
died about two years later. The latter was born on a pioneer farm east of
Bentonville, in Posey township, daughter of John and Isabel (Ringland)
Loder, who settled in this county in 18 15, the year before Indiana was
admitted to statehood. John Loder was born in Essex county. New Jersey,
August 10, 1780, and when seventeen years of age, in 1797, went to Cin-
cinnati, where he began working at his trade, that of a cooper. He presently
went from there to North Bend and, after two years spent at that place, went
to the settlement at the mouth of the Big Miami, whence, two years later, he
moved to a tract of land he had bought in the immediate vicinity of Hamil-
ton, where, on September 25, 1806, he married Isabel Ringland, who was
born on May 31, 1785. On that farm John Loder and his family lived
until 1815, when they came on up the valley of the White Water and settled
on a tract of land he had bought in Posey township, this coimty, where they
established their permanent home. For some time after settling there John
Loder also operated a cooper shop, working at his trade while not engaged
in the labors of clearing his farm, and he thus became early one of the
best-known pioneers of that community. He took an active part in early
political affairs and was an influential citizen. His first vote was cast for
Thomas Jefiferson for President. During his residence in Ohio he voted

970 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

for delegates to the first constitutional convention held in that state and
after coming to this state voted for delegates to Indiana's first constitu-
tional convention.

To Templeton and Sarah Ann (Loder) Beeson seven children were
born, one of whom died in infancy and the others of whom grew to matur-
ity, namely : Isabelle, Leroy, Theodore, Edgar, Willard and Charles. Isa-
belle Beeson lived to be past fifty years of age and died unmarried. Leroy
Beeson died when past fifty years of age, leaving a widow and two chil-
dren. Theodore Beeson, who died in 1908, had been married, but his wife
and only son had preceded him to the grave. Edgar Beeson is now living
in the village of Dublin. His wife and two sons are deceased. Willard
Beeson is continuing to make his home on the old home place.

Charles Beeson continued to make his home on the old home place
until after his marriage in the fall of 191 1. He previously, however,
had bought the farm left by his brother, Theodore, at the west edge of Benton-
ville, and after his marriage moved onto that farm and has there since made
his home. He has a fine farm there, besides land in the West, and is tfie
owner of more than three hundred acres of land. He has on his home farm
a thoroughly modern residence, equipped with furnace, bath and a lighting
plant and other conveniences, "West View Farm" being regarded as one
of the most desirable places in that part of the county. For years Mr.
Beeson has made a specialty of raising registered Shorthorn cattle and has
a fine herd. Politically, he is a Republican, and has ever given a good citi-
zen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public
office.

On October 4, 191 1, Charles Beeson was united in marriage to Luella
Manlove, who also was born in Posey township, this county, on a farm about
three miles southeast of Bentonville, a daughter of Oliver and Elizabeth J.
(Scott) Manlove, the former of whom was born in that same township in
1842, a son of William and Margaret (Munger) Manlove, both members of
pioneer families in that part of the county. William Manlove was born on
January 19, 18 15, the first white child born in Posey township, and was a
son of George Manlove and wife, who are said to have been among the
first settlers in that part of the county. George Manlove, a native of North
Carolina, had attempted a settlement on the headwaters of Lick creek, in
what is now the southeastern part of Posey township, as early as 181 1,
entering the northeast quarter of section 28 on October 31, 181 1, the first
purchase in what is now Posey township. He was related to the Caldwells,
who settled at the same time just east of what is now Harrison township.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 97!

They had settled for a time at Fairhaven, in Preble county, Ohio, and had
moved from there over into Indiana Texritory, settling in what later became
organized as Fayette county. It is said that George Manlove, with the Cald-
wells, being somewhat afraid of trouble with the Indians when the war
broke out, returned to Preble county and there remained until 1814, when
all returned to the settlements they already had effected in this county.
George Manlove, in 18 18, taught the first school in Posey township. William
Manlove grew to manhood on that pioneer farm and married Margaret
Munger, daughter of Edmund K. Munger and a member of one of the first
families to settle in Fayette county, further and fitting mention of which
family is made elsewhere in this volume, the Mungers having been among
the first to settle in the "New Purchase." Oliver Alanlove also grew to
manhood in Posey township and there married and established his home,
spending his last days on his farm in the southeastern part of that township,
his death occurring there when his daughter, Luella, was but seven years of
age, he then being thirty-nine years of age. His widow survived him many
years, her death occurring in April, 1916. They were the parents of three
children, Mrs. Beeson having a sister, Mrs. Flora B. Hubbell, of Benton-
ville, and a brother, Oliver Manlove, Jr., who is continuing to farm the old
home place. Mr. and Mrs. Beeson have a very pleasant home and take a
proper part in the general social activities of the community in which they
live, helpful in promoting all causes having to do with the advancement of
the common welfare.

PHILIP F. WEA\^ER.

Philip F. Weaver, one of Posey township's best-known and most sub-
sta«itial farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of nearly two hundred
acres at the southern edge of the pleasant village of Bentonville, was born
in that village on July 2, 1861, son of James and Charlotte (Schrader)
Weaver, both of whom were born in that same neighlxirhood and whose last
days were spent in this county, useful and influential residents of tlie com-
munity in which they spent practically all their lives.

James Weaver was born on a pioneer farm just southeast of Benton-
ville, a son of George and Catherine (Hiser) Weaver, Virginians, who were
among the earliest settlers in the Bentonville neighborhood, the Weaver
family thus being one of the oldest families in Fayette county. It was but
two or three years after the land in that section was opened for settlement

972

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

that George Weaver acquired his holdings in Posey township, probably about
1823. He had accompanied his parents from Virginia to Ohio, the family
settling at Dayton, from which point most of the large family of children
scattered out, seeking homes in the new lands of the then "wilds," and when
he and his wife started to make their home in a log cabin on their farni in
Posey township the land they had acquired from the government was prac-
tically all in deep forest growth. There George Weaver and wife reared
their- children and there spent the remainder of their lives, useful residents
of that pioneer community. On that pioneer farm James Weaver grew to
manhood, a valued assistant in the labors of developing and improving the
same, and after his marriage continued farming in Posey township the
remainder of his life, with the exception of four years spent in the town
of Dublin, and died at his home near Bentonville on January 30, 1887. His
widow survived him many years, her death occurring on April 5, 19 14.

Charlotte Schrader was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of
the Weaver farm southeast of Bentonville, daughter of Philip and Martha
(Turner) Schrader, pioneers of that section. Philip Schrader was born in
Pennsylvania, of German descent, and upon reaching manhood's estate went
to Ohio, where he married a Woodruff and remained for some years,
meanwhile keeping a lookout for a new place of settlement. His sister,
Mrs. Hall, and husband had come over into Indiana not long after the open-
ing of land for settlement here and had entered a tract of land in the south-
ern part of Posey township and Philip Schrader not long afterward entered
several tracts a short distance east of where his sister and her husband had
settled. One tract that he particularly desired, the east half of the southeast
quarter of section 30, southeast of Bentonville, had been entered by another
and he bought it from the original entrant, returning then to his home in
Ohio. His wife died in the latter state and he later married Martha Turner
and about 1826 came to this county to enter upon possession of his land here.
He established his home on the tract in section 30 above mentioned and by
dint of hard labor soon converted it from a forest wilderness into a well-
improved farm. In 1830 he erected on that tract the substantial brick
house which still stands there and is still in good condition, the bricks and
the lime for this old house having been burned by himself on the place.
Philip Schrader became a well-to-do farmer and on that pioneer farm he
spent the rest of his life, his death occurring about 1871. His widow con-
tracted pneumonia at his funeral and died two weeks later. Philip Schrader
was the father of nine children, two children, Elisha and Aaron, by his first
marriage and seven by his second marriage, William, Noble, Charlotte,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 973

Amanda. Matilda, Julia and Evaline, the latter of whom, Mrs. Evaline
Soniers, is the only one now living. On the Schrader fann Charlotte Schrader
made her home until her marriage to James Weaver. To that union two
sons were born, the subject of this sketch having a brother, .Mbert Weaver,
unmarried, who is making his home on the old home place with his maternal
aunt, Mrs. Somers.

Philip F. \\'eaver completed his schooling in the high school at Dul)lin
during the time the family resided in tliat town and was from the days of
his early youth trained in the work of the farm. He married a year or more
after his father's death in 1887 and continued to make his home on the
home farm with his mothqr until 1895, when he moved to his present well-
improved farm of one hundred and ninety-five acres a half mile south of
Bentonville, where he since has made his home and where he and his family
are very comfortably situated. In 19 15 I\Ir. \\'eaver built a fine new house
on his farm, a sulistantial modern dwelling, with electric lights, steam heat,
running water and all necessary improvements to add to the comfort and
convenience of the family.

On December 19, 1888, Philip F. Weaver was united in marriage to
Lorena Munger, who was born on the old Munger homestead in the south
half of section 19 in Posey township, this county, one mile east of her
present home, daughter of Lazarus and Savannah (Ferguson) Munger, the
former of whom was born in a log cabin on that same farm on .Sci)tcinl)er
II, 1831, a son of Edmund K. and Mary (Cole) Alunger, the former of
whom was born in Rutland county, Vermont, September 13, 1790, the third
in order of birth of the twelve children born to Gen. Edmund and Eunice
(Kellogg) Munger. Gen. lulmund Munger, also a native of X'crmont, was
born on September 30, 1763, and, on December 5, 1785, married luinice
Kellogg, who was born on August 13. 1767. For a time after his marriage
Gener.al Munger was located at Washington, Connecticut, and for ;i few
years later in Rutland county. Vermont. In the spring of 1798 he moved
with his family to Belfire on the Ohio river, in Washington county. Ohio.
He presently bought a tract of land over in Montgomery county, that state.
and in the spring of 1799 loaded his household effects on a flatboat and with
his family descended the Ohio to old Ft. Wa.shington, now Cincinnati, and
proceeded thence on up the Aliami trail to his new possession in the Dayton
neighborhood in ^Montgomery county. The first shelter he erected there for
himself and family was a bark leanto, which sufficed until he presently was
able to erect a rude log cabin, in which he established his home. He was a
man of much energy and from the very beginning of his activities in that

974 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

pioneer community prospered, so that he soon came to be regarded as one of
the most substantial residents of that section and a quite well-to-do citizen.
Upon the outbreak of the War of 1812 General Hunger raised a body of
soldiers and drilled them with the expectation of going to the front at the
head of that command, but he was superseded by General Hull, who later
surrendered his troops to the British at Detroit, much to the rage and chagrin
of that whole command as well as to the consternation of the whole country.
General Munger spent his last days at his home in the Dayton neighborhood,
living to the ripe old age of eighty-seven years, his death, on April
14, 1850, being hastened by a fall from a ladder. He and his wife were
members of the Presbyterian church and were ever interested in good
works, valuable factors in the work of developing proper social conditions
in the community of which they were among the foremost pioneers. She
was one hundred years and nearly five months old at her death, January
8, 1868.

Edmund K. Munger was but a child when he moved with his parents
and the rest of the family from Vermont to Ohio and he grew to manhood
in Montgomery county. When the War of 1812 broke out he enlisted for
service and served until honorably discharged. He married in Decemljer,
1812, and continued to make his home in Ohio until the spring of 1821 when
he came over into Indiana and at the land office at Brookville bought a
tract of two hundred acres in section 19 of Posey township, this county. In
October of that same year he settled on that land with his family, making
his home there in a log cabin until, in 1835, he erected a substantial brick
house on the place and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occur-
ring in June 10, 1872. He was a man of push and energy and took an
active part in the development of that part of the county. His wife was a
devoted member of the Baptist church and they were among the leaders in
local good works in that neighborhood. On December 17, 181 2, Edmund
K. Munger was united in marriage to Mary Cole, who was born in Virginia
on October 15, 1794, and who was but a child when her parents, Samuel
and Catherine (Bryan) Cole, moved to Ohio and settled in Montgomery
county. To that union twelve children were born, one of whom, Lazarus
Munger, was married on September 10, 1866, to Savannah Ferguson, who
was born on February 8, 1843, daughter of Linville and Elizabeth M.
(Loder) Ferguson, pioneers of that community, the former of whom was
born in North Carolina and the latter in this county. Lazarus Munger was
an excellent farmer and became the owner of five hundred and twenty-five
acres of the best land in Posey township, which farm he brought to a high

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 975

State of cultivation. For some time during the early sixties he served his
township as assessor and often represented his party as a delegate to county,
district or state conventions. For years he and his brother, Edmund Alunger,
were actively engaged in breeding fine live stock, operating under the firm
name of L. & E. Hunger, and were quite successful in that line. Lazarus
Munger was a good citizen and took pride in doing what he could to advance
the common welfare in the community in which he spent all his life. He
died at his home in Posey township on May 2^, 1909, and his widow sur-
vived him for nearly three years, her death occurring on May 7, 19 12. They
were the parents of three children, Lorena M., wife of Mr. Weaver, War-
ren and Helen E.

To Philip F. and Lorena M. (Munger) Weaver four children have
been born, Blake and Max, both of whom died when thirteen years of age,
and Edith and Laz, the latter a graduate of Rushville high school. Edith
Weaver has educated herself in preparation for teaching. The Weavers
are members of the Christian church and have ever taken a proper part in
local good works and in the general social activities of the community in
which they live, helpful in advancing all worthy causes thereabout.

HAYDEN LEWIS.

The late Hayden Lewis, who died at his well-kept farm home in Jack-
son township, this county, on July i, 1914, was born on that farm on May
31, 1849, and had lived there all his life. He was a son of Enoch and
Elizabeth (Clifton) Lewis, the former of whom also was born on that farm,
a son of Leonard Lewis, of Welsh parentage, who settled there in terri-
torial days, the farm ever since having been in the possession of the Lewis*
family, being now occupied by the widow of Hayden Lewis — a period of
more than one hundred years. Enoch Lewis, who was born in 181 5, si>ent
all his life on the farm on which he was born and there reared his family.
He married Elizabeth Clifton, who was born on October 15, 1816, a daugh-
ter of John and Rebecca Clifton, the former of whom was born on August
25, 1791, a son of Daniel and Deborah Clifton, the former born in 1764, a
son of Simon Clifton, and the latter, July 8. 1765. John and Rebecca Clif-
ton came to Indiana from New Jersey and became substantial pioneer resi-
dents of Fayette county.

Hayden Lewis grew to manhood on the ancestral farm in Jackson town-

976 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ship and after his marriage established his home there, continuing to make
that his place of residence until his death in 1914, he then being sixty-five
years of age. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church
and a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias, taking a warm
interest in both church and lodge work. Hayden Lewis was a good farmer
and left to his widow and children aggregate land holdings of two hundred
and twenty-seven acres of excellent land, including the old Hanley homestead,
which is pictured elsewhere in this volume.

On March 11, 1877, at Connersville, Hayden Lewis was united in mar-
riage to Sallie Sanders, who was born at Hope, in Bartholomew county, this
state, a daughter of James J. and Susan (Whitlock) Sanders, the former of
whom was born in Kentucky and the latter on a pioneer farm in the south-
ern part of Jackson township, this county, a daughter of Joseph Whitlock
and wife, early settlers of that community. James J. Sanders grew up as
a farmer in Kentucky and later came to Indiana, locating in Bartholomew
county, whence, about 1862, he moved to a farm near Laurel, in Franklin
county, where he lived until 1873, in which year he moved to a farm near
Danville, Illinois, where he spent the rest of his life. His daughter, Sallie
Sanders, was living at Laurel at the time of her marriage to Hayden Lewis.
To that union four children were born, Inez L., Alden, Howard and Alma
Fern, all of whom are living with their mother on the farm on which they
were born. Mrs. Lewis is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, as are her daughters, and takes an active interest in church work,
as well as in the general good v/orks of the community in. which she lives.

JOHN MITCHELL SCOTT.

John Mitchell Scott, a well-known and veteran druggist at Indianapolis,
is a native son of Fayette county and has ever retained the heartiest interest
in the affairs of his old home county. He was born on a pioneer farm in
the northeastern part of Orange township on September 16, 1854, son of
Judge John and Sarah Snodgrass (Carter) Scott, prominent and influential
residents of that community. Judge John Scott, one of the pioneers of Fay-
ette county and former associate judge of the county, was for years one of
the most forceful factors in the general life of the community in which he
settled in the early twenties and in which he spent the remainder of his life.
In a biographical sketch relating to William W. Scott, also a druggist at

FAYETTE COUNTY,

977

Indianapolis and elder brother of the subject of this sketch, presented else-
where in this volume, there is set out at considerable length the history of the
Scott family in this county, with particular reference to the part Judge Scott
took in the affairs of the community during his long residence here, and the
attention of the reader is respectfully invited to that interesting narrative for
further details of a genealogical character in connection with this brief review
of the life of a former resident of Fayette county, who, though long a resident
of Indianapolis has never ceased to hold in affectionate memory the scenes of
his boyhood and early manhood in this county.

Reared on the paternal farm in Orange township, John AI. Scott was
from the days of his boyhood a valued aid to his father in the labors of the
farm and remained there until he was twenty-seven years of age. He had
received his schooling in the schools of his home neighborhood, having attended
variously the Swamp school, the Poplar Grove school and the lies school,
and supplemented the same by much and careful home study, with particular
reference to the study of materia medica, chemistry, botany and the like, and
in iS8i went to Indianapolis, in which city his elder brother, William W.
Scott, had a few years Ijefore engaged in the drug business, and in associa-
tion with the latter entered upon his career as a druggist. A year or two
later John M. Scott bought his brother's interest in the store and continued
the business himself, his location at that time being at the corner of New York
street and Indiana avenue. In 1893 he sold that store and moved further up
town, opening a drug store at the corner of Illinois and Sixteenth street and
has there ever since been very successfully engaged in business, long having
been recognized as one of the veteran druggists of the capital city. About ten
years ago Mr. Scott's eldest son, Clinton Lawrence Scott, became a i)artner
of his father, but two years later abandoned the drug business and went to
Kansas, where he is now successfully engaged in the retail lumber busness.
Another son, Charles Williams Scott, succeeded to the partnership and this
mutually agreeable arrangement continues, the business being conducted under
the firm name of J. M. Scott & Son. Mr. Scott is a member of the Marion
County Retail Druggists Association, the Indiana Pharmaceutical Association
and the National Association of Retail Druggists and in the affairs of these
several trade associiitions has ior years taken a warm interest.

On November 18, 1875, in this county, John M. Scott was united in mar-
riage to Emmazetta W^illiams, who was born in the Everton neighborhood, in
Jackson township, this county, a daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Ann (Mcll-
wain) \Villiams, both of whom also were natives of this county. Jeremiah
(62)

978 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Williams was born on a pioneer farm in the Everton neighborhood on June
21, 1829, a son of the Rev. Elisha Williams and wife, who were for years
among the most influential and useful residents of that part of the county.
The Rev. Elisha Williams was a native of Kentucky, born in Pulaski county,
that state, August 3, 1802, and was fourteen years of age when his parents
came up into Indiana and after a year spent in the vicinity of Brookville came
on up into Fayette county and settled west of Everton, where he grew to
manhood and where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Martha
Baker, who was born on June 5, 1808, and to that union ten children were
born. The mother of these children died on July 4, 1856, and Mr. Williams
afterward was married twice, but these later unions were without issue. In
1830 Elisha Williams joined the Methodist church and on August 4, 1841,
was licensed as an "exhorter" in tliat body and on August 28, 1852, was
ordained as a minister of the same. The Rev. Elisha Williams was a "shout-
ing" Methodist and his earnest exortations to his pioneer hearers exerted a
powerful influence for good throughout a wide territory hereabout. At the
Mt. Zion campmeetings he was accustomed to mount a stump and issue a gen-
eral invitation to all within the sound of his stentorian voice to repair to his
house for dinner and to stay all night. Needless to say, this generous
invitation would be accepted with such a degree of unanimity that not only
the house, but the barn, would be filled to overflowing with guests and the
chicken-house and garden cleaned out before the meeting would be over.
This earnest pioneer preacher lived to a ripe old age, full of good works to
the end of his days, and he died at his home near Everton on November
21, 1884, being then well past eighty years of age.

Jeremiah Williams grew to manhood on his father's well-kept farm near
Everton and on February 25, 1849, married Mary Ann Mcllwain, who
also was born in this county, near Everton, August 5, 1828, a daughter of
John and Sarah (Logan) Mcllwain, substantial pioneers. After his mar-
riage Jeremiah Williams continued farming in Jackson township until 1861,
when he moved to a farrh he had bought in Orange township and there he
spent his last days, his death occurring on May 23, 1875. For some years
after his death his widow kept the home and the children together and then
slie went to Glenwood, where she resided for some time, later moving to
Rushville, where she spent her last days, her death occurring there in 1910,
she then being eighty-two years of age. To Jeremiah Williams and wife
seven children were born, two of whom died in infancy, the others being
as follows: Theresa L., who married Charles H. Alger, of Rushville, in
November, 1882, and died in April, 191 1, without issue; Emmazetta, wife

FAYETTE COUNTY, IXDIAXA. 979

of Mr. Scott; Alartha J., wife of James V. Ryburn, of Rusliville; Sarah J.,
born on August 14, 1859, \v1k) completed her musical education in the
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and for years devoted her life to teachinjj
music and who has for years been a resident of Rushvillc, and l'".lisha. the
only living son, born in Oranj^e township, Octol)er _>(), iSoj^, nnw a substan-
tial farmer living west of Connersviile, wlio niarrieil Marianna ljill>y, daus'li-
ter of Francis M. Bilby, and has three chililren, Clyde Hubert, Elsie Annetta
and Mary Ellen.

To John M. and luninazctta (Williams) Scott tiiree ciiiidren ha\f been
born, namely : Clinton Lawrence, now engaged in the lumber business in
Kansas, who married Nellie Richolson and has one child, a daughter, Donna
Louise; Charles \V., engaged with his father in the drug business at Indian-
apolis, who married Nellie Wheldon and has six cliildren, Martha W'beldon,
John i\Iitchell, Joseph Wheldon, Charles Alger, Clinton Lawrence and
George Williams, and Ida May, who married Walter Scott Ryan, now
living at Westfield, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City, and has one
child, a son, Walter Scott Ryan, Jr. The Scots have a very pleasant home
in College avenue, Indianapolis, and takes a proper interest in the general
social activities of their home city, ever helpful in promoting local good works.
Mrs. Scott is a member of the Fourth Presbyterian church in that city and
takes an active part in the various beneficence? of the same.

HARRY EMERY WEA\'ER.

Harry Em^ry Weaver, cashier of the Farmers Bank of Bentonville antl
a well-to-do landowner of Posey township, this county, was born on a farm
in that township, one and one-half miles west of Bentonville, and has lived
in that neighborhood all his life. He was born on Septeml^er 28, 1883,
son and only child of George H. and Rachael E. (Thornburg) Weaver, the
former of whom was born in that same township and the latter in the neigh-
boring county of Wayne, who are now living in Bentonville.

George H. Weaver was born on a pioneer farm on Williams creek, in
Posey township, this county, Deceml^er 26, 1851, son of William and Lovisa
(Messersmith) Weaver, the former of whom was born on that same farm
during the early twenties of the past century, a son of George and Catherine
(Hanley) Weaver, natives of Pennsylvania, who came from that state to
Indiana in the early days of the settlement of this part of the state and

980 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

after a sometime residence in Wayne county came to Fayette county, where
George Weaver entered from the government the northeast quarter of sec-
tion 30, southeast of Bentonville, and there established his home, he and his
wife spending their remaining days on that pioneer farm. WiUiam Weaver
grew up on that farm, thoroughly inured to the hardships inseparably con-
nected with the lives of the pioneers, and in that neighborhood married
Lovisa Messersmith, daughter of Hiram Messersmith and wife, pioneers of
that section of the county, who moved from there about the year 1863 to
Missouri, where they spent the rest of their lives. After his marriage
William Weaver for two years made his home on what is now known as
the old Rodney Shipley farm northeast of Yankeetown and then he moved
to Madison county, where he bought a farm and where he made his home
for twelve years, at the end of which time he returned to the farm on
which he was born, southeast of Bentonville, and after four years there
moved to a farm just on the eastern edge of Bentonville and thence, after
awhile, to a farm two and one-half miles southwest of Bentonville and from
there back to his farm in Madison county, where he spent the remainder of
his life, his death occurring about 1882. His wife had died about 1863,
by which time two of his children were grown and married, and for some
time afterward he kept the younger children together, his son, George H.,
remaining with him until he was sixteen years of age, when he began work-
ing for his uncle, John Weaver, on the latter's farm northwest of Benton-
ville, where he remained for six years, at the end of which time he returned
to the old home place and after his marriage a year later established his
home there.

For six years after his marriage George H. Weaver remained on his
old home farm and then bought a farm of one hundred and twenty-six acres
a mile and a half west of Bentonville, where he made his home for ten years,
at the end of which time he moved to the farm three-quarters of a mile south
of Bentonville, where Frank Weaver is now living, renting the latter place,
it being a larger farm than his own, and after six years of residence there
rented a two-hundred-acre farm a couple of miles southwest of Bentonville.
A year later he returned to his own farm and there continued to make his
home for fifteen years, or until in February, 191 6, when he retired from
the farm and moved to Bentonville and has since made his home in that
pleasant village, he and his wife being very comfortably situated there. In
the fall of 1916 Mr. Weaver was compelled to undergo the amputation of
his left leg as the result of complications ensuing from an abrasion of the
foot caused by a nail in his shoe. He is a member of the local lodge of

FAYETTE COUNTY, INOIANA. 98 1

the Independent Order of Odd I-'ellows and lie and his wife are nienil)ers
of the Christian chnrch, in the affairs of which they ever have taken an active
interest.

On November 21, 1874, George H. Weaver was united in marriaj^e to
Rachael Thornburg, who was born on a farm about live miles north of
Hagerstown, in Wayne county, this state, a daughter of Wilham and h'rances
(Spradhn) Thornburg, both of whom were born in that same county, the
former a son of Dempsey and Jane Thornburg, who came to this state from
Tennessee and estabhshed their home in the Hagerstown neigliborhond.
\\'illiam Thornburg grew up in that community and married Frances Sprad-
hn, daughter of Wright and Frances Spradhn, who came to this state from
North Carohna. After his marriage Wilham Thornburg established his
home on a farm in the neighlxjrhood of his Ix)yhood home and there he spent
the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in August, 1914.

Harry E. Weaver, only son of George H. and Rachael E. (Thorn-
burg) Weaver, grew up on a farm in Posey township and supplemented the
schooling he received in the local schools by a course in a business college
at Marion, from which he was graduated, and later took a post-graduaie
course in bookkeeping, finishing there in 1903. Upon leaving School Air.
Weaver returned to the farm and after his marriage in the fall of 1905
established his home on the farm and there continued farming until he
met with an accident while operating a corn-shredder on November 17.
191 5, which permanently disabled him from the manual labor of the farm,
compelling his retirement from the farm. Upon relinc|uishing his
place on the farm Mr. Weaver moved to Bentonville and aided in
the organization of the Farmers Bank of Benton\ille, of which
institution he was made cashier and is now occupying that imiwrtant posi-
tion. He owns the building in which the bank is located and has done much
during the short time the bank has been doing business to insure the perma-
nency of the institution. The Farmers Bank of Bentonville was organized
and opened for business on July 8, 1916, with a capital stock of ten thousand
dollars, all paid up, and with the following officers : President, J. K. Smith ;
vice-president, R. S. Hicks ; cashier, Harry E. W^eaver, and directors, besides
the above-named officers, as follow : J. A. Boyd, A. Boyd, Bent W^ilson,
George Kelsey, Oliver Thornburg, T. B. Millikin, J. C. Dodson and \\'arren
Hunger. The bank has a large, burglar-proof vault, with safety-deposit
boxes and is well equipped for the business.

On November 8, 1905, Harry E. Weaver was united in marriage to
Bessie S. Mason, who was born on a farm just east of Bentonville, a daughter

g82 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of John S. and Alice (Norris) Mason, substantial residents of that com-
munity. Though permanently retired from the active labors of the farm Mr.
Weaver continues to give general supervision to the farm he owns in Posey
township as well as to a farm owned by his wife in that same township. Mr.
and Mrs. Weaver are members of the Christian church, with the local con-
gregation of which Mr. Weaver has been connected since he was sixteen
years of age, and take an active interest in church work, as well as in the
general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in
promoting all good causes thereabout.

GEORGE WASHINGTON LAKE.

George Washington Lake, one of Eayette county's best-known retired
farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm in Jennings township, where he
made his home for tliirty-five years, but who is now living in the pleasant
village of Everton, was born in that village on November 22, 1851. He is
a son of Phenas and Rebecca (Lambert) Lake, members of old families in
this county and the parents of eleven children, further mention of whom is
made elsewhere in this volume, together with a somewhat extended history
of the Lake family, going back for centuries in England and detailing the
history of the life of William Lake, father of Phenas Lake. William Lake
came to Indiana from New Jersey in 181 5, settling in Dearborn county,
whence, in 1835, he came up the river to Eayette county and settled in the
Everton neighborhood, in Jackson township, where he spent the rest of his
life and where his son, Phenas Lake, also spent the rest of his life, a farmer
and saAv-mill owner, justice of the peace and for years one of the most sub-
stantial and influential residents of that part of the county.

It was on the home farm at Everton, in the house now occupied by his
brother, Ellis R. Lake, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere
in this volume, that George W. Lake grew to manhood. He received his
schooling in the Everton schools and from boyhood was a valued aid to his
father in the labors of developing and improving the home farm. After his
marriage, he then being twenty-six years of age, he established his home on
his farm in the southern part of Jennings township, and there resided for
thirty-five years or until his retirement from the farm in 191 1 and removal to
Everton, where he is now living and where he and his family are very com-
fortaljlv situated. Mr. Lake is the owner of an excellent fami of one hundred

FAYETTE COl^NTY, INIIIANA. 983

and ninety acres in Jennings township, wiiicli, since liis retirement from tlie
active labors of the farm, has been operated l)y his son, I'rederick K. Lake,
who is living on the farm.

On November 5, 1876, George W. Lake was united in marriage to
Mary Caroline Kerr, who was born on a pioneer farm south of Everton on
July 10, 1850, daughter of James and Margaret (Grist) Kerr, well-known
and intluential residents of that community. James Kerr, who was one of
the first school teachers in the l'"airfield neighborhood, was born in County
Antrim, Ireland, October 22. 1701, and was but eight years of age when his
parents left Ireland and came to this country. His father, a political refugee
on account of his participation in the Irish rebellion of 1798, left his native
land with his wife and two small sons, James and Henry, December 12,
1799, and arrived at the port of Charleston, South Carolina, April 20, 1800.
He established his home in the Abbeville district of South Carolina and there
James Kerr grew to manhood. There, on March 7, 181 5, James Kerr mar-
ried Nancy Mcllwain and in the sijring of 1S22 he and his wife came West,
arriving in Indiana on May 21 of that year, settling in the Fairfield neigh-
borhood, in Franklin county. On July 2'/ of that same year Nancy Kerr
died and on December 23, 1824, James Kerr married Margaret Grist, who
was born in the Pendleton district of South Carolina, January 9, 1809, and
who came to Indiana with her parents, Simon and Sarah Grist, .in 1813, the
family settling in Fayette county. During the period of his residence in the
Fairfield neighborhood James Kerr taught school and he also taught for
some time after moving to the farm south of Everton in this county, where
he spent the rest of his life. On January 28, 1828, he and his family moved
to that farm in Jackson township and it was not long until James Kerr came
to be recognized as one of the strong and influential characters in that part
of the county. He took an active interest in the general civic affairs of the
community and for some time served as trustee of the township, in that
capacity rendering admirable service in behalf of the pioneer community.
His last vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. He and his wife were earnest
members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their children were reared
in that faith. There were thirteen of these children, all of whom grew to
maturity save one son, Hugh, who died when two years of age. James Kerr
died on September 16, 1873, at the age of eighty-one years, and his widow
survived until January 26, 1884, she being seventy-five years of age at the
time of her death.

To George W. and ^lary Caroline (Kerr) Lake three children have been

984 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

born, namely: Mamie G., who married Lafayette Moore, a biographical
sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and has one child, a
son, Daniel George; Frederick Ellis, who is at home with his parents at
Everton, and Walter Arden Lake, now farming in the Bentley neighborhood,
who married Eva Pierce and has one child, a son, Arden Pierce, born on
October 17, 191 6. Mr. Lake is a member of the local lodges of the Knights
of Pythias and of the Improved Order of Red Men and Mrs. Lake is a
member of the Pythian Sisters and of the Daughters of Rebekah, both taking
a warm interest in the affairs of these several organizations. Mrs. Lake
is a member of the Methodist church and she and her husband have ever
given their earnest attention to local good works, helpful in promoting all
measures having to do with the advancement of the common welfare of the
communitv in which they have lived all their lives.

LAFAYETTE MOORE.

Lafayette Moore, trustee of Jackson township and one of the best-
known and most substantial farmers of that township, was born in that same
township and has lived there all his life. He was born on the old Moore
farm, now occupied by his elder brother, Joseph A. Moore, in section 22
of Jackson township, October 2, 1875, son of Daniel W. and Caroline
(Beckett) Moore, both natives of this section, members of pioneer families,
and both of whom are now deceased, the latter dying about eighteen years
ago and the former surviving until May i, 1916. Daniel W. Moore was one
of the most substantial farmers in the southern part of the county and for
some time served as trustee of Jackson township. He and his wife were
the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the
second son and the fourth child in order of birth. In a biographical sketch
relating to Joseph A. Moore, the elder son, presented elsewhere in this volume,
there is set out a comprehensive history of the Moore family in this county,
and to that the attention of the reader is respectfully invited for additional
information in connection with the present sketch.

Reared on the home farm in Jackson township, Lafayette Moore received
his elementary schooling in the local schools and supplemented the same by a
course in the Central Normal School at Danville, this state, and at the uni-
versity at Valparaiso, and for three winters taught school at Everton. After
his marriage in 1894 Mr. Moore located on the farm on which he is now

FAYETTE COITNTV, INDIANA. 985

living, about one mile east of Everton. and has ever since made that place
his home, having been quite successfully engaged in general farming and
stock raising. Like his father and liis grandfather before him. he has long
been a buyer and shipper of live stock and has also done well in that line.
Mr. Moore is a Democrat and has ever given his close attention to local civic
affairs. In the fall of 191 4 he was elected trustee of Jack.son township and
is now serving in that important capacity, giving his most thoughtful and
intelligent attention to the public service.

On May 15, 1894. Lafayette Moore was united in marriage to Mamie
G. Lake, who was born in Jennings township, this county, a daughter of
George W. and Carolifie (Kerr) Lake, both members of prominent pioneer
families in the Everton neighborhood and further and extended mention of
whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Moore completed her school-
ing in the high school at Everton and she and her husband have ever given
their earnest attention to the general social and cultural affairs of the com-
munity in which they live. Mr. Moore is a member- of the local lodges of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Improved Order of Red
Men and in the affairs of these organizations takes a warm interest. ]\Ir.
and Mrs. Moore have a very pleasant home and have one child, a son. Daniel
George Moore, born on March 20, 1895. Mrs. Moore has been county
president of the Woman's Cln-istian Temperance L'nion for tlie past three
years and was chosen as delegate to the national convention at Seattle, \\'ash-
ington, which she attended.

HON. JAMES K. MASON.

Hon. James K. Alason, joint representative in the Indiana state Legis-
lature from the district comprising the counties of Fayette and Franklin,
former chairman of the Fayette County Farmers Institute, one of the best-
known farmers and stockmen in Fayette county, the proprietor of a line
farm in Posey township and for years actively identified with all movements
having to do with the improvement of rural conditions throughout this part
of the state, is a native son of Fayette county, born in Posey township, and
has always lived in that township. He was born on a farm about three-
fourths of a mile southeast of Bentonville on April 11. 1879, son of James
Henrv and Emma F. (Kemmer) Mason, the fomier a native of the state of
Ohio and the latter of this county, for years well-known residents of the

986 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Bentonville neighborhood, who later moved to Cambridge City, where James
Henry Mason spent his last days and where his widow is now living, very
comfortably situated.

James Henry Mason was born on a farm about eight miles east of the
city of Hamilton, in Butler county, Ohio, August 18, 1848, son of James
Mason and wife, who moved from New Jersey to Ohio, driving through
with a spring wagon which contained all their belongings and settled in
Butler county. There James Mason made a success of his farming opera-
tions and was regarded as a quite well-to-do farmer when, shortly after
the close of the Civil War, he disposed of his holdings in Butler county and
came to Indiana and bought a farm about four miles north of Connersville,
on the west side of the Milton pike, just south of the county line, where he
established his home remaining there for some years, at the end of which
time he bought the Othniel Claypool farm of about four hundred and eighty
acres, one and one-half miles east of Bentonville, where his grandson, the
subject of this sketch, now lives; the place known as the old James McCul-
lum farm. The handsome old brick house, of Colonial architecture, which still
stands on that place, now remodeled and modernized, with a furnace heating
plant and the like, was erected by James McCuUum in 1848 and is back
thirty-four rods from the road, being approached through an avenue of pine
trees. On that place James Mason spent the rest of his life, becoming one
of the wealthiest men in the northern part of the county. He was a man of
large public spirit and took an active part in political affairs, for years being
regarded as one of the leaders in the Republican party in this county. He
was stricken with apoplexy while addressing a Republican meeting during
a campaign and died shortly afterward, sincerely mourned throughout the
entire county. James Mason left four children, James H., John S., Mrs.
Hannah Thompson and Mrs. Kate Murphy.

James H. Mason was a young man when the family came to this county
from Ohio and he at once took an active part in the work of improving and
developing the home farm in Posey township. At the age of twenty-eight
he married Emma F. Kemmer, who was born in that township, daughter
of Samuel and Elizabeth (Campbell) Kemmer, members of prominent pio-
neer families of that neighborhood, further reference to whom is made else-
where in this volume. Elizabeth Campbell was a kinswoman of Alexander
Campbell, the founder of the Christian, or Disciples church. After his mar-
riage James H. Mason continued farming in Posey township until about
1905, when he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to
Bentonville, presently moving thence to Cambridge City, where he died on

FAYKTTE COIXTY, INDIANA. 987

August 31, 191 1, and where his widow is still living. Me and liis wife were
the parents of four children, those besides the subject uf tlii> skctcli IjcIulj
Clarence A., Mrs. Maggie M. Beeson, who is living across the line in Wayne
county, about a mile and a half east of the old Mason home, and Dorothea
E., now Mrs. Grover Castner, living in Cambridge with her mother.

James K. Mason was four years of age when his parents moved from
the old home farm to the farm northwest of Bentonville and was eighteen
years of age when they moved back to the old home place, where he is now
living. He received his schooling in the high school at Bentonville and has
ever sedulously supplemented the same by exhaustive home study and wide-
reading until he has come to be one of the best-informed men in the cnunty.
After his marriage in the fall of 1901 he rented the old home farm where
he was born and there established his home. Two years later he bought
at administers sale an adjoining "eighty" that had been a part of his
Grandfather Mason's original homestead, and in the fall of 1910 he lx)Ught
from his father, paying one hundred dollars an acre for the same, sixty acres
of the home place, including the house. Upon the death of his father lie
inherited ninety acres additional and now is tlie owner i)f two hundred anil
thirty-two acres of the old home place, besides a onefDurth interest in a
section of land in Rriscoe county, Te.xas, owned jointly by himself and iiis
brother and sisters. In- addition to his general farming Mr. Mason has
for years taken much interest in the raising of cattle and hogs for the market
and has given much attention to the work of promoting the raising of hogs
in this county, promoting the "pig-feeding" contests in all proper ways. In
191 5 his little daughter, Elsie, won second prize in this contest at the county
fair and in 1916 Mr. Mason had charge of the annual contest and with
the preparations for the same, speaking on every possible public occasion in
behalf of the movement and urging the Irays of Fayette county to enter into
the movement. Thirty days before the date of the decision of the contest
he and others toured the county with a pair of scales, weighing the pigs that
had been entered in the contest and during the linal exhibit at the countv
fair weighed them again, one hundred dollars in prizes l^eing divided among
the four winners. Mr. Mason also was continued in charge of that work in
1917 and has done wonders in the way of stimulating interest in hog raising
among the youngsters of this county. During the years 19 12- 13 he was
county chairman of the Farmers Institutes and his indefatigal)le lalwrs in that
connection did much toward reviving the interest in such meetings and in
re-establishing the work of the farmers institutes throughout the county.
When Mr. Mason accepted that chairmanship he found l)ut two such insti-

95(5 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

tutes in the county. When he retired from the office there were eleven in
the county and all doing good work. From the days of his boyhood Mr.
Mason has been an unwavering Republican and has for years taken an
active part in local political affairs. In 191 2 he was nominated by his party
as the candidate for joint representative from the legislative district comprised
in the counties of Fayette and Wayne, but was unsuccessful in his cam-
paign, the Democratic landslide in that year nullifying the effects of his can-
vass of the district. In 1914 he was again nominated from that same district
and was elected, serving in the session of 191 5. During that session the
joint-legislative district was changed, Fayette county being linked with Frank-
lin instead of with Wayne, and in the spring of 1916 when Mr. Mason was
re-nominated to succeed himself in the Legislature the district was generally
conceded to the Democrats; but the nominee entered the campaign with all
the vigor of which he was capable and won out by a majority of two hun-
dred and seventy-four, running ahead of the state ticket in every precinct
in the two counties. During the memorable legislative session of 191 7 Mr.
Mason took much interest in the question of better roads for Indiana and
worked vigorously in that behalf, his chief contention being that there should
be a cash fund in each county to provide for the construction of all public
roads and thus to do away with the present costly system of bond issues for
highway purposes, according to his convincing demonstration forty per cent,
of the present cost of building highways in this state being chargeable to
interest accruing on the bonds issued for that purpose. In addition to his
labors in behalf of a highway commission. Representative Mason stood
firmly for the act prohibiting the traffic in liquor in this state, favored woman
sufifrage and was a supporter of the bill for the creation of a new consti-
tional convention.

On October 9, 1901, James K. Mason was united in marriage to Nellie
Manlove, who also was born in Posey township, on the farm where her
father still lives, two and a half miles southeast of Bentonville, daughter
of John L. and Mary E. (Scott) Manlove, and to this union five children
have been born, three of whom are living, Elsie Viola, Mary Florence and
Bertha Olive, and two of whom, Carl Scott and James Lester, are dead.
Mr. and Mrs. Mason have a very pleasant home and have long been regarded
as among the leaders in the general social activities of the community in
which they live, helpful in promoting all proper agencies for the advance-
ment of the common welfare not only throughout this county, but through-
out the state.

John L. Manlove, father of Mrs. Mason, was born on the farm on

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 989

which he still lives, October j^, 1846, son of William and Margaret (iMunger)
Manlove, prominent residents of that part of the county and further refer-
ence to whom is made elsewhere in this volume, both having been members
of pioneer families in the northern part of the county. Mr. Manlove has
always been a farmer on the place where he now lives. In 1876 he married
Mary E. Scott, who also was born in Posey township, daughter of Jc^hn
and Margaret (Weaver) Scott, also members of pioneer families. She died
in 1910. To that union seven children were born, those besides Mrs. Mason,
the second in order of birth, being as follow: Omer S., now Uving in Cam-
bridge City, who married Nellie Jones and has two children, Martha Ellen
and Irving; Lola, wife of Rich Miles, a farmer living near Raleigh, in the
neighboring county of Rush; William G., who is with his father on the home
farm, where he operates a saw-mill ; Eunice, who is now living at Benton-
ville, widow of Emery Curtis; Arthur T., living on part of his father's farm,
who married Ina Hussey and has one, child, a son, Russell, and Park M., now
living at Milton, over the line in Wayne county, who married Gertrude
Baker and has two children, Horace and Marv Olive.

CHARLES W. AL\SON.

Charles W. Mason, member of the board of commissioners of b'ayelte
county and a well-known merchant of Bentonville, is a native son of Fay-
ette county, born on a farm just southeast of Bentonville, and has lived in
that neighborhood all his Hfe. He was born on May 21, 1882, son of John
S. and Alice (Morris) Mason, the former a native of Ohio and the latter
of Iowa, and the former of whom is still living on his fine farm three-
fourths of a mile southeast of Bentonville, where he has lived since the
days of his young manhood, his father having settled there in the latter
seventies.

John S. Mason was born in Butler county. Ohio. July 16, 1851, son
of James and Ann (Sheppard) Mason, natives of New Jersey, who were
married in that state and then moved to Ohio, locating in Butler county,
where they remained until 1865, in which year they came up into Indiana
and settled in this county, James Mason buying the northwest quarter of
section 36 in Harrison township, four miles north of Connersville on the
west side of the Connersville and Milton pike. There the mother died, after
which, in the latter seventies, James Mason sold that place and bought five

990 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

hundred and sixty-three acres, a half-mile strip running east from Benton-
ville, in Posey township, along the south side of the road, and there James
Mason spent the remainder of his life, building up a very fine farm prop-
erty, two hundred and fifty-one acres of which his son, John S. Mason, now
owns, having made his home there for many years. James Mason and
wife were the parents of four children, of whom John S. was the last-born,
the other being as follow: Hannah, who married Miles Thompson and is
now deceased; Catherine, wife of Cornelius Murphy, of Cincinnati, and
Henry, who died about five years ago. Since coming into possession of
his portion of the home farm John S. Mason has built a new house, remodeled
the barn and has done a lot of fencing, draining and clearing, having now
one of the best-improved faims in that part of the county. He was about
twenty years of age when he moved to that place with his father and upon
his marriage, established his home there. His wife died on July 2, 1896. She
was born in Iowa, a daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Harvey) Morris,
the former a native of Delaware and the latter of Ohio, who left Butler
county, in the latter state, not long before the birth of their daughter, Alice,
and for several years made their home in Iowa, returning thence to Ohio,
where they remained until about 1875, when they came to Indiana and
located at Dublin, where they were living when their daughter Alice mar-
ried Mr. Mason. Later Mr. and Mrs. Morris came to this county and for a
time made their home at Bentonville, later moving to Hartford City, where
the former died. Mrs. Morris spent her last days at Kalamazoo, Michigan.
To John S. Mason and wife two children were born, the subject of this
sketch having a sister, Bessie, wife of Harry Weaver, a banker at Ben-
tonville.

Charles W. Mason was reared on the home farm, receiving his schooling
in the schools at Bentonville, and continued farming until in the spring of
1912, when he and Frank D. Hackleman formed a partnership and engaged
in the mercantile business at Bentonville, dealers in general hardware and
farm implements. That enterprise has proved a pronounced success, the
firm having built up an excellent trade throughout that part of the county,
their store being stocked with a completeness of detail that would do credit
to a town much larger than Bentonville. Mr. Mason has also been inter-
ested in the First National Bank of Dublin for the past four years and is a
member of the board of directors of the same. He is a Republican and has
ever given his close and interested attention to local civic affairs. On Novem-
ber 7, 1916, he was elected member of the board of county commissioners

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 99I

from his district and entered uixin the duties of that important office nn
January i, 191 7.

On February 22, 1905, Charles W. Mason was united in marriage to
Claudie Fern Miller, who was born on a farm two miles west and a mile
south of Bentonville, in Posey township, a daughter of George and Martha
(Cregar) Miller, the former of whom farmed in that neighborhood all his
life. In a sketch relating to Frank D. Hackelman, Mr. Mason's partner,
presented elsewhere in this volume, there are additional details relating to
the Miller family in this county, Mr. Hackleman's wife's mother having
been a sister of Mrs. Mason's father, George Miller. In December, 1881,
George Miller married Martha Cregar, who was born near Cedar Grove, in
the neighboring county of Franklin, a daughter of Samuel and Malinda (Brac-
keney) Cregar, both of whom were born in that same county. Samuel Cre-
gar farmed all his life near Cedar Grove and both he and his wife died in
1902. George Miller died in 1903 and after his death his widow and chil-
dren moved to Bentonville, where Mrs. Miller now makes her home with her
daughter, Mrs. Mason. George Miller and wife were the parents of three
daughters, Bessie (deceased), Mrs. Mason, and Grace E., wife of Thomas
McKee. Mr. and Mrs. Mason are members of the Christian church at
Bentonville and Mrs. Miller has been a memlier of that church for more
than thirt}^ years. The Masons have a pleasant home and take a proper inter-
est in the general social activities of their home town, helpful in promoting
all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare.

CLARENCE G. CARR.

Clarence G. Carr, the well-known public auctioneer at Glenwood and
proprietor of the livery barn there, was born on a farm in Rush county,
about two and one-half miles northwest of Glenwood, October 18, 1880, son
of Guy B. and Jessie F. (Bussell) Carr, the former of whom was born in
Ohio and the latter in Indiana, who are now living at Glenwood.

Guy B. Carr was born in Butler county, Ohio, November 10, 1855, a
son of Guy A. and Elizabeth (Blue) Carr, the former a natixe of the state
of New York and the latter of \'irginia, born in that portion of the Old
Dominion now comprised in West Virginia. When fifteen years of age Guy
B. Carr came to Indiana with an elder brother and located with him in Rush
county. There he worked at farm labor until his marriage in 1878, he then

992 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

being twenty-two years of age, after which he began farming for himself on
rented land in Rush county. Six or eight years later he came over into Fay-
ette county and bought a forty-acre farm northwest of Glenwood, in Fair-
view township, and there lived for about eighteen years, meanwhile increas-
ing his holdings by the purchase of an adjoining tract of thirty acres. In
1892 he bought a place of one hundred and forty-eight acres on Williams
creek, in tlie eastern part of Fairview township, and in 1903 he sold his
original farm and moved to this latter farm, where he made his home until
his retirement from the active labors of the farm in.1913 and removal to
Glenwood, where he and his wife are now living. Mr. Carr has long given
his close attention to public affairs and served for five years during the nineties
as assessor of Fairview township.

On January 17, 1878, Guy B. Carr was united in marriage to Jessie F.
Bussell, who was bom on a farm about five miles northwest of Glenwood,
in Rush county, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Jane (McMillan) Bussell,
old settlers and well-known residents of that part of the county. Mr. and
Mrs. Carr are earnest members of the Christian church and their children
also are members of the church and, as well as their parents, are active
workers in the same. There are four of these children, of whom the sub-
ject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as fol-
low : Otis, a draughtsman in the office of the Atlas Engine Works at Indi-
anapolis, who married Maude Simpson and has two children, Virgil and
Edith; Ethel, who married Edwin McGraw, of Milton, and has three chil-
dren, Minnie, Robert and Ernest, and Minnie, wife of Scott Powell, a farmer,
of Harrison township.

Clarence G. Carr grew to manhood on the farm, receiving his schooling
in the graded school at Fairview and lived at home until his marriage when
twenty years of age, after which he began farming on his own account,
farming the place on Williams creek owned by his father, and two years
later moved to the old Bussell farm in Rush county, where he made his home
for two years, at the end of which time he moved to the Kirkpatrick farm
near Ging's Station, where he lived for about two years. He then spent
another year on the Bussell place and then for five years made his home on
the Stout farm near Ging's Station, and a year on the Kinder farm farther
east. He then, in October, 1913. moved to Glenwood, where he ever since
has made his home. It was in the spring of 191 3 that Mr. Carr began his
career as an auctioneer by taking a course in the Jones School of Auctioneer-
ing at Chicago, and he since then has been quite successful as an auctioneer

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 993

and crier of public sales, liis services being in demand both in this county
and in the neighboring county of Rush. In the fall of 1913, upon taking
up his residence in Glenwood, Mr. Carr built a commodious livery barn there
and in the following December started in business in the general livery line.
The following summer he added automobile livery to his establishment and
has since done a general garage business in connection with his horse-livery
business. Since November 13, 1916, he has held the contract as rural mail
carrier on route No. 28 out of Glenwood. In the fall of 1914 Mr. Carr
built a handsome house just south of the interurban track, on the eastern
side of the county line, in Glenwood, and is therefore still counted a resident
of Fayette county. During his residence in Rush county he served for two
years as assessor of Union township and he also has served as a member
of the town board in Glenwood, but takes no particularly active part in poli-
tics. He and his wife are members of the Christian church and also take an
interested part in the general social activities of their home town.

On March 6, 1901, Clarence G. Carr was united in marriage to Lulu
McClure, who was born in the village of Fairview, this county, a daughter
of George and Leuticia (Caldwell) McClure, both of whom also were born
in this county, the former at Fairview and the latter in Harrison township.
George McClure was born at Fairview on September 3, 1838. a son of John
and Amanda McClure, and there lived until his marriage on October 9, 1861,
to Leuticia Caldwell, who was born on the old Caldwell homestead in the
northeastern part of Harrison township, the place now owned and occupied
by her brother, Daniel Caldwell, a sketch of whom, presented elsewhere in
this volume, gives details of the histon,' of the Caldwell family in this county.
After his marriage Air. McClure lived for a time on the Caldwell farm and
then moved to Rush county, where he followed farming for years, later
returning to Fairview and for ten or twelve years thereafter making his
home in the old Fairview Academy building, which he bought and recon-
structed for a home, and in 1905 moved to Connersville, where he spent his
last days, his death occurring there on May 21, 1909, since which time his
widow has been making her home with her children. To George McClure
and wife were born seven children, namely : Mary Amanda, wife of George
Desborough, of Connersville; Julia Belle, wife of O. Morton Moffitt, of Indi-
anapolis; Alice, who married Garrett Gray, of Connersville, and died in the
fall of 1895; Samuel J., of Falmouth, Rush county; Florence A., wife of
William Elwood, of Connersville; William, also of Connersville, and Lulu,
wife of Mr. Carr. George McClure was an active member of the Independent
(63)

994 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Order of Odd Fellows and was an earnest member of the Christian church,
as is his widow. To Mr. and Mrs. Carr four children have been born,
namely: Russell Guy, born on February 21, 1903; Roscoe Von, October
28, i90_i ; Hazel Florence and Harold Floyd (twins), September 19, 191 1,
the last-named of whom died on December 13, 191 1.

FRANK CUMMINS.

Frank Cummins, one of the best-known farmers and horsemen of
Fayette county and the proprietor of a well-improved farm of eighty acres
just west of the village of Bentonville, on which place he makes his home,
is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was
born on a farm in Posey township on September 2, 1859, son of John D.
and Catherine (Williams) Cummins, prominent residents of that community
and further reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

Until his marriage in the fall of 1880 Frank Cummins made his home
on the farm on which he was born and after his marriage he began farming
a place of forty acres two miles west of Bentonville, where he lived until
1 901, when he moved to his present farm of eighty acres one-half mile
west of Bentonville, where he has since made his home and where he is
very comfortably situated, he and his wife having a very pleasant home
there. For about twenty years and up to about four years ago Mr. Cum-
mins had given much attention to the raising of fast horses and training
them for' the track. Some of these horses he raced personally and for
years was one of the best-known horsemen in this circuit. Nine of the
horse raised by Mr. Cummins he himself raced. Among these was "Angie
W.", with a mark of 2:iij4> pacing, and 2:16^ trotting. Another of
these horses was "Redbird," with a mark of 2:18^. Both of these ani-
mals, however, actually worked faster for Mr. Cummins than the official
mark given them, "Angie W." having done a mile in 2 :o6^ and "Red-
bird" in 2:10^. "Prince Patchen," another of Mr. Cummins's horses
and a colt from "Redbird," had a record of 2:1834 and actually worked a
mile in 2:iii4- "Angie W." also was a "Redbird" colt. For some years
past Mr. Cummins has been living practically retired from the more active
labors of the farm and is now taking things somewhat easier than during
his earlier years of practical farming and horse raising.

Mr. Cummins has been twice married. On September 30, 1880, he

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 995

was united in marriage to Flora Avers, who was lH)rn on a farm al)()ut a
half mile east of the old Cummins homestead in I*ose\- township, a daugh-
ter of Levi and Susan (Jennings) Avers, and who died, in 1893, leaving one
child, a daughter. Hazel, who married George Bridgeman, now living near
Lewisville, in the neighboring county ui Menr\-, and has one child, a daugh-
ter, Wilma. Some years later while racing "Rcdbird" in Ohio Mr. Cum-
mins met there Dora Focht. who was born in Union township, Auglaize
county, that state, and on March 23, 1898, the two were united in marriage.
Mrs. Cummins is a daughter of Daniel and Maria (Justice) Focht, the
former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio, whose last days
were spent on the farm in Auglaize county, Ohio, on which Mrs. Focht
had lived for sixty }ears. Daniel Focht was born in Schuylkill county,
Pennsylvania, and was reared to farming, a vocation he followed all his
life. \Vhen a young man he moved over into Ohio and there married
Maria Justice, who was born in Union township, Auglaize county, and in
that county he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, the former
dying in 1896 and the latter, in August, 1913.

DAVID BAKER.

David Baker, one of Fayette county's best-known retired farmers and
a substantial old citizen of Fairview township is a native son of that town-
ship, born on the farm on which he is now living, two miles east of Fal-
mouth, and has lived there all his life. He was born on February 14, 1845,
son of John and Mary (Hanna) Baker, both of whom were born in Bourbon
county, Kentucky, who became pioneers of Faxette county and here spent
their last days, substantial and inlluential pioneers of the Falmouth neigh-
borhood.

John Baker was born on a farm in the near vicinity of Paris, in P.ourbon
county, Kentucky, F'ebruary 14, 1803, son of Abraham and Fllizabeth Baker,
the former of whom was' born on July 7, 1764, and who were married on
March 18, 1800, making their home in Bourbon county, Kentucky, where
eight children were born to them, of whom John was the second in order of
birth, the others being as follow: David, born on August 11, 1801 ; Har-
rison, April 3, [805: Mahala, March 3, 1807; Nancy, February i, 1809:
Ellen and Eliza (twins). July 2. t8ii, and Daniel, June 22, 1814, In the
fall of 1824 Abraham Baker, seeking land for his sons, came up into Indiana

996 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

and settled in Fayette county, giving each of his sons a farm in the north-
eastern part of Fairview township. He bought three eighty-acre tracts, the
place where David Baker now lives, and across the road from that place,
where now the Fitzgerald farm is, he bought a quarter section. On this
latter tract he established his home, and there his younger son, Daniel,
remained with him until his death, the other sons, John and David,
occupying the nearby "eighties," Harrison selling out and moved to Wabash
county, wliere he died. The above three sons spent the rest of their lives
on the farms which they opened and cleared back in the twenties. Elizabeth
Baker, wife of Abraham, died on Octoljer 5, 1826, about two years after
settling here in the then wilderness and Abraham Baker survived until Janu-
ary 17, 1842.

In the fall of 1826 John Baker, second son of Abraham, went back to
his old home in Kentucky and there on December 12, 1826, was united in
marriage to Mary Hanna. who was born in that same community in Bourbon
county on October 30, 1801. The following spring he returned to Indiana
with his bride and settled on the farm two miles east of Falmouth, which he
had begun to clear in 182.4 and where he had put up a log cabin for the
reception of his bride, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their
lives, earnest and industrious pioneers of that community. As he prospered
he increased his original holdings there to one hundred and twenty acres and
later bought an adjoining tract of one hundred and forty acres on the north.
On that pioneer farm Mary (better known as "Polly") Baker died on
December 2, 1858, and John Baker, her husband, survived her many years,
his death occurring in April, 1892, he then being in the eighty-ninth year
of his age. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom
the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being as follow : Eliza-
beth, now deceased, who was twice married, her first husband having been
WilHam Dickey and the second, Dave Weimer; Harrison and Eliza Jane
(twins), the latter of whom died when eight years of age and the former of
whom died in April. 1892; James, who lives in Milton: Sallie Ann, who
married Guy Jackson and is now deceased ; Harriet, who married John
Stuckey and lives in Grant county, and Mary Jane, of Falmouth, widow of
Tillman Van Buskirk. David Baker still has the spinning wheel used by
his mother, "Polly" Baker, and the saddle bags which his grandfather and his
father brought with them from Kentucky. He also has the old family Bible,
a venerable volume bound in sheepskin and printed in New York in 1814, in
which is carefully set out the record of births and deaths and marriages in
the family of Abraham and Elizabeth Baker and of John and "Polly" Baker.

KAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 997

John Baker and liis wife were earnest nienihcrs (if the Methodist eliureli, as
were the former's parents, and took an active interest in churcli affairs in
the early days of the community in whicli tliey settletl, rehgious services fre-
quently being held in their home in the days before the settlement had an
establislied liouse of worship, and their children were reared in that faith.

David Baker has always lived on the farm where he was born and has
alwa\'s followed farming, becdming the owner of a fine farm of one hun-
dred and fifty-eight acres with a nice country home on it. That farm he
sold two years ago, but he continues to make his home there, living with his
brother-in-law, who bought the place, and i-^ (luite content to spend the rest
of his life on the place on which he was born and which he has helped
to develop from pioneer times.

On May 8, tqoi, David Baker was united in marriage to Dora Iva
Pierce, who was born in the neighboring county of I'^ranklin, a daughter of
Cornelius and Isabel (Chance) Pierce, who years ago moved from b'ranklin
county to New York City, where the father became a member of tlie metro-
politan police force and wliere he died. .After his death his widow and chil-
dren returned to Franklin county anfl presently moved thence to tlie neigh-
borhood of Morristown, in Shelby count)-. There the \\i(low Pierce mar-
ried again and presently moved back to Xew York. Her daughter, Dora
Iva, remained in Shelby county until her marriage to Mr. Baker. She died
at her home in Fairview township in the fall of 1908. She was a member
of the Christian cliurch.

WARRFX H.ARRIS Ml'XGFR.

Warren Harris Munger, one of the best-known and most progressive
farmers of Posey township and the pro|)rietor of a fine farm of something
more than a quarter of a section of land about a mile and a half southeast
of Bentonville, was born on that farm and has lived there all his life. lie
was born on February 20, 1878, son of Lazarus and Savannah (Fergu.son)
Munger, prominent residents of that community, whose last days were spent
there and further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume of
history and biography.

The Mungers have been prominently represented in this part of Indi-
ana for generations, ever since the grandfather of the subject of this sketch
came here from Ohio in 1821 and settled in this county, establishing a fine
home in Posey township. This jiionecr was Fdmund K. Munger, who was

998 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

born in Rutland county, Vermont, September 13, 1790, third in order of
birth of the twelve children born to Gen. Edmund and Eunice (Kellogg)
Munger, natives of Connecticut, the former born on September 30, 1763, and
the latter, August 13, 1767, who were married on December 5, 1785, and
after a few years of residence at Washington, Connecticut, went to Rutland
county, Vermont, where they resided until the spring of 1798, when they
moved to Belpre, Ohio, and a year later moved thence to Montgomery county,
that same state, becoming thus among the earliest residents of the Dayton
neighborhood, where they spent the remainder of their lives,^ General Munger
dying there on April 14, 1850, and his widow surviving until January 8,
1868, she then being one hundred years and five months of age. The Mun-
gers are of old Colonial stock, the first of the name to come to this country
having been Nicholas Munger, a descendant of the sea kings of the Baltic,
born in 1623, who left a son, John, born in 1660, whose son, Ebenezer, born
in 1693, had a son, Reuben, who was the father of General Munger. Settling
in the Dayton neighborhood as early as 1799, General Mimger early became
one of the foremost factors in the early life of that settlement and when the
War of 1812 broke out he raised a command and was commissioned brigadier-
general, but was later superseded by General Hull, who led his troops to dis-
aster at Detroit. General Munger served for some time as a member of the
Ohio Legislature and in other ways did well his part as a citizen and as a
man of affairs. He and his wife were Presbyterians and their children were
reared in that faith.

Edmund K. Munger was eight or nine years of age when his parents
moved from Vermont to Ohio and he grew to manhood in Montgomery
county, in the latter state, remaining there until his marriage on December
17, 1 81 2, to Mary Cole, who was born in Virginia on October 15, 1794, a
daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Byron) Cole, who were among the early
settlers of Montgomery county, Ohio. Upon the breaking out of the War
of 1812 Edmund K. Munger received a brevet appointment, but his active
services were not re(|uired in that brief struggle. He remained in Ohio until
1 82 1, ^when he came to Indiana and bought two hundred acres of land in
section 19- of Posey township, this county, where he established his home and
where he and his wife spent the remainder of their Hves. Upon setthng on
that farm he put u]) a log cabin, which served as the place of family residence
until 1833, \vhen he erected a substantial brick house, which is still standing
and in use. Originally a Whig, Mr. Munger became a Republican at the
time of the organization of that party in 1856 and was active in the political

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 999

affairs of his community. His wife was a devoted member of tlie Baptist
cluirch. Slie died on Septenil)er y, 1853, and Edmund K. Muufjer sur-
vived until June 10, 1872. They were tiie parents of twelve children, all
now deceased.

Lazarus Munger, son of Edmund K. and Mary (Cole) Munger, was
born on the old home farm in Posey township on September 11, 183 1, and
there grew to manhood; after the death of his parents he continued to make
his home there, he and his brother, Edmund, . having in 1863 bought one
hundred and twenty-one acres of the homestead, and there he spent the rest
of his life, one of the most substantial farmers and stockmen in that part of
the county. Edmund Alunger did not marr>' and made liis home witli his
brother Lazarus, who was married in the fall of 1866. The two brothers
engaged extensively in the live-stock business together until in August, 1882,
when Lazarus Munger bought his brother's interest in the farm and the latter
thereafter engaged in the building and loan business in Indianapolis and
Cambridge City. Lazarus Munger not only continued in the live-stock busi-
ness, but gradually added to his farm holdings until he became the owner
of five hundred and eighteen acres of excellent land, all of which he brought
under cultivation. He was an active Republican and though often impor-
tuned to become a candidate for one or another of the important offices in
the county, ever declined and the only public service he accepted was the
office of assessor of his home township, in which capacity he acted for some
time. On September 10, 1866, Lazarus Munger was united in marriage to
Savannah Ferguson, who was bom in this county on February 8, 1843, ^
daughter of Linville and Elizaljeth 'SI. (Lodcr) Ferguson, the former of
whom was born in Xortli Carolina and the latter in this county and who
were prominent residents of Posey township. To that union three children
were born, Lorena M., Warren H. and Helen E. Lazarus Munger died at
his home in Posey township on May 27, 1909, and his widow survived him
a little less than three years, her death cKCurring on May 7, 191 2.

Warren H. Munger has always lived on the farm where he was born.
Upon completing the course in the public schools at Beutonville he took a
course in the high school at Rushville and then entered Earlham College,
from which he was graduated with the class of looi with the degree of
Bachelor of Science. He then spent a year in the University of Michigan,
taking a special C(Xirse in mechanical and electrical engineering and upon
lea\Tng college returned home and has ever since been there engaged in gen-
eral fanning and stock raising. Mr. Munger is the owner of one hundred

FAYETTE COUNTY,

and sixty-one acres of fine land there and has charge of a quarter of a section
of land lying just across the road from his own farm, belonging to his sister,
Mrs. Helen E. Davis, who is living near Clinton, Michigan, and is doing
very well, his general farming being profitably augmented by the attention
he has for some years been giving to the raising of cattle and hogs for the
market.

During his college days at Earlham, Warren H. Munger became
acquainted witli Elizabeth Hanson, of New London, this state, also a mem-
ber of the student body, but of a class two years later than that to which Mr.
Munger belonged, and on April 2, 191 1, the two were married. Elizabeth
Hanson was born at New London, about fourteen miles west of Kokomo, in
Howard county, this state, a daughter of Thomas Elwood and Lydia M.
(Williams) Hanson, both of whom were born in Belmont county, Ohio, and
who later moved to Indiana, where their last days were spent. Thomas
Elwood Hanson was born in 1828, a son of Borden and Rachel (Cox) Han-
son, natives of North Carolina, who were married in that state. Borden
Hanson was a son of George and Susanna (Scrooven) Hanson, the former
of whom was a soldier of the War of the Revolution and the latter a nurse
during that struggle. While serving as a soldier George Hanson was seri-
ously wounded and in the hospital he was tenderly nursed by Susanna
Scrooven, a Quakeress, the acquaintance thus formed ripening into love and
later marriage, George Hanson becoming a Quaker in order that he might
marry his nurse. After their marriage Borden Hanson and his wife left
North Carolina and settled in Belmont county, Ohio, whence presently they
moved over into Indiana and settled near Economy, in Wayne county,
Thomas E. Borden then being five years of age. There Borden Hanson
died in 1847 ^nd shortly afterward his widow and her children went to
Howard county, where she spent her last days. Thomas E. Hanson was a
young man when he accompanied his widowed mother to Howard county,
the family there entering upon possession of a tract of government land the
mother had bought. After the death of his mother, Thomas E. Hanson
bought the interests of the other heirs in that farm and there continued farm-
ing the rest of his life, the owner of an excellent farm of one hundred and
twenty acres. As a boy he had learned the carpenter trade and during the
time he worked at that trade he built a number of houses at Germantown and
Milton and in the surrounding country. He was active in church and school
work and was particularly interested in the work of the Friends Academy
at New London. He died on January 15, 1906.

Thomas E. Hanson was four times married. His first two wives died

FAYETTE COrNTY, INDIANA. lOOI

young- and his third wile, Lvcha M. Williams, was horn near Ilarnsvillc, in
Belmont county, Ohio, daughter of I~.zra and Jane (Eaton) Williams, both
of whom were born in that same vicinity, the former of English ancestry,
the \\'illiamses having- moved by way of Pennsylvania into Ohio, and the
latter a daughter of Ahijah and Jane (Campbell) Eaton, of Highland
(Scotch) parentage. About 1856 Ezra Williams and his wife moved fron-i
Ohio to Indiana and settled in the Quaker settlement near New London in
Howard county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Ezra Will-
iams was a birthright Quaker and his wife changed her faith from that of
the Methodist to that of the Friends in order that their union might be har-
monious on the c[uestion of religioii. ?Ier father, Ahijah Eaton, served for
four years as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, attached to the
Army of the Potomac and he had a son, James Eaton, who served in the
artillery in the Army of the Cumberland, under Grant and Sherman. Lydia
M. (Williams) Hanson died in 1S78, when her daughter, Elizabeth, was but
a child, and Thomas E. Hanson later married his deceased wife's sister,
Emma, who died in the spring of 1903. Thomas E. Hanson's maternal
grandmother, Rachel (Stubbs) Cox, mother of his mother, Rachel, was of
French Huguenot ancestry, her forbears having fled from France during the
days of the persecution and settled in Ireland, where they became attached
to the Society of Friends; members of the family later coming to this country
and remaining devoted Friends to the present generation. The Hansons
have been traced back through their Danish ancestr}- to the days of the Vik-
ings, the family ha\-ing come to this country during Colonial days by way
of England.

Elizabeth Hanson recei\-ed her early schooling in the schools of Xew
London and upon completing the course in the high school there entered Earl-
ham College, from the science departments of which she was graduated in
1903. She then entered the training school for nurses in connection with
the Deaconess Hospital at Indianapolis, with a view to becoming a i)r(>-
fessional nurse, but after three years of such training her health began to
suiifer and she left three months before the date of her expected graduation.
She shortly afterward married Air. Munger and did not return to Indian-
apolis to finish her course. Mr. and Mrs. Munger have a very pleasant
home and take an interested and useful part in the general social activities of
the community in which they live, helpful factors in the promotion of all
agencies having to do with the advancement of the general welfare of the
community at large.

I002 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

DESCENDANTS OF JOHN CONNER.

In the historical section of this vohime a chapter is devoted to the Hfe
and tile works of John Conner, tlie founder of the city of Connersville and
one of the most romantic and strikingly interesting figures in all the history
of the great Hoosier state, and there is therefore no occasion for a review of
the career of that fine old pioneer in this brief sketch relating to his descend-
ants ; but there are a few points that might properly be touched on as a means
to furnishing a sidelight on some of the inherited characteristics of these
descendants, for it is undeniable that many of the traits that marked the
character of the pioneer have come on down through the period, more than
a century, that has elapsed since he began his labors in Indiana and are now
discernible in the third and fourth generations of those who so proudly bear
his name.

Though reared by the Indians, as set out in the chapter above men-
tioned, and perhaps more intimately familiar with the habits, customs and
speech of the aboriginals than any white man, except his brother William,
living in the then Territory of Indiana, John Conner was an aristocrat by
blood and inheritance, possessed largely the money-making instinct and was
a natural adventurer, his life from boyhood, when he was carried into the
wilderness by his savage captors after the Wyoming Valley massacre, until
the close of his interesting career being filled with stirring' and romantic
adventures. He was an instinctive and close student and in addition to
acquiring a speaking knowledge of twenty-two aboriginal dialects, acquired
a mastery of English and a speaking and reading acquaintance with French ;
and the choice library which he gradually accumulated in his pioneer home
on the banks of the White Water was a continual source of wonder to his
Indian friends and little less a source of wonder to those of his white com-
panions of an early day who had put books behind them, for the time, when
they left the East. His choice collection of silverware, plates and goblets
for table service, which he had made in Boston, sending thither for that pur-
pose many pounds of silver trinkets he had picked up in his trading with the
Indians, indicated also a refinement of taste not often exhibited out here on
the then frontier of civilization. Added to this collection was a magnificent
punchbowl that had come from England, brought by the Winships, and that
had descended to his wife, Lavina Winship. On his tour of the Utnted
States in his old age. General LaFayette visited John Conner and was regaled
by a draught from this ancient punchbowl.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IOO3

Concerning- the services to tlie state performed I)y John Conner, it is
not necessary liere to go into detail, for all that has been dealt with at length
elsewhere. As the right-hand man of General Harrison on more than one
occasion and as the warm friend of the great Indian leader, Tecumseh, his
services as an intermediary in the negotiations between the government and
the aboriginals were of a notable character. As a member of the Senate
in the first Territorial Legislature he also rendered conspicuous service and
in other ways was a prime factor in the great work of establishing a .social
order out here in the then wilderness. At the battle of Tippecanoe he was
an aide to General Harrison. When Colonel Campbell was preparing; to go
to battle against the Indians on the Mississinewa, Governor Harrison acKised
him that when he wanted information regarding routes and details of the
campaign he should seek Conner, and the latter acted as the guide to the
expedition to the Mississinewa. Knowing of the friendship Conner bore
toward the Indians, .some of Campbell's soldiers feared the guide might lead
the expedition into ambush. Campbell therefore ordered one of his men
to ride near Conner and if the latter displayed the least sign of treachery
to shoot him. One of Conner's friends in the troop informed the scout of
this action, but the latter gave no outward indication of concern. Coming
to a ford with which lie formerly had been familiar, Conner urged his horse
into the stream, but when the animal began floundering in deep water he
discovered that the ford had been washed out since he had been that way.
Conner's guard, believing that the guide was leading the troop into a dan-
gerous channel, raised his gun to shoot, but Conner raised bis hand and com-
manded him to wait, explaining the situation, and presently was able to pick
out a safe ford for the passage of the troop. This quality of coolness in
the time of danger may be illustrated by another incident in the life of the
pioneer. One day he was in the woods with his gun and sat upon a fallen
tree' for a moment of rest, his gun pointing upward between his knees. An
tmwonted change in the form of the shadows at his feet warned Conner
that a catamount was in the branches of the tree above him. Knowing that
an impulsive motion on his part would precipitate the spring of the dangerous
creature, Conner silently, cautiously and almost imperceptibly moved his gun
until he knew, by the location of the shadow, that the catamount was in range
of the same and then he pressed the trigger, bringing the animal crashing
down dead at his feet.

John Conner prospered in his pioneer ventures and became one of the
wealthiest men of his time in Indiana. He was courtly in manner and speech
and conformed to the polite formalities and the proper exercise of the scxial

I004 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

amenities of life when the occasion demanded. His excellent taste in such
matters prompted bim in the selection of his clothes and there is a well-
defined tradition that he was generally recognized as one of the best-dressed
men in Indiana in his time. The warm affection that existed between him
and his brother, William Conner, is a matter of pleasant tradition in his
family to this day. He and his brother were closely connected in extensive
business affairs and it is related that there never was the necessity for even
"the scratch of a pen"" between them as the guaranty for the mutual fairness
of these relations. On the occasions that William would come to visit John
or John would go to visit William, it is related that the brothers would sit
all night in earnest and enjoyable conversation. At times, as in the case of
most brothers, they would be in disagreement, for both were men of decided
opinions and .strong convictions, but these "quarrels" never amounted to open
rupture and after their verbal set-tos the best of feeling soon would be
restored. Wher John Conner died his son, William Winship Conner, was
but a child and nis will directed that his brother, William, look after the boy.
This dying request was religiously regarded by the brother, who directed
the rearing of the youth and saw him through Hanover College and to a
position in affairs wherein he could look after the extensive interests that
had come to him through his father.

The story of John Conner's marriage to an Indian girl before he had
attained his majority and of the birth by that marriage of two sons and of
the death of the young Indian wife in 1812, is told in the chapter particularly
relating to Mr. Conner, presented elsewhere in this volume, and needs only
to be alluded to here. By his marriage to Lavina Winship, daughter of
pioneer parents, the Winship family at that time having been residents of the
Cedar Grove neighborhood, he was the father of two sons, William Winship
Conner and Henry Ives Conner, and a daughter, the latter of whom died in
her childhood. Lavina Winship Conner is referred to in contemporary
accounts as a woman of lovely character and of many graces of person and
mind, a fitting helpmeet for the man between whom and herself there came
to be the most perfect understanding and the closest affection, and who
proved to be a valuable factor in the work of setting up something more than
a mere semblance of a social order in the formative period of the village
that later grew into the thriving manufacturing city, the Connersville of
today. The younger of the two sons mentioned above, Henry Ives Conner,
died in his early manhood, right at the opening of what seemed to be a most
promising career. He early took up the study of the law and upon being
admitted to practice formed a partnership with James M. Ray and was

KAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IOO5

engaged in the practice of his profession when he died snddenly. Ojn-
temporary acconnts refer to the young man thus suddenly reino\ed from tiie
scenes of eartldy activity, as having possessed a brilliant intellect, farseeing
and of a ripeness of judgment that his elders in practice might have envied.
Forty years before the outbreak of the Civil War he was recorded as having
given utterance to the belief that the institution of slavery was a crime against
manhood and against nature that only could be atoned for by war and blood-
shed and that the nation some day would pay dearly and in bitterness of
spirit for permitting the maintenance of the institution.

William Winship Conner was born at Connersville in 1820 and was but
six years of age when his father dietl. As noted above, he was looked after
by his paternal uncle. William Conner, who later made his home at Nobles-
ville, and by his uncle was sent to Hanover College. In the meantime the
considerable estate that had been left by his father had been carefully con-
served and upon the young man's return from college he turned his active
attention to the direction of his extensive business afTairs. He had
much of his father's directness of manner and keen executive ability and his
affairs prospered from the very beginning. At the age of twenty-four years
he w as^ elected to represent his district in the state Senate and was a member
of that body when the counties of Boone and Tipton were organized. He
was a singularly light-hearted and genial young man and his early campaigns
were marked by a spontaneity of expression and a gladsomeness of manner
that made him friends all over the district, while his course in the Senate, in
which he served, by succeeding re-elections, for ten years or more, made
him friends among the most substantial persons in all parts of the then rapidly
developing state. His youthful ojjtimistic and sunny disposition gave him an
appearance of youth that his early-matured mind strongly contradicted and
led to some amusing confusion among his constituents. On one of his early
campaigns he approached an elector, a stranger, and w-ithout introducing him-
self asked what were the chances of securing the voter's support in his race for
the Senate. "My mind is made up," answ'ered the voter. "I am going to vote
for W. W. Conner, and, even if I wasn't, I wouldn't vote for a fellow as
young as you." Though of the opposing political faith, William Winship
Conner was appointed adjutant-general of the state if necessary under the
administration of Governor Hendricks, his warm personal friend. Upon the
organization of the Republican party Mr. Conner threw himself heart and
soul into the new political movement and from the beginning was one of
the leaders of the same in this state. He was a delegate to the historic con-
vention of that parly at Chicago that nominated Abraham T.incoln for the

I006 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Presidency in i860. Under protest he accepted the instructions of the state
convention that the Indiana delegation should cast its vote on the first ballot
for Seward, but after that, he insisted, Indiana should stand "like a wall"
for Lincoln — and it did.

William W. Conner married Amanda Coggswell, who was born in Can-
ada, and who was but two years of age when her parents, Francis B. and
Sallie (Thorn) Coggswell, came to Indiana and located at Noblesville, where
F. B. Coggswell was for years engaged in the mercantile business. Both
Mr. Conner and his wife spent their last days in Noblesville. Of the children
born to this parentage six lived to maturity, namely : John C, Lavina, Sarah,
Addie, Mary E. and William Winship, second, the latter of whom is a veter-
inary surgeon, now living at Farmland, this state; married and has two chil-
dren, Jesse and Ruth. The other son, John C. Conner, possessed many of
his father's energetic traits. He went to Texas at twenty-three years of age,
as captain in the regular anny, but resigned that position, to take an active
part in the reconstruction of that state. He was twice elected to Congress
from that state and the nomination for the third term was given him by
acclamation, but, on account of ill health, he was compelled to decline. He
died, December 10, 1875, at the age of thirty-one. Lavina Conner married
Richard Conner, son of William Conner, and spent her married life in Indi-
anapolis, where she died, leaving one son, Charles E. Conner. Addie Conner
married Charles F. Woerner, who as a partner of Colonel Straight, was one
of the most successful manufacturers in Indiana. He was also state labor
commissioner under Governors Hanly and Marshall. She is living at Indi-
anapolis. She has four children, William Conner, Frances, wife of John F.
Engelke; Freda L. and Mrs. Carolyn Woerner Smith, widow of Charles T.
Smith, of Greenfield, Indiana. Mary E. Conner married Wesley Bond, who
is now deceased. She formerly lived in Kansas City but is now living in
Indianapolis. She has two daughters, Mrs. Gertrude Anderson and Ruth
Bond.

Sarah Conner married James R. Christian, of Noblesville, former clerk
of the court of Hamilton county and who was a well-to-do stock farmer. To
that union was born one son, John Conner Christian, who early developed a
remarkable business ability and at the age of twenty-one was directing a
business that had attracted the attention of millionaires. At the age of
seventeen he went to Texas, where his half-brothers were interested in the
oil business and set himself to the task of becoming thoroughly familiar with
the business relating to the oil industry then developing so rapidly in that
state. By the time he was twenty-one years of age he had a growing busi-

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IOO7

ness of his own and was known as a skillful and successful promoter of
enterprises bearing upon tlic nil induslry when death overtook him. stopping
what promised to be a very successful career, in Marcli. 1914. He married
Flora McCarty, of Noblesville. He left no children.

Mrs. Sarah Conner Christian now lives at Indianapolis witli her sister,
Mrs. Woerner. She is not idle, nor could she be. She was educated at
the old Baptist Institute that stood on the .site of the present Shortridge high
school in Indianapolis and early developed an unusual mental caiiacity, which
found its outflow along various useful lines, particularly in public work. As
a young woman she was for some time engaged as society editress of the
Noblcsz'ille Enterprise and early developed a clear, terse style of writing that
has given her more than local reputation as a writer. From her youth inter-
ested in matters relating to the early history of Indiana, with particular refer-
ence to the part her grandfather, John Conner, took in making that history,
she has collected much interesting material concerning the man who founded
Connersville and the historian gratefully acknowledges here the obligation
he owes to Mrs. Christian for interesting data .supplied in that connection.
Mrs. Christian is widely known in Indiana club circles and is constantly being
engaged to write club papers for women whose talents have not been devel-
oped along those lines; these papers being read before some of the leading
clubs in Indianapolis and elsewhere throughout the state. Mrs. Christian's
comprehensive research in pioneer history and her ability to narrate the story
of pioneer days in an informative and entertaining manner are well known
throughout the state and she fre(|uently is called upon to address public
gatherings, old settlers meetings, flag raisings, meetings of the Woman's
Relief Corps, or to address the city council in behalf of worthy movements,
her addresses not infrequently being published in full by the city newspaf)ers.
At a celebration of the Fourth of July on one occasion when there were four-
teen thousand persons present. Mrs. Christian's address held the great multi-
tude in rapt attention. Her ability in this direction seems to have been an
inheritance from her father, the Hon. William Winship Conner, son of the
Hon. John Conner, of whom it is related that his extemporaneous speeches
in the Senate or on the hustings were delivered with such ease and fluency
that he hardly could speak rapidly enough to keep pace with the ideas that
teemed for utterance.

Reverting to the ancestral history of the Conner family, the following
quotation is from Reverend Stimpson, whose informant was William Conner,
of Hamilton county. Indiana, and who was the son of Richard Conner, here
referred to :

I008 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

'"Sometime before the Revolutionary War, three Roman Catholic, Irish
gentlemen — brothers — sons of John Conner, of Dublin, Ireland, came to this
country. Their names were Thomas, James and Richard Conner. When
the "O" which was formerly a prefix to their name, was left off, is not
exactly known, but supposedly at that time. They had between them con-
siderable wealth. One of them settled in Virginia; another, in New Eng-
land, where some of his descendants are now living, while the other brother,
Richard, with whom we have to do, preferred Pennsylvania. With a
generosity and a loose way of keeping accounts, both characteristic of a
young man and an impulsive Irishman, his share of the many thousand
pounds was soon spent and he doubtless was compelled to take up fur trad-
ing with the Indians. He established himself at Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh, where he subsequently sojourned for a short time, in 1770 con-
sisted of twenty cabins, inhabited by Indian fur traders. The garrison of
Fort Pitt consisted of two companies of Irish regulars. Now we can easily
see that Richard Conner, an Irishman, married to a French woman, who
thoroughly understood the Indians, would be amongst the first to go over
the mountains to the trading post at Pittsburgh, where many of his own
countrymen were. From this place he pushed on and established a trading
post at what became Conner's Town, Ohio, in what is now Coshocton county.
At the time of that settlement, 1770, previous to the Revolution, there was
no Northwest Territory. There were only indefinable possessions, ceded by
the French, and Pennsylvania could claim this region until a later survey
robbed her of it."

JOHN B. McFARLAN.

When the future historian of Connersville and of Fayette county comes
to summarize the various individual factors that have contributed so largely
to the industrial and commercial development of the city and county, it
undoubtedly will be found that the name of the late John B. McFarlan will
be found very near the head of that list. From the time of taking up his
residence in Connersville in 1856 to the time of his death in 1909, John B.
McFarlan was a tireless promoter of the interests of his home town and it
is undoubted that his energy and public spirit did very much toward gaining
for Connersville the advantageous industrial eminence it now occupies among
the sisterhood of cities in the proud old Hoosier commonwealth. Elsewhere
in this volume there is set out at considerable length something of the his-

J. i;. McFAKl.AX. Sit.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IOO9

tory of the McFarlan family in tliis county, together with interesting details
of a genealogical character relating to that family, and these it will not be
necessary here to repeat; but the biographer would be remiss in the dis-
charge of his obligation of duty and respect to the memory of those stal-
wart men of a past or now passing generation who did so much for the
early development of this community if he did not here present a brief
memorial sketch of the pioneer manufacturer whose name forms the caption
of this particular narrative.

John B. McFarlan was a native of the great city of London, but had been
a resident of this country since the days of his childhood and was there-
fore as much American and as proud of the institutions of this country as
"one native and to the manner born." He was about eight years of age
when his parents, James and Ann (Beecraft) McFarlan, left England with
their family and came to this country, settling in Hamilton county, Ohio,
in the immediate vicinity of the city of Cincinnati. James McFarlan, who
was a native of Scotland, was a silk manufacturer in London, but upon
coming to this country bought a farm in the vicinity of Cincinnati, land
now included in the corporate limits of that city, and there established his
home and spent his last days, his death occurring there when he was fifty-
eight years of age. His widow, who survived him many years, lived to be
nearly ninety years of age. Of their considerable family of children, the
following lived to maturity : James, Thomas, Robert, Edward, Ann, Martha,
Elizabeth, Mary and the subject of this memorial sketch.

Reared on the home farm in the neighborhood of Cincinnati, John B.
McFarlan completed his schooling there and when about seventeen years of
age entered the factory of the old firm of George C. Miller & Sons at Cin-
cinnati and was there thoroughly grounded in the trade of carriage black-
smithing. Upon completing his apprenticeship he opened a small carriage
shop of his own in the village of Cheviot, afterward and now known as
Westwood, a suburb of Cincinnati, and while there married. Not long
afterward, about 1850, he moved up by canal to Cambridge City, this state,
and there established a more extensive shop for the manufacture of car-
riages and did so well there that he presently began looking about for a more
advantageous location, and in 1856 moved down to Connersville and there
bought the carriage factory that had been established in that city by Ware
& Veatch. That business Mr. McFarlan gradually expanded until his fac-
tory became one of the most extensive in the country and the product of
the same became known far and wide for their excellence of construction.
(64)

lOIO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Not only did Mr. McFarlan become one of the leaders in the industrial life
of the city he had chosen as his permanent home, but he was equally active in
the general business affairs of the city and from the very beginning of his
residence there his boundless energies were exerted m behalf of the city's
development. Upon the discovery of natural gas hereabout he immediately
discerned the incalculable advantage this form of fuel would prove to the
city and became one of the chief organizers of the Connersville Natural Gas
Company, and was elected president of the same. He also was one of the
organizers and a member of the board of directors of the Indiana F'urniture
Company (now the Krell Piano Company), was president of the McFarlan
Building Company and upon the organization of the Connersville Blower
Company was elected president of the same and served in that capacity until
his death. For several years also he was president of the Fayette Banking
Company, organized in 189.?, and since then merged with the First National
Bank of Connersville, and in other ways gave of his time and his energies
to the development of his home town; so that, when death called him on
August 15, igog, he then being nearly eighty-seven years of age, this com-
munity felt that it had suffered the loss of one of its greatest benefactors.

MURL DONALD CUMMINS.

Murl Donald Cummins, a well-known and substantial farmer of Posey
township and owner of a fine farm of one hundred and six acres on the south-
ern edge of that township, just over the line from the place on which he
was born and where his father is still living in the northern part of Fairview
township, was born on the farm last indicated and has lived in the northern
part of this county all his life save for a short period spent in farming over
in Rush county. He was born on September 5, 1885, son of Noah and
Ella (Swift) Cummins, well-known residents of Fairview township and a
biographical sketch of the former of whom, presented elsewhere in this
volume, carries the interesting history of the Cummins family in this county.

Reared on the paternal farm in Fairview township, Murl D. Cummins
received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and remained at
home until after his marriage, when, in 1903, he began farming on his own
account, spending one season on the farm which he now owns, across the
line from his old home. He then lived for three years On the farm just
west of his father's place and then went to the "Jot" Caldwell farm two and

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. lOII

one-half miles west of Falmouth, over in Rush county, and a year later
moved to a farm five and one-half miles northwest of Falmouth, where he
lived for a couple of years, at the end of which time, in the spring of 191 1,
he bought his present well-improved farm of one hundred and six acres and
has since made his home there, he and his family being very comfortably and
very pleasantly situated.

On December 24, 1902, Murl D. Cunnnins was united in marriage to
Rhoda Suter, who was born in Owen county, Kentucky, a daughter of John
and Mary (Morrow) Suter, both of whom were l»rn and reared in that
same county and who still reside there, Mr. Suter being a well-to-do farmer.
Mr. Cummins was making a visit to his kinsfolk in Kentucky when he met
the girl who later became his wife. To this union four children have been
born, Juanita, Murl Garnet, Donald and Webb. Mrs. Cummins is a mem-
ber of the Baptist church and Mr. Cummins is a member of the Methodist
church. They take a proper part in the general social activities of the com-
munity in which they live and are helpful factors in the advancement of all
worthy causes thereabout.

JOHN L. BYRNE.

John L. Byrne, farmer and landowner of Waterloo township, this county,
and for years manager of the Joseph M. Sutcliffe estate in that township,
is a native of the neighboring state of Ohio, but has been a resident of
Indiana since the days of his childhood and has lived in the house in which
he is now living, the old Sutcliffe home, in Waterloo township, for the past
fifty-four years. He was bom in Butler county, Ohio, not far from the
city of Hamilton, February 2, 1856, a son of Patrick and Mary (McCardle)
Byrne, who later came to Indiana and located at Brownsville, in Union
county.

Patrick Byrne was born in Ireland and there grew to manhood, coming
then to the United States and proceeding on out into Ohio, where he married
Mary McCardle, American born, who had grown up in the vicinity of
Hamilton. When the subject of this sketch was about four years of age,
Patrick Byrne and his family moved to Indiana and located at Brownsville,
in Union county, where Patrick Byrne died a year later, leaving his widow
with four small children, one of whom still was a babe in arms. These
children, with the exception of the baby, were taken care of in the households
of kind-hearted neighbors and John L. Byrne was taken into the household

I0I2 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of Joseph M. Sutcliffe, a substantial farmer and landowner of Waterloo
township, this county.

John L. Byrne was not yet six years of age when his father died and
when he was taken into the Sutcliffe home and there he grew to manhood, a
valued aid in the labors of improving and developing the place. After the
death of Mr. Sutcliffe in 1882 he continued to make his home there, remain-
ing with Mrs. Sutcliffe and looking after the operation of the farm, and
after his marriage in 1885 established his home there, where he ever since has
resided, a continuous resident of that place and living in the same house for a
period of fifty-four years. In addition to looking after the Sutcliffe farm
in the interest of the heirs to the same, Mr. Byrne also owns a farm of his
own in that neighborhood and is looked upon as one of the substantial citi-
zens of that community.

As noted above, it was in 1885 that John L. Byrne was united in mar-
riage to Alice N. Holland, who was born in Waterloo township, a daughter
of William A. and Mary A. Holland and a sister of James F. Holland, a
biographical sketch of whom is set out elsewhere in this volume, and to this
union three children were born, two of whom died in infancy. The surviv-
ing child, a daughter, Edith, married Basil Bell, a farmer living in that same
neighborhood, and has one child, a son, John Howard. Mrs. Alice Byrne
died in January, 19 15. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church,
as is Mr. Byrne, and was ever devoted to good works. Mr. Byrne is a good
farmer, progressive in his methods, and has done well in his operations.

LEVI N. GREEN.

Levi N. Green, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers
of Waterloo township, this county, is a native Hoosier, born in the neigh-
boring county of Wayne, but has been a resident of Fayette county since
the days of his childhood and has thus been a witness to and a participant
in the development of this county during the past half century and more.
He was born on May i, 1854, son of William and Martha (Cross) Green,
natives of Maryland, who became residents of Indiana in the days of their
childhood and whose last days were spent in this county.

William Green was born near the city of Baltimore and was about ten
years of age, when, in the early thirties, his parents came out to Indiana
and established their home on a farm near Milton, in Wayne county. There

FAYKTTE COl'NTY. INDIANA. IOI3

William Green grew to maniiood, tliat period of his life between the ages
of sixteen and twenty-three being spent as a teamster and drover to and from
Cincinnati, in which he developed quite a business. Old settlers still living
are authority for the statement that William Green walked from Cincinnati
to his home in Wayne county, returning from a drover's trip, in one da)-,
which still stands as the record for pedestrianism in the pioneer annals
of this part of the state. William Green married Martha Cross, who also
was born in Delaware, a daughter of Levi Cross and wife, the latter of whom
was a Davis, who moved from Delaware to Ohio and thence to Indiana, and
some years later, about 1858, came over into Fayette county and established
his home in Waterloo township, later becoming an extensive landowner in
that part of the county. His death occurred in 1893. He and his wife
were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, two of whom
are deceased, namely: Mrs. Samantha Crawford, who was born in 1850
and who died when she was about twenty-five years of age, and Susanna,
who died in 1902. The surviving children, besides the subject of this sketch,
are George, William and Anna, who live in Connersville.

Levi N. Green was but four or five years of age when his parents
moved from Wayne county to Fayette county and he grew to manhood in
Waterloo township, where he ever since has lived, a life-long farmer. He
has interests in eight hundred acres of land and is regarded as one of the
most substantial farmers in that part of the county. He has a well-improved
place, with a good -house and a fine, large barn and he and his wife have
ever taken an earnest part in the general social activities of the neighbor-
hood, helpful in advancing all worthy causes. Mrs. Green is a woman of
education and refinement and the Green home has ever l>een noted for its
hospitality and good cheer.

On December 30, 1886, Levi N. Green was united in marriage to
Christina Spencer, who was born at Oxford, Ohio, daughter of Franklin
and Catherine (McArthur) Spencer, both born in that same city, the former
of whom, an architect and builder, moved from Ohio to Indiana and later
to Louisiana, where he died in March, 1907, and where his widow is still
living. She is the daughter of the Rev. John D. McArthur, a Presbyterian
clergyman, a former professor of Greek and Hebrew in Miami Universitv, at
Oxford and who for some time served as president of that institution. Mr.
and Mrs. Green have seven children living, namely: Roy Levi, who was
graduated from Purdue University and who is now in the employ of the
state, as a traveling inspector of stock feed and fertilizers ; Albert Spencer,
who also was graduated from Purdue and is now teaching school at Hender-

IOI4 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

son, Kentucky, married Neva Coleman, of Sale Creek, in Hamilton county,
Tennessee, and has one child, a daughter, Geneva; Otta, who was graduated
from the University of Wisconsin and is now teaching school at Quincy,
Illinois; Marcia Hazel, who is at home; Howard Franklin, Isabel Samantha
and Lawrence Lincoln, also at home. Mrs. Green and her daughters, Otta
and Marcia, are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and the family
has ever been devoted to local good works.

JOSEPH M. SUTCLIFFE.

It was in 1828 that the Sutcliffe family came into the then "wilds" of
Fayette county and founded a home in Waterloo township, a home which
is still in the possession of the family. The founder of this branch of the
Sutclifife family in Indiana was a Methodist clergyman, the Rev. John Sut-
cliffe, who, strangely enough, left his native England as a "stowaway" upon
his departure for America. That was in 18 12. Upon his arrival in this
country he located in Kentucky, but in 1828 left that state with his family
and came to Indiana, locating in Fayette county, where he spent the remainder
of his life, one of the most substantial and influential pioneer residents of
the northeastern part of the county.

The Rev. John Sutcliffe was born in England, where he received an
excellent education and where he became a minister of the Methodist church.
He was trained as a reedmaker, a member of the guild which had in charge
the making of the reeds for the old looms of that period, and members of
which guild, in order to protect the weaving industry, were forbidden by
the British government from leaving that country. John Sutcliffe, however,
determined to get out of the country and to go to the United States, where
he was sure better opportunities awaited craftsmen. He had a friend who
was the captain of a vessel sailing to America and to this captain he con-
fided his design. The captain told him if he could stow himself away on
board so securely as to evade the government inspection of the vessel before
sailing, after the point of final inspection had been passed all would be well,
that he then should have the unmolested privileges of the vessel. In order
to get on board the vessel John Sutcliffe insinuated himself into the gang
of stevedores who were loading the vessel and presently was thus able to
stow himself away securely in the hold, where he remained until after final
inspection of the vessel had been made, when he revealed himself to the cap-

r.WKTTE COL'NTV, INDIANA. IOI5

tain and the balance of the voyage was made in comfort. He had taken the
precaution to pack his reed-making; tools, upon the exportation of which the
government also had an interdiction, in a tirkin of butter, which he had openly
shipped aboard the vessel on which he stowed himself away, and thus safely
smuggled his valued tools out of the country for use in the new home he
thought to set up in the New World. Upon his arrival in this country he
proceeded to Kentucky and located in Fayette county, in the neighborhood
of Lexington. There he presently was joined by his wife, Mary, to whom,
upon his arrival here, he had at once imparted the news of his safe arrival,
and the new home was set up in Kentucky, where he began working at his
trade and where he also soon gained more than a local reputation as a min-
ister of the Methodist church. In 1828 the Rev. John Sutcliffe and family left
Kentucky and came to Indiana, settling in Waterloo township, this county,
where he and his wife spent their last days, his death occurring in 1843, he
then being about sixty years of age. His wife had preceded him to the
grave some years previously. They were the parents of ten children, of
whom Joseph M. Sutcliffe was the youngest son and the ninth in order of
birth.

Joseph M. Sutcliffe was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, in 1821, and
was about seven years of age when he came to this county with his parents,
the family settling in Waterloo township, where he spent the rest of his life,
becoming one of the most influential residents of that part of the county. He
received an excellent education for that period and ever took an active part
in public aft'airs, serving for years as a member of the board of county com-
missioners. After his marriage in 1842 he established his home in Water-
loo township and became a well-to-do farmer. For more than forty years
he was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church and he and his
wife were ever active in local good works. On his home farm in Water-
loo township, Joseph M. Sutclifife died in 1882. His widow survived him
for about nine years, her death occurring in 1891. She was born, Cynthia
Ann Robinson, in Fayette county, daughter of Matthew and Eleanor Robin-
son, the former of whom was born in Morgantown, Virginia, in 1781, and
who, in 1 84 1, came with his family to Indiana and settled in Waterloo town-
ship, this county, where he spent the rest of his life. He was one of the
founders of Robinson Chapel Methodist Episcopal church. His death
occurred not long after he came to this county and his widow survived him
until 1864, she being eighty-four years of age at the time of her death.
Mrs. Sutcliffe was a woman of refinement and was a zealous worker in the
Methodist Episcopal church.

I0l6 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

To Joseph M. and Cynthia Ann (Robinson) Sutcliffe four children
were born, two of whom died in infancy, the survivors being Dr. John A.
SutcHffe, a surgeon, of IndianapoUs, and Emma, who is still living on the
old home place in Waterloo township, widow of Isaac J. Doddridge. It
was in June, 1877, that Emma Sutcliffe was united in marriage to Isaac J.
Doddridge, who was born in the neighboring county of Wayne, where he
grew to manhood. After his marriage he located in Waterloo township, on
the place where Mrs. Doddridge lives now. He was a life-long farmer and
became the owner of a farm of eighty acres. His death occurred in 1909
and since then Mrs. Doddridge has continued to make her home on the farm
where she now lives and where she has lived since she was four years of
age. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was her hus-
band.

JAMES LUDLOW.

James Ludlow, one of Fayette county's best-known farmers, proprietor
of a fine farm in the southwestern part of Harrison township and an hon-
ored veteran of the Civil War, was born in this county and has lived here all
his life. He was born in Harrison township on August 8, 1840, a son of
Samuel B. and Hannah (Campbell) Ludlow, natives of Cayuga county.
New York, who were married in that county and in 18 19 came out here to
the then "wilds" of Indiana and settled in Rush county. There Samuel B.
Ludlow entered a tract of land from the government, but a short time later
moved over into Fayette county and bought a farm in the southeast quarter
of section 9 of Harrison township, where he made his home until 1856,
when he bought another farm in the northwest quarter of section 8 of that
same township and on that latter place spent his last days, his death occur-
ring in 1891, he then being nearly eighty-two years of age.. His widow
survived him for some years, she being nearly ninety years of age at the
time of her death. They were the parents of twelve children, six sons and six
daughters, all of whom grew to maturity, but all of whom are now deceased
save the subject of this biographical sketch and his sister, Anna, wife of
Welborn Caldwell.

James Ludlow grew to manhood in Harrison township and remained
with his parents, a valued aid in the labors of the home farm until August,
1 86 1, when he enlisted as a private in Company H, Thirty-sixth Regiment,
Indiana Volunteer Infantrv, and went to the front with that command, serv-

IWVr.TTE CorXTY, INDIANA. IOI7

ing his full term of three years. The Thirty-sixth Iinliana was attached to
the Army of the Cumberlaiul and Mr. Ludlow saw some of the most vigorous
action of the war, including the battle of Stone's River, the battle of Chicka-
mauga, the battle of Chattanooga and other engagements in which his regi-
ment participated, and was in the one hundred-days campaign from Chatta-
nooga to Atlanta, participating in the siege of the latter city. While there
his term of enlistment expired and he received his honorable discharge. Dur-
ing his three years of arduous service Mr. Ludlow received but one wound
and that a minor wound at the battle of Chickamauga. Of the company of
one hundred men who went out with Company H when the Thirty-sixth
Indiana started for the front, Mr. Ludlow and Stephen White, of Everton,
are the only members now living in Fayette county. Mr. Ludlow is an active
member of the Grand Army of the Republic and has ever taken an earnest
interest in the affairs of his local post and in those of the Department of
Indiana in general.

Upon the completion of his military service James Ludlow returned to
the home farm in this county and there remained, continuing to help his
father in the work of the farm, until his marriage in 1875, when he started
farming for himself on land he rented from his father, in section 9 of Harri-
son township, where he remained until 1886, when he moved to his present
place in section 18, in the southwestern part of Harrison township, wliere
he ever since has lived. On that place, in 1887, he erected a new house, which
has since been his place of residence and where he land his wife are very
comfortably situated.

j\Ir. Ludlow has been twice married. In January, 1875, he was united
in marriage to Lucy Wymore. who was liorn in Montgomery county, Ken-
tucky, a daughter of David and Cynthia (W^illoughby) Wymore, who moved
from Kentucky to Indiana in the winter of 1864-65 and settled in Harrison
township, this county, but later moved to Iowa. Mrs. Lucy Ludlow died
in 1901, w'ithout issue, and in March, 1906, Mr. Ludlow married Mrs. Angelina
(Noel) John, who was Iiorn near Georgetown, Kentucky, a daughter of
James and Saraii (Bailey) Noel, both natives of Kentucky. Angelina Noel
came to Indiana when sixteen years of age, with the family of George
Stewart, settling in Connersville, and lived with the Stewarts there for nine
years, or until her marriage to Wesley John, who was born in this county
and was reared on a farm a mile west of Connersville, a son of Greenup
and Janet (Hines) John, members of old families here, Greenup John's father,
Jonathan John, having come here during the early days of the settlement
of this part of the state and entering a tract of land from the government

IOl8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

about where the city of Connersville now is located. Wesley John farmed nearly
all his life on the farm where he was born, but spent the last seven years of
his life on a farm he had bought near Bunker Hill, west of Connersville,
where he died in 1903, without issue. Mr. and Mrs. Ludlow take an earnest
interest in general local affairs in the community in which they live and are
helpful in promoting all movements having to do with the advancement of
the common welfare.

JOHN ALFRED STRONG.

John Alfred Strong, one of Harrison township's well-known and sub-
stantial fanners, is a native son of Fayette county, but was reared over the
line in the neighboring county of Union, returning to this county and locat-
ing on the farm on which he is now living, three miles north of Conners-
ville, in 1905, the year following his marriage, and has since made his home
there. He was born on a pioneer farm in Waterloo township, this county,
September 20, i860, son of Wilson and Eliza (Fiant) Strong, both mem-
bers of the pioneer families, the former of whom was born on that same
farm, and both of wliom are now deceased.

Wilson Strong was born on a farm north of Springersville, in the south-
eastern part of Waterloo township, a son of Richard Strong and wife, who
came to Indiana from Maryland about 1821 and settled on the farm just
noted, in this county, thus being numbered among the early settlers of this
county. Richard Strong was of Irish descent, his grandfather having come
from the Emerald Isle. On that pioneer farm Wilson Strong grew to man-
hood. He married Eliza Fiant, who was born in Montgomery county, Ohio,
but who had come to this county with her parents when a child, the Fiants
being among the old settlers of the county. Some years after his marriage
Wilson Strong moved over the line into Union county and located at Browns-
ville, where he became engaged as a mechanic and wagonmaker and in the
immediate vicinity of which place he also owned a farm. During the Civil
War, Wilson Strong enlisted for service in the Ohio Heavy Artillery, but
was later transferred to one of the Indiana infantry regiments and served
for three years during the struggle between the states. He died in 1886 and
his widow survived until 1902.

John A. Strong was but a child when his parents moved to Brownsville
and there he grew to manhood, taking an active part in the labors of his
father's farm from boyhood, and has farmed all his life. In 1905, the year

FAVETTi; COUXTY, INDIANA. lOIQ

following his marriage, he located on the farm on which he is now living,
in Harrison township, three miles north of Connersville, and has since made
that place his home, he and his family being quite comfortably situated
there. Mr. Strong lias a well-kept and well-improved farm of mie Inimlrcd
and sixty acres and is doing very well in his farming operatidus, being
regarded as one of the progressive and substantial farmers of that neigh-
borhood.

On March 9, 1904, John A. Strong was united in marriage to Emma
D. Hamilton, who was born on a farm on the southern edge of the neighbor-
ing county of Wayne, west of Beeson, daughter of Thomas and Martha
Comfort (Newbold) Hamilton, the former a native of Kentucky and the
latter of Delaware, who came to Indiana with their respective parents in
the days of their youth, the two families settling in the Connersville neigh-
borhood. Thomas Hamilton was born near Georgetown, Kentucky, in iSio,
a son of Alexander and Rebecca Hamilton, pioneers of that section. Alex-
ander Hamilton was with Dick Johnson when the latter shot and killed the
great Indian leader, Tecumseh, and served as a soldier during the War of
1812. Before 1820 he moved with his family up into Indiana and settled
at Connersville, which at that time was but a small collection of rude log
houses in the woods along the riverside. It was there that Thomas Hamil-
ton grew to manhood. He started a hotel at Connersville and while thus
engaged, July 6, 1838, married Martha Comfort Newbold, who was born in
Sussex county, Delaware, October 6, 18 13, daughter of Francis and Com-
fort (Rodney) Newbold. who moved from Delaware to Kentucky and thence,
seven years later, up into Indiana, their daughter, Martha, then being twelve
years of age, and settled on a farm west of Connersville, where, and in Con-
nersville, the daughter, Martha, grew to womanhood. Francis Newbold was
married thrice and his daughter, Martha, was the youngest of the five chil-
dren born to his first wife. Years after coming to this county Francis New-
bold moved over into Rush county and there spent his last days. For thirty-
five years Thomas Hamilton was engaged in the hotel business at Conners-
ville, his first hotel having been located on the east side of Central avenue,
opposite the court house. From that site he moved to what later was called
the Buckley Hotel, at the northeast corner of Eastern avenue and Fifth
street. He and his wife were admirable hotel keeps and did a good business.
It is a matter of recollection among old settlers that they had the first cook
stove brought to Connersville and Mrs. Hamilton had a great reputation as
a cook, her personal attention bestowed upon the kitchen of the hotel insur-
ing to travelers the best of viands. About 1853 the Hamiltons moved to

I020 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Cambridge City, where tliey took the contract for boarding the men engaged
in grading and gravehng the National road, which was being constructed
through this part of the state at that time, and two years later they moved
to a farm west of Beeson, on the southern edge of Wayne county, where Mrs.
Strong was born. Later they moved to the Elijah Hurst farm, in that same
vicinity, and there Thomas Hamilton died in 1864, he then being fifty-four
years of ag'e. His widow survived him many years, her death occurring on
October 7. 1898. Thomas Hamilton and wife were the parents of eight
children, all of whom lived to maturity save one who died at the age of
eighteen months and all the others of whom are still living save Alexander,
W^illiam and John A., who died on October 16, 1916, those of the sun'ivors
besides Mrs. Strong, the youngest, being Mrs. Rebecca Taylor, of German-
town ; Mrs. Mary Hearkless, of Elwood, and Robert H. Hamilton, of Wayne
county.

Mr. and Mrs. Strong have one child, a son. Charles Hamilton Strong,
born on June 16, 1905. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal
church, in the various beneficences of which they take a proper interest, as
well as in the general social acti\'ities of the community in which they live.
Mr. Strong is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization. He is a public-
spirited citizen and takes a good citizen's interest in all movements ha\ing
to do with the promotion of the best interests of the community.

LEONIDAS A. KLINE.

Leonidas A. Kline, one of the substantial farmers and landowners of
Waterloo township, this county, and former trustee of that township, was
born on the farm on which he is now living and has lived there the greater
part of his life. He was born on September 15, 1863, son of Abraham and
Caroline (Grindle) Kline, both natives of this state, the former born in
this county and the latter born in Grant county, whose last days were spent
in Huntington county, this state.

Abraham Kline was born in Waterloo township, this county, a son
of Daniel and Catherine (Weichey) Kline, natives of Pennsylvania, who
came out to Indiana in 1825 and settled in Fayette county, among the earliest
settlers of Waterloo township, becoming useful and influential pioneers of
that part of the county. Daniel Kline was born in Chester county, Penn-

FAYETTE COL'NTY, INDIANA. I02I

sylvania, about 1791, a son of Isaac Kline, of German stock, and there grew
to manhood. He married Catherine Weichey, also of German stock, and
in 1825 drove through to Indiana, with a view to establishing a home in the
then "wilds" of Fayette county. Upon his arrival here Daniel Kline bought
a quarter of a section of land in Waterloo township and there he and his
wife reared their family, becoming prosperous farmers. He was an active
member of the German Baptist church and did much in the way of pro-
moting better things in the pioneer community in which he settled. There
Mrs. Catherine Kline died on October 6, 1862. She was a devoted member
of the Christian church. Some time after the death of his wife, Daniel
Kline moved to Huntington county, this state, where he spent his last days,
his death occurring on May 27, 1873.

On that pioneer farm in Waterloo township, where he was Ijorn, Aljra-
ham Kline grew to manhood, a valued aid in the lalx)rs of improving and
developing the same. He married Caroline Grindle, who was born in Grant
countv, daughter of Samuel and Caroline Grindle, who lived and died in that
countv, and in 1872 moved to Huntington county, this state, where he estab-
lished his home on a farm and where he spent the rest of his life, his death
occurring on October 11, 1896. His widow, who continued to make her
home in Huntington county, survived him for more than ten years, her death
occurring on July 8, 1907.

Leonidas A. Kline was about nine years of age when his parents moved
to Huntington county and there he made his home, assisting his father in
the labors of the farm, until his marriage in the spring of 1888, when he
returned to the old home farm in W^aterloo township, this county, where
he was born, and there has made his home ever since, one of the substan-
tial and progressive farmers of that community. He is the owner of three
hundred and fifty-nine acres of excellent land in that township and has done
very well in his farming operations. Mr. Kline is a Democrat and has ever
given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs and for four years
served the public in the capacity of township trustee, his term of office expir-
ing in 1904.

In the spring of 1888, while living in Huntington county, Leonidas A.
Kline was united in marriage to Olive Guthrie, who was born and reared
in that county, a daughter of John and Martha (Hunter) Guthrie, who
lived and died on a farm in that county, and to this union nine children
have been born, namely : Elsie, who married Joseph Little and lives in
Connersville ; Paul, a farmer of Waterloo township, who married Fay David-
son and has one child, a daughter, Helen ; Ruth, who is a member of Fay-

I022 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

ette county's efficient public-school teaching force, and Ralph, Ross, Carl,
Harold, Caroline and Mary, who are at home with their parents. The Klines
have a very pleasant home and have ever taken a proper part in the social activi-
ties of the community in which they live, helpful in advancing all good
works thereabout. Mr. Kline is a member of the Masonic fraternity and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of that ancient order.

SAM GERBER.

Sam Gerber, one of I^osey township's best-known farmers and the pro-
prietor of a well-kept and highly cultivated farm of ninety-one acres on the
-north edge of the county, about three miles north of Bentonville, is a native
of the old Buckeye state, but has been a resident of this county since shortly
after he attained his majority. He was born on a farm near Pleasant Run,
between Cincinnati and Hamilton, in Hamilton county, Ohio, June 19, 1874,
son of John and Mary (Sloneker) Gerber, the former of whom spent his
last days in that same county and the latter, in the neighboring county of
Butler.

John Gerber was born and reared in Switzerland and upon arriving at
manhood's estate came to this country and made his way to Ohio, locating at
Hamilton, where he married Mary Sloneker, who was born and reared in
Germany, and then engaged in farming in the Pleasant Run neighborhood
between Cincinnati and Hamilton, continuing thus engaged there until his
death about 1886, leaving his widow with five children, of whom the subject
of this sketch, then twelve years of age, was the third in order of birth. After
the death of her husband the Widow Gerber moved with her family up into
Butler county and there she spent her last days.

Sam Gerber was about twelve years of age when his father died and
after the family moved to Butler county he was a valued aid to his mother
in helping to keep the family together. He remained there until he was
twenty-two years of age, when, in 1896, he came to Indiana and located in
this county, where he ever since has made his home. For a year or two after
coming here Mr. Gerber was engaged at farm labor west of Connersville and
after his marriage in 1897 he rented a farm and began farming for himself
and «as thus engaged, farming the old Huston farm near Hawkinsville, in
Harrison township, for ten years, at the end of which time, in June, 1907,
he bought the farm of ninety-one acres on the north edge of Posey township,

FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. IO23

three miles north of Bentonville, wliere he ever since lias made his home and
where he and his wife are very comfortably situated. Since taking possession
of that farm Mr. Gerber has made ninneroiis substantial improvements and
now has an excellent farm plant, good buildings and well-tiled fields. In
addition to his general farming he has given considerable attention to tlie
raising of hogs for the market and is doing very well in his operations. Mr.
Gerber is a member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen and takes
a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.

]Mr. Gerber's wile, born Nellie Jane Caldwell, was born at Connersville,
daughter of Sanford and Elizabeth (McCann) Caldwell, both of whom also
were born in this county and the former of whom is still living here. San-
ford Caldwell was born in Posey township, on the farm two miles south of
Bentonville, where Fred Hackleman now lives. May i8, 1843, son of Train
and Jane (McClure) Caldwell, the former of whom, a native of North
Carolina, was but an infant when his parents came West, first locating in
Ohio and then moving over into Indiana and settling in Harrison township,
this county, in the days when the blockhouse was still being maintained there
as a protection against the Indians and for some time lived in the blockhouse,
which was situated where Daniel Caldwell now lives. Train Caldwell grew
to manhood amid the pioneer conditions that then prevailed in Posey town-
ship and became one of the extensive farmers and stockmen of that part of
the county. About 1865 he moved to Connersville, where he became engaged
in the pork-packing industry and where he and his wife spent the remainder
of their lives. Sanford Caldwell was reared in this county and for some
years after his marriage in 1873 ^^'^^ engaged in the retail meat business in
East Connersville, remaining there until 1882, when he moved to Yankee-
town, where he became the owner of a farm of one hundred and three acres,
on which he made his home until about 1912, when he retired and has since
been making his home with his children. His wife died in 1896. She was
born, Elizabeth McCann, en a farm east of Connersville, a daughter of Basil
and Eleanor (Webb) McCann, the former of whom was born in Jennings
township, this county, a son of James and Barbara (Darey) McCann, who
came to this state from western Virginia and located on land that now is in
the 'very heart of the city of Indianapolis; but believing that land there never
would amount to anything presently came over into Fayette countv and
located in Jennings township, on what now is known as the old Spivey farm,
three and one-half miles east of Connergville, later moving to a farm which
occupied the present site of East Connersville, where they established their
home. Basil McCann became a partner in the big pork-packing concern of

I024 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Caldwell & Company and was oftice manager for the same. When that con-
cern went out of business about 1876 he continued his extensive farming-
operations and also for some time operated a saw-mill. He later engaged
in the meixantile business in East Connersville and was thus engaged for
about ten years. He was an active Republican and he and his wife were
earnest members of the Christian church. Basil McCann died in 1885 and
his widow survived him for fifteen years, her death occurring in 1900. She
was born, Eleanor Webb, in Rush county, a daughter of Isom and Elizabeth
(Cassidy) Webb, and when a child came to this county to make her home
with a cousin, Mrs. Thomas White, and was living there at the time of her
marriage to Basil McCann. To Sanford and Elizabeth (McCann) Cald-
well four children were born, those besides Mrs. Gerber being Charles and
Frank Caldwell, who live on a farm about four miles southwest of Conners-
ville and Carrie, wife of William McClure, of Connersville.

WILUAM MAZE.

William Maze, trustee of Waterloo township, this county, and the pro-
prietor of a fine farm of two hundred acres in the southeastern part of that
township, was born and reared in the neighboring county of Union, but has
been a resident of Fayette county for the past twenty years or more, during
which time he has come to be one of the best-known men in the county. He
was born on a farm in the Quakertown neighborhood, in Harmony town-
ship. Union county, April 17, 1867, son of John W. and Susan (Hollings-
worth) Maze, both of whom were born and reared in that same township,
members of pioneer families in that part of the state.

Reared on the paternal farm in Union county, William Maze grew to
manhood there and after his marriage began farming on his own account.
In March, 1896, he came over into this county and bought the farm on which
he is now living, in the southeastern part of Waterloo township, and has ever
since made that place his home. Mr. Maze has two hundred acres of land
in that farm and his place is well improved and profitably cultivated. Mr.
Maze is a Democrat and in 1904 was elected trustee of Waterloo township,
serving in that important capacity for four years. In 1914 he was re-elected
to that same office and is now ser\'ing his second term as trustee, giving to
the duties of his oft'ice the most careful attention to the needs of the public.

lAVETTE OH'NTY, INDIANA. IO25

He and his wife are nieniliers of tlie Cliristian cluirch at Sprintrersx-ille and
take a proper interest in cliurch work.

Mrs. Maze, whose maiden name was Al\a Simpson, was born in Water-
loo township, daughter of Benjamin and ]\lelinda Jane (Strong) Simpson,
both of whom were born and reared in the southeastern part of that same
township. Mrs. Simpson was a daughter of Richard and Susan Strong,
early settlers on the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Maze are now living.
Benjamin Simpson, who was a son of William Simpson, one of the early
settlers in Fayette county, for years served his home townsliij) in tlie capacity
of justice of the peace.

To Mr. and Mrs. Maze four children have been born, namely : Earl,
who died when fourteen months of age ; Anna, who married Wilbur Osborne
and lives in the northwestern part of Union county; John Stanford, who is
at home, and Lawrence, also at home. Mr. Maze is a member of both the
subordinate lodge and the encampment of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, affiliated with the former at Brownsville and with the latter at
Liberty, and takes a warm interest in Odd Fellowship. He is a public-
spirited citizen and has ever given his aid in promoting such movements as
are designed to advance the common welfare of the community.

OLIVER T. FIANT.

Oliver T. Fiant, one of Waterloo township's well-known and progressive
young farmers and the proprietor of a well-kept farm near Waterloo, was
born on the farm on which he is now living in that township and has lived
there all his life. He was born on Marcii 29, 1882, son of Daniel and Lavina
(White) Fiant, both of whom were born in this county, members of pioneer
families, and whose last days were spent in Connersville, the county seat,
Daniel Fiant having been serving as a member of the board of county com-
missioners at the time of his death.

Daniel Fiant was born on a pioneer farm in Waterloo township, this
county, January 28, 18.J.6, son of John and Hannah (Fiddler) Fiant, the
former of whom also was born in this part of the state, on a pioneer farm
over the line in Union county, a son of Daniel and Saloma (Gaby) Fiant,
prominent among the early settlers of this part of Indiana. The senior
Daniel Fiant was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, son of a Hessian
(65)

1026 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

soldier, one of the band of troops hired by the Duke of Hesse to the British
government for use against the American patriots, but who had deserted the
British cause, putting in his lot with that of the colonists, and after the war
had remained on this side, married here and established a home, his family
now being a numerous one and represented in various parts of the country.
Trained as a carpenter, Daniel Fiant followed that trade during his young
manhood in Pennsylvania. There he married Saloma Gaby and in 1802
he and his family came out to this part of the country, then regarded as the
"wilds" of the West, and .settled on a farm in Union county, not far from
the present Fayette county line, in the then territory of Indiana, and there
established his home. In addition to buying a tract of land there, he also
laought a pioneer mill, but the latter proved unprofitable and was not long
continued. In 1834 the pioneer Daniel Fiant moved over into Fayette county
and settled in Waterloo township, where he had leased a quarter of a section
of school land for a term of ninety-nine years, and there he and his wife'
spent their last days, his death occurring in 1866, he then being eighty-six
years of age, and hers, in 1867, she then being eighty-five years of age. John
Fiant, the tenth in order of birth of the children born to the above pioneer
couple, was born in 1818 and grew up on the pioneer fann in Union county,
realizing fully the hardships which attended the efforts of the early settlers
to bring the wilderness to a habitable state. In 1843 he married Hannah
Fiddler, a daughter of Samuel Fiddler, and establishied his home in this
county, becoming the owner of a farm of one hundred and seventeen acres.'
He and his wife were members of the German Baptist church, of which
Daniel Fiant, the pioneer, and his wife also had been members, and he for
years was one of the deacons of the local congregation of that church.

The younger Daniel Fiant, grandson of the pioneer whose name he
bore, was reared on the home farm in this county and in April, 1871, was
united in marriage to Lavina White, who was born in Waterloo township,
this county, August 24, 1849, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth White.
Daniel Fiant and his wife began their married life on a farm not far from
Waterloo, in the township of that name, and as time passed prospered in their
^operations, gradually enlarging their holdings until they became owners of
a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres of excellent land, all of which
was well improved. In 1908 Daniel Fiant was elected a member of the
board of county commissioners from his district and in that same year retired
from the farm, turning the same over to the management of his sons, built a
comfortal)le house in Connersville and moved to the county seat, where he

FAYETTK, COUNTY, INDIANA. 102/

and his wife spent their last clays. In 1910 Daniel Fiant was unanimously
renominated to the office of county commissioner, but did not live to enter
upon his second temi of office, his death occurring at Connersville on August
30, 1 9 10. His widow survived him less than three years, her death occurring
in March, 1913. She had been a member of the Brethren church for many
years and it has Iieen written of her that "her religion was a vital, controlling
principle of her life." !<"or more tlian thirty years Daniel Fiant had been a
member of the Dunker cinirch and lor many years served as president of
the Gemian Baptist Tri-County Mutual Protective Association. To him and
his wife seven children were born, two of whom died in early youth and the
other five of whom are still living, those besides fhe subject of this sketch
being Delia, Martha and Oren, who continue to live in the house in which
their parents died in Conners\-ille. and Syh'ia, wlio married Roy Sherry,
also of Connersville.

Oliver T. Fiant was reared on the fami on which he is now living and
has lived there all his life. He completed his schooling in the high school
o\er in \\'ayne county and early began giving his practical attention to the
labors of the farm. After his marriage in 1903 he established his home on
the old home plate, eighty acres of which he now owns, and there he and
his family are very pleasantly and very comfortably situated.

On December 13, 1903, Oliver T. Fiant was united in marriage to
Nelle Louise Stanley, who was born in the neighboring county of Union, a
daughter of Fdwin and Wealthy Ann (Gruell) Stanley, both natives of this
section of Indiana, the former born in this county and the latter born in the
neighboring county of Franklin, who are now living retired at Lyons Station.
Edwin Stanley was born on a farm in Jennings township, this county, June
16, 1843, son of Xathan and Mary (Golden) Stanley, the former a native
of the state of Tennessee and the latter of this county. Nathan Stanley was
but ten years of age when he came from Tennessee to Indiana with his
widowed mother, two sisters and a brother, the family settling on the Jonas
SchoU farm in the eastern part of Jennings township, this county. In that
township Nathan Stanley .spent .the rest of his life as a farmer and was a
substantial and influential citizen. He was twice married. His first wife,
who was Mary Golden, born in Jennings township, this countv, a daughter
of Stephen Golden and wife, wlio lived one mile from .Mquina, on a farfn
now owned by Reed Nichols, died when her son, Edwin, was nine or ten
years of age, leaving seven children. Later Nathan Stanley married Eliza-
beth Grimes, who bore him four children and was a devoted mother also to
the children by her husband's first marriage.

I02b FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Edwin Stanley grew up on the liome farm in Jennings township and was
married in 1867. In the following year he moved to Illinois and in that
state farmed for two years, at the end of which time he returned to his home
state and bought a part of the Wilson farm, two miles northeast of Alquina,
on the east side of the Union county line, and there made his home until
1903, when he retired from the farm and moved to Lyons Station, where he
and his wife are now living. He is the owner of one hundred and thirty-
eight acres of excellent land over the line in Union county and twenty-eight
acres in this county.

On Feliruary 7, 1867, in Rush count}', this state, Edwin Stanley was
united in marriage to VVe^althy Ann Gruell. who was born in Franklin county,
this .state, a daughter of Thomas and Letitia (Gniell) Gruell, the former of
whom was bom in Delaware and was about six years of age when he came
to Indiana with his parents, Lawrence Gruell and wife, who settled on a
farm on the northern edge of Waterloo township, this county, among the
first settlers of that part of the county, and there established him home.
There Thomas Gruell grew to manhood and there he married Letitia Gruell,
who was born in the Xenia neighborhood, in Ohio, and who was but a child
when her parents. Jacob and Prudence Gruell, natives of Delaware, moved
from Ohio o\er into Indiana and settled in W^aterloo township, this county.
Some years after his marriage Thomas Gruell moved. over into Rush county
and in 1843 moved from there to Franklin county, where Mrs. Stanley was
born, and in the early fifties moved from that county to Columbus, this state,
where he lived for two or three years, at the end of which time he returned
to Rush county and settled on a farm near Arlington, where he and his wife
spent the remainder of their lives. Thomas Gruell was a tanner, having
served an apprenticeship to that trade in his youth, and owned a tannery at
Columbus. He also owned a store at Andersonyille, in Franklin county.
Edwin Stanlev and wife have seven children, those besides Mrs. Fiant, the
last in order of birth, being as follow: Grant, who lives on a farm on the
eastern edge of Jennings township and who married Grace Williams and has
four children. Alpha, Vera, Wilbur and Frances; Thomas O., who married
Jennie Geis and is engaged in the grain business at Lyonsville, this county;
Carrie, who married John Williamson (now deceased), of Jennings town-
Sliip, and has four children, Everett, Earl, Lloyd and Opal ; Minnie, who
married George Harvey and lives on her father's farm in Union county;
Rusha. who married Newton Gruell, of Elmwood, Ohio, and has two chil-
dren, Thomas and Lowell, and Letitia, who married^ Dr. Stanton E. Gordon,
of Alquina, this county, and has two children, Stanley and Helen.

FAYF.TTE COUNTY, INDIANA. I02q

Mr. and Mrs. Fiant li.ive fmir children. Isabelle Junius, Daniel Web.ster,
Paul Edwin and Thomas Kenneth. Mr. and Mrs. Fiant and the two eldest
children are all members of the Methodist church, as are Mrs. Fiant's par-
ents, and Mr. Fiant is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias,
in the afifairs of which organization he takes a warm interest. He and his
wife take a proper part in the general social activities of the community in
which they live and are helpful in promoting all causes having to do with the
advancement of the common welfare thereabout.

WILLARD HADLEY.

Willard Hadley, proprietor of a well-kept farm on the eastern edge of
the village of Columbia, in Columbia township, this county, and one of the
best-known citizens of that part of the county, was born in the neighboring
county of Franklin, but has been a resident of Fayette county since he was a
boy and has lived in Columbia township ever since he came to this county.
He was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Metamora, eight or ten
miles south of his present home, December i8, 1867, son of David T. and
Mary Ann (Curry) Hadley, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of
this state and the latter of whom is still living, for many years a resident of
Columbia township, this county.

David T. Fladley, who was an honored veteran of the Civil War, was
born in Brown county, Ohio, August 21, 1841, a son of Anson Hadley and
wife, and was but a child v.-hen his parents came over into Indiana and settled
in the .Metamora neighborhood. His mother died shortly after the family
came here and he was taken in charge by the Whitelock family, of Jackson
township, this county, and was reared there, growing up to the life of a farm.
Though not yet twenty years of age when the Civil War broke out, David
T. Hadley offered his services in behalf of the Union and on April 22, 1861,
at Brookville, was mustered in with Company C, Thirteenth Regiiuent, Indi-
ana Volunteer Infantry, with wh.ich command he ser\ed his full three years,
the term of his enlistment, and was mustered out with his regiment at Indi-
anapolis on July, 1S64, his company at that time having been reduced to
twenty-three members, louring the term of h.is ser\ ice in the army Mr.
Hadley was in some of the most important engagements and battles of the
war, including Rich Mountain, Cheat Mountain. Green Briar, Allegheny,
Winchester, Mt. Jackson, Summerville, Franklin, Jones's Ford, Cold Harbor,

1030 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Petersburg and many others and e\ev acquitted himself to the full measure
of a soldier.

Upon the completion of his military service David T. Hadley returned
to his old home and on January 3, 1867, was united in marriage to Mary A.
Curry, who was born at Metamore, in Franklin county, daughter of Thomas
and Penselia (Simmons) Curry, both .of whom were born and reared in that
same community, members of old families thereabout. James Simmons,
father of Mrs. Penselia Curry, was a Virginian, one of the early settlers in
Franklin county. Mrs. Hadley grew up on a farm in the Metamora neigh-
borhood, where her father followed farming all his life, and lived there until
her marriage. For three or four years after their marriage David T. Had-
ley and wife continued to live in the ]\.'letamora neighborhood and then moved
to Daviess county, this state, where they remained about five years, at the
end of which time they moved to Rush county, where Mr. Hadley died on
December 7, 1876, leaving his wife and three small children. He was a
member of the Methodist church, as is his widow, and was a member of the
Grange, in the affairs of which, as well as in his church work, he took a
deep interest. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Hadley and her children
returned to her old home near Metamora and remained there until her two
sons were old enough to take the direction of a farm, when, about 1886, the
family came to Fayette county and bought a farm about one mile south of
Columbia, where Mrs. Hadley has lived ever since and where she is very
comfortably situated, the owner of seventy-nine acres of excellent land, which
is now farmed by her grandson, Virgil Hadley. Besides the subject of this
sketch, Mrs. Hadley has two children, another son, Omer, and a daughter,
Edith, the latter of whom married Rollin Pumphrey and now lives on a farm
near Hawkinsville, north of Connersville. Omer Hadley now lives in Orange
township, this county, where he owns a farm of one hundred and seventeen
and one-half acres. He married Edith Robinson, who died in 1909, leaving
two children, Virgil and Esta, the former of whom is now farming his grand-
mother's place, while the latter is keeping house for her father.

Willard Hadley was twelve or thirteen years of age when his mother
came up into Favette county from her old home near Metamora and settled
in Columbia township and there he grew to manhood, helping his mother
with the labors of the farm. About 1890 he rented the home farm and
remained there, the last of the family to leave home, until about eleven years
ago. he then being thirty-eight years of age, when he bought his present farm
of ninetv acres at the east edge of the village of Columbia, where he has
farmed ever since and where he and his wife are very comfortably situated.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IO3I

Mr. Hadley lias a well-improved farm and a well-kept farm plant. In addi-
tion to his general farming he has given considerable attention to the raising
of live stock and has done very well in his operations. Mr. Hadley is a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest
in the affairs of the same.

On June 20, 1906, Willard Hadley was united in marriage to Pearl
Stevens, who was bom of Garrison creek, in Columbia township, this county,
daughter of Charles and Loanna (Limpus) Stevens, both of whom also were
born in that same township. Charles Stevens was a son of Charles P. and
Letitia (Thorpe) Stevens, old settlers in Columbia township, and he spent
all his life farming there, dying when his daughter, now Mrs. Hadley, was
three years of age, leaving a widow and, three children. The widow after-
ward made her home at Alpine and followed dressmaking as a means of liveli-
hood for herself and children and there she spent the rest of her life, her
death occurring in 1900. She was a daughter of John and Harriet (Perkins)
Limpus, the former of whom also was born and reared in Columbia town-
ship, his father having been one of the original pioneers of that part of the
county, entering a tract of land there from the government in an early day
in the settlement of that section of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley have a
very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of
the community in which they live, helpful in promoting all agencies for the
advancement of the common welfare.

John Limpus, who was one of the most active of the pioneer residents
of Fayette county, was but a babe when his parents, Isaac Limpus and wife,
came up here from the neighboring county of Franklin, where he was born.
Isaac Limpus came to this state from Tennessee and upon coming to Fayette
county located in the Columbia settlement, where he established his home.
John Limpus grew to manhood in this county and became a carpenter, the
most of his work being done in Alpine and vicinity, he and his brothers
building the first four of five houses erected in the village of Alpine. He
later became a foreman, then a contractor and then superintendent of con-
struction of the canal between Cincinnati and Hagerstown, and was thus
engaged until about i860, when he started a saw-mill at Alpine and operated
the same for seven or eight years. He then became "walking boss," or
supervisor, of a number of gangs of men working on the construction of the
old "V'alley railroad and when that work was completed took up civil engineer-
ing and bridge contracting, building numerous bridges in this county, erect-
ing the foundation of factory buildings at Connersville and supervising the
construction of numerous other large works in Fayette and adjoining counties.

1032 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

His wife, Harriet Perkins, liad also come to this county in the days of her
early childhood, having been but two years of age when her parents came
here and settled in the immediate vicinity of the old block house about a mile
west of the jjresent village of Alpine, the presence of Indians hereabout in
those days necessitating the maintenance of the block house as a means of
protection against possibly raiding bands of redskins.

AB.SALOM SIMPKINS.

Absalom Simpkins, one of Fayette county's best-known farmers, the pro-
prietor of a fine farm in Harrison township and who, for some years past,
has been serving as assessor of that township, is a native of the neighboring
state of Ohio, but has lived in this county since 1887. He was born on a
farm in Clermont county, Ohio, December 28, 185 1, son of Charles and Ann
(Bennett) Simpkins, both of whom were born in the state of New Jersey
and who became substantial farmers of Clermont county, Ohio.

Reared on the paternal fann in Ohio, Absalom Simpkins received his
schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and at the
age of twenty-one began teaching in that school, the same one in which he
had been a pupil the year before. He got along well with his first school and
for seven years thereafter was engaged in teaching during the winters, con-
tinuing to farm during the summers. When twenty-two years of age he
married and began farming on his own account in southern Ohio. Three
years before that time, in 1870, he had come to Indiana and had worked for
a time in Fayette county; and in 1887 he moved here to make his permanent
residence in this county and has ever since been engaged in farming and in
the buying and shipping of live stock, having made a specialty of the latter
phase of his farming for the past ten years. Four years ago Mr. Simpkins
bought the farm on which he is now living in Harrison township, just four
miles north of the court house, and he and his family are there very com-
fortably and very pleasantly situated. Mr. Simpkins is an ardent Repub-
lican and has from boyhood given his earnest attention to political affairs.
During the period of his residence in Clermont county, Ohio, he served for
three terms as assessor of his home township and is now serving his third
term as assessor of Harrison township, this county, having been successively
elected to that important ofifice. Mr. Simpkins is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, is also a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of

L V:'^ v,-~^

^■^ VJ

I ?^ ■ fe^

' ^^Mi^ '^^^^F:

;*^iitl|j^..,,::

THE AUSTIN CLAYPOOL HOME.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IO33

Odd Fellows, of the Improved Order of Red Men and of the Haymakers,
and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.

In 1873, while living in Clermont county, Ohio, Absalom Simpkins was
united in marriage to Eliza Jane Fraxter, who also was born in that county,
a daughter of Leroy and Sarah (.'\ultnian) Frazier, the former of whom was
l)orn in that same county and the latter in Rush county, this state. In 1891
Leroy Frazier and his wife moved from Ohio to Indiana and settled in the
eastern part of Harrison township, this county, where they spent the
remainder of their lives. During his residence in Ohio Mr. Frazier was for
many years a dealer in live stock and also was an extensive buyer of tobacco.
Upon locating in Fayette county he engaged in general farming and was thus
engaged until his death.

To Mr. and Mrs. Simpkins eight children have been born, all of whom
are living save three, one having died in infancy and two, Ira and Ora (twins),
later: Ora dying at the age of five years and Ira, at the age of twenty-four.
Those living are as follow : Lee, now living in Wayne county, who mar-
ried Myrtle Wood, and has one child, a son, Robert; Frank, who also li\ es
in Wayne county and who married Lizzie Watt and has two children, Paul
and Elma Jeanne; Jesse, also of Wayne county, who married Carrie White
and has two children, Geneva and Freda ; Mary, who married Clinton Bertsch,
of Wayne county, and has four children, Maynard, Ralph, Margaret and
Arthur; Albert, who is at home with his parents, a valuable aid to his father
in the management of the home fann.

AUSTIN B. CLAYPOOL.

It was in the year 1816, the year of Indiana's admission to statehood,
that Newton Claypool and his brother Solomon, vigorous and enterprising
young Virginians, came over into the new state from Ohio and after pros-
pecting a bit decided to put in their fortunes with those of such other settlers
as would, in their opinion, form a colony in the vicinity of Conner's saw-mill,
which had been established a short time previously by John Conner on the
banks of the White Water, at the site of the present important and flourish-
ing city of Connersville. Newton Claypool possessed a strong and true
pioneering sense and his judgment unerringly told him that here on the banks
of the White Water was an ideal location for a home. He secured a tract
of land in the neighborhood of the mill and there set about the erection of a

I034 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

cabin for the bride whom he married in 1818, when he returned to his old
Ohio home near ChilHcothe. Together they made their bridal trip in the
month of February on horseback to the then wilderness. Later he built a
more commodious house and as the only available source from which he
could obtain the lumber needful for the construction of the house was the
Conner saw-mill, he made application there, but was told that no more busi-
ness could be accepted at that time; that the capacity of the mill was taxed
to the utmost. But something had to be done and young Newton Claypool
fell in with the plan, suggested by Conner, of using the mill for himself after
sundown and getting out what lumber he could by moonlight.

And it was in that humble pioneer home, lovingly prepared by an ardent
young lover, that Austin B. Claypool, who afterward was to become so
prominently identified with the affairs of Fayette county and of the state of
Indiana in general, was born. In 1836, Newton Claypool bought from a
pioneer named Berry, the farm for many years known as the old Claypool
homestead and now known as "Maplewood." He spent the greater part of
his life here and the place is still in the possession of the family, being now
occupied by Austin B. Claypool's widowed daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Claypool
Earl. Austin B. Claypool enjoyed the unique experience of growing up
amid pioneer conditions and witnessing the growth of a considerable city
about his home, the luxuries of modern life and modern ways of living being
brought to his very door. He grew up as a farmer boy, tilling fields on
which substantial buildings of the city now stand and was thus a witness to
the development of the city of Connersville from the very beginning of the
same, and was one of the most active and influential factors in that develop-
ment. Upon his father's death he inherited the home place, beautiful "Maple-
wood," and became, in addition, thereto, by his own efiforts, the owner of other
large landed interests. He was at one time president of what is now the
First National Bank of Connersville, and the Citizens Bank of Milton, but
the confinement entailed by. the duties pertaining to those offices proved too
irksome, for this stalwart, open-air man, a true lover of nature, and he relin-
quished the offices. Mr. Claypool gave large- attention to the raising of live
stock and his herds of white cattle grazing on the beautiful pastures of "Maple-
wood" were widely admired. In an early day the old Claypool homestead
was the scene of many spirited political conferences of the Republican party,
to which the Claypools have been attached since the very beginning of the
party, and conferences have been held there by many of the most notable per-
sonages in that party in the days gone by. Austin B. Claypool came to be
regarded as a wealthy man, in his generation, and his chief delight was in
adding to the happiness of others. He was a singularly public-spirited man

IWYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. IO35

and did very inucli toward tlie promotion of movements designed to develop
liis home community along all proper lines. He took considerable interest
in fraternal matters and was a Scottish-Rite Mason and a member of the
local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was strongly
influential in the building of gravel roads and active in promoting the con-
struction of the railways entering Connersville. He helped organize thp
early agricultural fairs of Wayne and Fayette counties and served as a mem-
ber of the Indiana state board of agriculture and also was a trustee of Purdue
University.

Austin B. Claypool was born on December i, 1823, son of Newton and
Mary (Kern) Claypool, the former of whom was born in the state of Vir-
ginia and the latter in Ohio, the first white child born in the Sciota valley.
Newton Claypool was born on May 20, 1795, and when a young man moved
over into Ross county, Ohio, coming thence, in 1816, as noted above, and buy-
ing a tract of land on the present site of the city of Connersville and erecting
on the same a house. In January, 1818, on High Bank prairie, in Ross
county, Ohio, Newton Claypool was united in marriage to Mary Kern, who
was born on February 3, 1798. In their pioneer home nine children were
born, Sarah Ann, Austin Bingley, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Jefferson,
Edward Fay and four who died in infancy or youth.

From the very beginning of his residence in this county Newton Clay-
pool exerted his energies, not only to the task of developing his community,
but to the general public service, and became early recognized as one of the
most substantial and influential pioneers of this section of the state. He
was elected first treasurer of Fayette county and while serving in that capacity
performed a notable service in behalf of the county, his well-ordered and
systematic methods doing much toward starting the civic afifairs of the county
off in proper shape. He was early elected to represent his district in the
state Legislature and was retained in the General Assembly for many terms,
his services in both the House and the Senate proving of large value not only
to this district, but to the state at large, his constructive mind and abilities
as an organizer being widely recognized by his colleagues in the Legislature.
Newton Claypool died on May 14, 1866, he then being seventy years, eleven
months and twenty-four days of age. His wife had preceded him to the
grave less than two years, her death having occurred on August 16, 1S64, she
then being sixty-six years, six months and thirteen days of age. The mem-
ory of this honored pioneer couple is cherished wherever the history and the
traditions of Fayette county are held dear.

Austin B. Claypool's early schooling was obtained under Harvey Nutting.
a young Yankee school teacher who located in Connersville in an earlv day

1036 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in the settlement of that place, and from the very beginning of his school days
he evinced an unusual aptitude in his studies. His special bent was in the
direction of mathematics and before he was sixteen years of age he was called
on to settle a local dispute arising out of a variance of opinion as to the
amount of stone in one of the WHiite Water canal locks, the contractor hav-
ing disputed the estimate made by the appraisers. The issue was carried
into court and young Claypool was called as an expert witness, his estimate,
based upon his careful calculation, being accepted by the court, which sternly
rebuked the opposing counsel, Samuel Parker, for the manner in which he
had attempted to confuse the youthful witness. While still a boy, young
Claypool was entrusted with numerous responsible duties by his father and
at one time he was sent out with five hundred dollars to buy hogs throughout
the county. That was in the day before farm scales were thought of and
on the young stockbuyer's judgment depended the faithful performance of
the trust, which was carried out to his father's entire satisfaction, the lad
soon becoming an expert buyer and thus laying the foundation for his future
success.

On May 20, 1846, Austin B. Claypool was united in marriage to Hannah
Ann Petty, daughter of Williams and Elizabeth (John) Petty, pioneers of this
section of the state, and to that union eight children were born, namely:
Virginia, wife of Henry Clay Meredith, of Wayne county, Indiana ; Marcus
S., who married Elizabeth Burson and now resides at Muncie, this state;
Elizabeth, widow of Morell J. Earl and who is now occupying the old Clay-
pool home, "Maplewood" ; Frank J., of Muncie, and four who died in youth.
Frank J. Claypool married Luella Swiggett and has two children, Austin B.,
who married Elma Quick, and Virginia Meredith, who married Dr. Robert
T. Miller. Austin B. Claypool and wife did not unite with any church until
late in life, but contributed generously to the support of all denominations in
Connersville, as well as to all other good works there. When "Maplewood"
was laid out, Mr. Claypool donated the ground on which the Grand Avenue
Methodist Episcopal church was erected and practically gave to the congre-
gation both the church and the parsonage, he and his wife at the same time
becoming members of that congregation and continued active workers in the
same until their death. Austin B. Claypool died on January 16, 1905, he
then being eighty-two years of age. A distinct honor was paid to his mem-
ory by the city schools during the funeral service, by having each teacher
devote one period to his life and character. His widow survived until Janu-
ary 18, 1913, she being eighty-five years of age at the time of her death.

Mrs. Elizabeth Claypool Earl, the only one of the Claypool family

FAYETTE COl'XTV, INDIANA. IO37

remaining- in Connersville and who continues to occupy tlie old liomc, "Maple-
wood." was born during the brief period in which her parents lived at Ger-
mantown, in the neighboring county of Wayne, I)ut has been a resident of
Connersville since she was three or four years of age. In her childhood she
was tutored in private schools and by a governess and later attended Glendale
College. Even in the days of her girlhood Elizabeth Claypool began to take
an earnest interest in the cultural activities of her home town and all her life
has been devoted to the promotion of the best interests of the community in
a cultural way. Married in 1878 and left a widow after less than one year
of happy married life, Mrs. Earl has ever since found distraction from her
lonely state in doing in behalf of others what she has been denied doing for
her own. and for many years one of her chief delights has been the labor she
has been able to perform in Sunday-school work, the satisfaction she has
derived from witnessing in after years the fruits of those labors reflected in
the lives of the boys and girls who Iiad been members of her young peoples
clubs and pupils in her Bible classes, being a great source of comfort.
She regards this as the greatest work of her life and counts it a high privilege
to have been gi\en the time, strength and means for the successful prosecu-
tion of such labors.

Mrs. Earl has also given much of her time and energies to the work of
women's clubs in Indiana and is a past president of the Indiana Union of
Literary Clubs. She was chairman of the committee that introduced the bill
creating the public library commission of Indiana and successfully carried the
same through the Legislature, and was appointed by Go\-emor Mount the
woman member of that commission of three; has been reappointed by each
successive governor and is now president of the commission. In this impor-
tant capacity Mrs. Earl has performed a most valuable ser\-ice in behalf of
library extension and development in Indiana and her influence has been car-
ried into adjoining and other states. She is now president of the League of
Library Commissions and is a member of the council of the American Library
Association. It was through her suggestion that the Indiana Library Trustees
Association was organized and it has been her enthusiastic co-operation in
the labors of that association that has done much to advance the standard of
libraries throughout the state. In 191 3 she was president of this as.sociation
and she also has served as president of the Indiana Library Association.
She is vice-president of the Connersville library board and it was largely
through her influence and direction that the handsome Carnegie library build-
ing was secured for that city.

In her labors in behalf of the woman's clubs movement, Mrs. Earl has

IO3S FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

for yea^s been particularly active and her activity and influence in that con-
nection have done much to advance the movement in this state. When the
"General Federation of Women's Clubs" began its campaign for a one-hun-
dred-thousand-dollar endowment fund, Mrs. Earl was selected as cliairman
for Indiana and, with marked ability, raised several hundred dollars over
Indiana's apportionment. At the biennial meetings of the General Federa-
tion of Woman's Clubs held at Chicago in 1914 and at New York in 1916
she served as an aide to the president. When the secretary of agriculture
asked Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker, president of the General Federation, to
appoint a special committee of three to co-operate with the agricultural depart-
ment of the federal government to ascertain what the government is doing
in the way of aid for women and children, Mrs. Earl was selected as one
of the three women appointed. So successful was the report made that the
committee was asked to be continued and take up other departments, which
work is now under way. Mrs. Earl has been an extensive traveler, both in
this country and in foreign lands, and a trip through the Holy Land made
some years ago gave her vivid and invaluable impressions with which to
render more realistic her presentation of the Bible lessons to the plastic minds
of her Sunday school pupils. Mrs. Earl is a Presbyterian and is devoted
to foreign missions.

MORELL J. EARL.

Morell J. Earl, of Lafayette, Indiana, who died in the summer of 1879,
and whose widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Claypool Earl, has since made her home at
"Maplewood," the home of her father and of her grandfather, at Conners-
ville, was born at Lafayette, Indiana, June 7, 1853, and was therefore but
twenty-six years of age at the time of his death. He was the son of Adams
and Martha (Hawkins) Earl, both of whom were born in the state of Ohio,
and who were the parents of two children, the subject of this memorial sketch
having had a sister, Alice, who married Charles B. Stuart, of Logansport,
who became a prominent lawyer of Lafayette.

Adams Earl was for years one of Lafayette's best-known and most
influential merchants and landowners. The wholesale grocery business he
built up there became one of the most substantial mercantile establishments
in that city. He did other things also on a large scale and "Shadeland Farm,"
his Hereford cattle ranch on the Wea plain, near Lafayette, was widely famed
for the excellence of the cattle he bred there. He and his wife spent all of

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IO39

their married life in Lafayette and died at tlieir beautiful home, "Earlliurst,"
stately in its natural settini;: of forest trees.

Morell J. Earl was reared at Lafayette and finished his schooling at
Wabash College and at Amherst College, Massachusetts. From boyhood he
took much interest in his father's farming and stock-raising operations and
received careful instruction along the lines of agriculture, owning a large
tract of land in Benton county, upon which he had a herd of Shorthorn cattle.
After completing his college course, he entered the wholesale store with his
father and was devoting himself to a business career, with prospects for large
success opening out before him. when his death occurred on July 28, 1879.

Less than a year before his death, on October g, 1878, Morell J. Earl
was united in marriage to Elizabeth Claypool, of Connersville. daughter of
Austin B. Claypool and granddaughter of Newton Claypool, and his widow
still survives, making her home at "Maplewood," the old homestead at which
her grandfather and his wife established their home in 1836, then a large
farm, where now stands the beautiful suburb, "Maplewood," of the city of
Connersville. In a memorial sketch relating to Austin B. Claypool, presented
elsewhere in this volume, there are set out, in full, details relating to the
origin of the Claypool family in this community and of the good works and
the various services to the communit}- rendered by Newton Claypool and by
his son, Austin B. Claypool, and by the latter's daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth
Claypool Earl, and the reader's attention is respectfully called to the same in
connection with this brief memorial sketch of a brave young man whose life
went out just at the time when that life seemed fairer to him than ever before.

JAMES E. HOLLAND.

James F. Holland, a former member of the board of countv commis-
sioners of Fayette county and one of the best-known and most sut)stantial
iarmers of V^^aterloo township, proprietor of a fine farm of four hundred and
eighty acres of land, was born in that township, on a pioneer farm not far from
his present home, and has lived in that vicinity all his life. He was born on
June 19, 1861, son of William A. and Mary A. (Scholl) Holland, both now
deceased, who also were born in that same township, where they spent all their
lives, among the best-known and most influential residents of that part of the
county.

William A. Holland was born in 1833, a son of R(jbert and Margaret

I040 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

(Stephenson) Holland, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of the
state of Ohio, who were among the early settlers of Waterloo township, this
county. Robert Holland was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1779,
and was well grown when he came to this country and settled in Hamilton
county, Ohio, where he married Margaret Stephenson, who lived in Colerain
township, that county. Shortly after his marriage Robert Holland came over
into Indiana and entered a tract of "Congress land" in Waterloo township,
this county, and there established his home. He also owned a farm in Union
county. He was a weaver as well as a farmer and was wont to work at his
trade as a weaver at night, spending his days farming, and it is related of him
that it was nothing unusual for him to sit before his loom all night and then
do a full day's work in the fields the next day. His son, William A. Holland,
grew to manhood on the pioneer farm where he was born and for several
winters taught school in that neighborhood. He spent his entire life in that
township, a life-long farmer, and came to be the owner of four farms, aggre-
gating four hundred and eighty acres, in Waterloo township, besides helping
his children to get a start on farms of their own. WiUiam A. Holland was
an ardent Republican and for some time served as assessor of his home town-
ship and for sixteen years served as a member of the board of county com-
missioners of Fayette county, his services in the latter connection proving of
much value to the county at large. He and his wife were members of the
Methodist Episcopal church and v/ere among the leaders in all good works
in the community in which they lived. William A. Holland died on May
II, 1908, and his widow survived a little less than two years, her death
occurring in February, 19 10. She also was born in Waterloo township and
lived there all her life. Her maiden name was Mary A. SchoU and she was
a daughter of John and Sallie (Reed) SchoU, members of pioneer families in
that part of the county.

John Scholl was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1824, and was
about nine years of age when his parents, John and Sallie (Reed) Scholl
came to Indiana with their family and settled in Fayette county, establishing
their home on a tract of land bought from the government in Waterloo town-
ship. The senior John Scholl also was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania,
a son of John Jacob and Mary (Hetzel) Scholl, natives of that same county,
of German descent, the former having been born there in 1773, son of John
Peter Scholl, who was born in the Black Forest of Germany and who, when
a lad, started with his parents and the other members of their family for
this country, all of the family save himself dying on shipboard of cholera on
the way over. John Jacob Scholl and his family came to Indiana from Penn-

FAVKTTK COUXTV, INDIANA. I O4 I

sylvanin. in 1833 and settled in Fayette county, where John Jacob SchoU ched
in 1870, at the age of ninety-six years. His son, the senior John Scholl,
also located in Waterloo township, this county, in 1833, and there died in
1876, he then being at the age of seventy-six years. He and his wife ( Sallie
Reed) were the parents of seven children, John, Sallie, David, Mary, Henr\-,
Leah and William. The junior John Scholfwas l)ut nine years of age when he
came with his parents from Pennsylvania t(i this county and here he grew
to manhood on the pioneer farm in Waterloo township, where he spent all
his life. On August 19, 1852, he married Jane Holland, who also was born
in this county, a daughter of Henry and Jane Holland, pioneers, and their
daughter, Mary A. Scholl, grew to womanhood in Waterloo township and
there married William A. Holland. To that union five children were born,
those besides the subject of this sketch, the second in order or birth, being
as follow: ]\Irs. Alice N. Byrne, deceased; John W., of Cottage Grove,
Union county, this state; Cliarles F... of Conners\-ille, and Mrs. Edie B.
AIcGraw, of Connersville.

James F. Holland grew up on the paternal farm in Waterloo township
and remained at home until his marriage at the age of twenty-seven years,
when he began farming on the place where he now lives and where he ever
since has made his home, long having been regarded as one of the most sub-
stantial farmers in that part of the county. Air. Holland owns four hundred
and eighty acres of land and has done very well in his farming operations.
His place is well improved and well kept and he and his wife are very com-
fortably situated. Mr. Holland is a Republican and has ever taken a good
citizen's interest in local civic affairs. He has served as a member of the board
of county commissioners, having been appointed, without his previous knowl-
edge or solicitation, to fill an unexpired term on the board and then elected
to fill the balance of the unexpired term.

Mr. Holland has been twice married. In 1888 he was united in marriage
to Nancy McDaniel. who was born in Hancock county, this state, a daughter
of Jacob and Martha (McCray) McDaniel, and who died in August, 1903,
without issue. In 1906 Mr. Holland marrietl Mrs. Emily J. (McDaniel)
Scholl, his deceased wife's sister and widow of W. C. Scholl. She also was
born in Hancock county and there lived until her marriage to W. C. Scholl,
a native of this county, coming to Fayette county with her husband in 1883 and
locating near Springersville, where she lived until Mr. SchoU's death in
December, 1889. She has two sons by her first marriage, Chester A. Scholl,
who is now living in Iowa, and Curtis Scholl. who is living on the place his
(66)

1 042 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

father owned near Springersville. Mrs. Holland is a member of the Uni-
versalist church and J\Ir. Holland is a member of the iSIethodist Episcopal
church.

WILLIAM THOMAS JONES.

William Thomas Jones, one of Fayette county's best-known old settlers
and a well-to-do farmer in Connersville township, proprietor of a well-kept
farm in the southern part of that township, is a native son of Fayette county
and has lived here all his life with the exception of eight years, during the
seventies, when he was pioneering on the plains of Kansas and enduring the
hardships and privations of "grasshopper days" in that state. He was born
on a pioneer farm in Orange township, this county, December 2"], 1845,
son of George Washington and Elizabeth (Bedell) Jones, the former also a
native of this county and the latter of whom was born over in Preble county,
Ohio, whose last days were spent in this county, respected and influential
residents of Orange township.

George Washington Jones was born on the farm in the southwestern part
of Connersville township, the place on which his son, the subject of this
sketc4i, has for years made his home, and was a son of William and Lucinda
(Ginn) Jones, pioneers of this section of Indiana. WiUiam Jones was born
in Culpeper county, Virginia, and upon reaching manhood went to Bracken
county, Kentucky, where he married Lucinda Ginn and about 1829 came on
up into Indiana and settled in Fayette county, entering from the government
a tract of eighty acres in the southwestern part of Connersville township, the
place on which his grandson, the subject of this sketch, is now living. There
William Jones and his brave pioneer wife established their home and with
all the toil and endeavor necessary in the creation of a farm in a forest wilder-
ness presently had a good piece of property. Upon coming here they had
but one horse and on that horse Mrs. Jones rode up from Kentucky, carry-
ing her babe in her arms, her husband walking alongside and carrying a
gun as a protection against possible dangers from wild beasts or Indians.
Their small cooking equipment and a few essential household belongings
were strapped onto the horse and they arrived here with an exceedingly limited
equipment for making a home. However, they had stout hearts and willing
hands and it was not long until they had a little log house erected in a clearing
which \\'illiam Jones made on his place and had begun to make a place of
comfortable residence. On that pioneer farm William Jones and his wife

KAYET-TF. CdljNTV, INDIANA. I O43

Spent the rest of their hves, and there George \V. Jones grew to nianho.Kl,
a vahied aid in the labors of improving and developing the home place. In
1840 he married anti three j-ears later, in 1843, located on a farm in Orange
township, this county, where he spent the rest of his life. George W. Jones
was a man of firm convictions and much strength of character and for years
rendered excellent service in his community as township trustee. He pos-
sessed in a high degree the confidence of his neighbors and frequently was
called on to act as administrator of estates or as guardian of minor heirs
and in all these positions of trust acciuitted himself faithfully. He and his
wife were members of the Christian church and took an earnest part in all
neighborhood good works. George W. Jones died in 1897 and his widow
survived him for nearly ten years, her death occurring in 1906. She was
born, Elizal)eth Bedell, near Lebanon, in Preble county, Ohio, a daughter of
John and ^lartha (Yaryan) Bedell, who had moved from New Jersey to
Ohio, then to Indiana, and then in 1845 moved to Iowa, where their last days
were spent. To George W. Jones and wife were born seven children, three
of whom died in childhood and another. John Bedell Jones, in 1911, the
survivors being the subject of this sketch and his two sisters, Mrs. Nancy L.
AIcKee, of Posey township, Franklin county, and Mrs. Sallie I. Logan, of
Noble townshi]). Rush county.

William T. Jones grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Orange
township and for two or three years before his marriage farmed on his own
account on his father's place. In the latter part of 1869 he married and in
1872 he and his wife went to Kansas and settled on a tract of a quarter of a
section of railroad land he bought in Lincoln county, that state. Gras.5-
hoppers, droughts and hot winds made life a burden for Kansas farmers
during that period, but Mr. Jones persisted, despite all the discouragements
that beset him, and in time developed a good piece of property there. There
he remained until 1880, when, at the urgent request of his father, he returned
to Indiana and resumed his place on the old home farm in Orange town-
ship. On September 3, 1895, Mr. Jones moved to his present farm in the
southwestern part of Connersville township, the place that had been opened
in the wilderness by his grandfather in 1829, and there he and his family
are very pleasantly situated. Mr. Jones is the owner of one hundred acres
of well-improved land and has done very well in his farming operations.
He is a member of the Christian church and his wife is a member of the
Methodist church, both taking a proper part in neighborhood good works.

Mr. Jones has been twice married. On December 8, 1869. he was united
in marriage to Ann Eliza Johnson, who also was born in Orange township.

I044 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

this county, daughter of Louis and Louisa (Winchell) Johnson, who came
to this county from Pennsylvania about 1830 and settled in Orange town-
ship, and to that union four children were born, namely : Sedella Lee, who
married Edward Thomas, of East Connersville, and has three children, Gladys,
Frank and Garnet; George C., a contractor and carpenter, now living at Glen-
wood, in Orange township, this county, who married Mollie Medsker and
has four children, Nellie, Cecil, Evelyn and Elizabeth; Charles F., who lives
on the home farm with his father, and Eva, who died in infancy. The mother
of these children died in 1883 and in 1887. Mr. Jones married Emma Steffey,
who was born at Laurel, in Franklin county, this state, a daughter of Lewis
and Amelia (Snyder) Steffey, both of whom were born at Williamsport,
Maryland, and who, after a sometime residence in Ohio, came to Indiana and
located at Laurel, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Lewis Steffey
was a carpenter and contractor and followed that vocation to the time of his
death. He died in 1880 and his widow survived him about four years, her
death occurring in 1884. They were the parents of six children, all of whom
grew to maturity save one, who died at the age of nineteen months. Of the
others, William Steffey died in 1903 and Mrs. Catherine Naylor died on
Septeml)er 27, 1912. Mrs. Jones now having two surviving sisters, Mrs.
Matilda Cameron and ]\lrs. Alice Sheppard.

SAMUEL CALVIN MOFFETT.

Samuel Calvin Moffett, one of the well-remembered pioneers of Fayette
county, who died at his home just over the line near Beeson, in the neighbor-
ing county of Wayne, had been a resident of Fayette county since 1833,
having come up to this part of Indiana in 1833 with his parents, he then being
a child of five years, and has spent the rest of his life in this vicinity, thus
having been a participant in the development of the interests of the northern
part of this county, his family having settled in Harrison township, from pio-
neer days. He was born on a pioneer farm in Grainger county, in the eastern
part of Tennessee, January 17, 1828, a son of Samuel and Mary (Donaldson)
Moffett, who later became pioneers of this part of Indiana and here spent
their last days.

Tlie elder Samuel Moffett was born in Ireland, a son of Henry, whose
father's name also was Henry Moffett, and with others of the family came
to this country, locating in Grainger county, Tennessee, in 1803. There he

FAVETTK C-orN'TV, I XDIA XA. IO45

was naturalized, lieccmiing a citizen of the L'niteil States, and when tlie War
of 181J Ijruke out enlisted fur service in hehalf of the arms oi his adopted
country and served in the army of Andrew Jackson. Samuel .Moffett was
a neighlior of Da\-id Crockett in his Tennessee home ami hecame one of the
stalwart pioneers of that section of the state. There he married Mary
Donaldson, daughter of a pioneer of tiiat section of Tennessee, and in 1833
came north with his family and settled in this part of Indiana, where he
and his wife spent the rest of their lives. Previous to coming up here Samuel
Moffett had bought a tract of land in the northern part of Harrison townshi]),
Fayette county, a tract of wild and unimproved land, the farm now occui)ied
by his grandson, O. O. MotYett, and for a year, while getting tlie same ready
for occupancy, made his home on the Dungan farm, one-half mile west of
Beeson. He gradually improved his woodland farm until he had one of the
best places in that part of the county, and there he and his wife sjjent the rest
of their lives, useful and influential pioneer residents of Harrison t(.nvnship.
They were the parents of ten children, James, William, Laml)ert, Jane, Xancy,
Susan, Franklin, Elizabeth, Samuel Calvin and Emeline.

Samuel Calvin Mofifett was but five years of age when his family niovetl
to Fayette county and he grew to manhood on the home farm in I'ayette
county, becoming thoroughly familiar with the conditions that confronted
the pioneers of this section of the state. He lived un the home place after
his marriage, having bought the interests of the other heirs in the old home-
stead, and there continued to make his home until in December, 1867, when
he moved to a farm south of Beeson, just over the line in Wayne county, and
there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. His death occurred
on July 17, 1892, and she survived until December 9, 1902. She was born,
Exeline Cox, May 9, 1827, near Ogden, in Henry county, this state, and was
a member of one of the pioneer families of that section. To Samuel C.
^iloffett anrl wife ten children were liorn, three of whom died in infancv and
seven of whom lived to maturity. One of the daughters, Relle, died on Janu-
ary 6, 1881, and one of the sons, Oscar Franklin, who was horn on January
25, 1858, died on Alay 9, 1893. The five still living are as follow: Simpson,
of Kinnard, in the neighboring county of Henry; Emery, who lives two miles
west of Connersville: Otho O., mentioned above as living on the home place
that was settled by his grandfather back in 1833, and a biographical sketch
of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume;. Lambert, w'ho lives three
miles southeast of ]\Iiddletown, in Henry county, and Mrs. Oma Mochworth,
who lives one and one-half miles west of the village of Dublin, in \\'a_\ne
countv.

1046 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

OTHO ORLANDO MOFFETT.

Otho Orlando Moffett, one of the well-known and substantial farmers of
Harrison township, this county, was born on the farm on which he is now
living, on the northern edge of that township, and has lived there most of
his life. He was born on March 11, 1862, son of Samuel Calvin and Exeline
(Cox) Mofifett, the former of whom was born in eastern Tennessee and who
came to this county with his parents when he was five years of age, and the
latter of whom was born in Henry county, this state, a daughter of pioneer
parents. Samuel Calvin Mofifett became one of Fayette county's substantial
farmers. He and his wife spent their last days on a farm in the neighbor-
hood of Beeson, over the line in Wayne county, but their children were reared
on the pioneer farm in Fayette county, the place taken by Samuel C. Moffett's
father, Samuel Moffett. in 1833, when he moved up here with his family from
Tennessee, the place now occupied by the subject of this sketch. In a memo-
rial sketch relating to Samuel C. Moffett, presented elsewhere in this volume,
there are set out further details concerning the Moffett family in this section
of the state, to which the attention of the reader is invited in this connection.

On the pioneer farm in the northern edge of Harrison township, above
referred to, Otho O. Moffett grew to manhood. He received his schooling
in the district school in that neighborhood and from boyhood was a valued
assistant to his father and his brothers in the labors of developing and improv-
ing the home place. After his marriage in 1887 Mr. Moffett continued to make
his home on the home place for about seven years, at the end of which time
he moved to another farm that had belonged to his father, between Conners-
ville and Waterloo, and there was engaged in farming until 1900, when he
returned to the old home place, where he was born and where he ever since
has made his residence, he and his family being very pleasantly and very com-
fortably situated there. Mr. Moffett owns ninety-eight acres and has a fine
new house and a very well-kept place, his farm being improved according to
modern standards. ]\Ir. Moffett is a life-long Democrat and has ever given
a good citizen's atention to local civic affairs, an ardent exponent of clean
politics, but has not been a seeker after public office. He is a member of the
local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm
interest in the affairs of that organization.

On February 17, 1887, Otho O. Moffett was united in marriage to Clara
Dailey. who was born on the old James Lester farm on the Rushville road
between Connersville and Glen wood, in the southwest quarter of section 30,

IAVKTT1-: COUNTV, INDIANA. I O47

Connersville to\\nship, tliis county, a daughter of Aanm and Mary A. (Les-
ter) Dailey, Ijoth of wliom were born in this Cduntx", nienihers of pioneer
famines. Aaron Dailey was born on Octol)er j8, 1824. a son of WilHam
Dailey and wife, of English ilescent. and Mary A. Lester was born on Sep-
tember j8. 1830, a daughter of James and Jennie Lester, both of Irish par-
entage, who were early settlers in the western part of Connersville township,
this county. Mr. and Mrs. Moffett have four children, namely: ]Murl Leroy
Moffett, who lives at Richmond, this state; Mabel ALay. who married Denni-
son Kerr, living near Hawkinsville, this county, and has one child, a daughter,
Virginia Eloise ; Mary Marie, who married Ernest Caldwell, who lives near
Yankeetown, in Harrison township, Fayette county, and Luella, who is
at home with her parents. The Mofifetts have a very pleasant home and have
ever taken a proper part in the general social activities of the community in
which they live, helpful in advancing all worthy causes therealiout.

SAXFORD SHORTRIDGE.

The late Sanford Shortridge, who died at his farm home in Fairview
township in 1902 and who for years was one of the best-known and most sub-
stantial farmers in that part of the county, was born in Posey township and
moved to the farm when six months old, where he died and where he had
spent all his life. He was born on July 23, 1847, son of James and Mary
(Keaton) Shortridge, the former of whom was born in the neighboring county
of Wayne on April 30, 1818, a son of Samuel and Eleanor (Hulse) Short-
ridge, and the latter at Reading, in Hamilton county, Ohio, December 29,
1819, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Young) Keaton, natives, respec-
tively of Maryland and Pennsylvania, the former born in 1782 and the latter
in 1788. Thomas Keaton and Rebecca Young were married in Philadelphia
and moved thence to Cincinnati and subsequently to Reading, Ohio, when,
in 1820, thev came up the White Water \'alley and settled in this county, estab-
lishing their home on land that Mr. Keaton had entered in Fairview township.
In 1S54 the Keatons moved from this county to Madison county and there
both Thomas Keaton and his wife spent their last days, her death occurring
on September 15, 1863, and his, February 28, 1866. They were the parents
of nine children, William, Benjamin, Tliomas, James, John, Mary, Ambrose,
Susan and Joseph.

X048 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Samuel Shortridge, father of James Shortridge and grandfather of San-
ford Shortridge, was born in Kentucky in 1795 and there was married to
Eleanor Hulse, who was born in the state of Pennsylvania in that same
year. After their marriage Samuel Shortridge and his wife settled in Powell
county, Kentucky, where they remained until 18 15, when they came up into
the then Territory of Indiana and settled on a farm in Harrison township,
this county, where they spent the remainder of their lives, Samuel Shortridge
dying in 1844 and his widow surviving until 1879. They were the parents
of eleven children, Price, Fannie, James, Daniel, Elisha, George, \\'illiam,
Jesse. Jane, Mercer and Hester. James Shortridge, second son of Samuel
Shortridge, grew to manhood on tlie home farm and continued farming in that
neighborhood all his life, after his marriage settling on a farm in the north-
eastern part of the neighboring township of Fairview. On January 8, 1841,
he was united in marriage to Mary Keaton, whose family has been mentioned
above, and to that union seven children were born, Samuel, Sanford, Rebecca
J., Louisa, Mary E., George T. and Emma B. James Shortridge died at his
home in Fairview township on December 26, 1872, and his widow survived
him many years, her death occurring at the home of her daughter and son-in-
law, Mr. and j\Irs. Lewis, in Fairview on September 23, 1905.

Sanford Shortridge lived from the days of his infancy on the farm where
his widow now lives and where he spent his last days. He spent his boyhood
in a log cabin and grew up familiar with conditions in a pioneer community,
one of his tasks as a lad being to ride once a week to Cambridge for the
mail. He was fourteen years of age when his father began the erection of a
new farm house, the house in which Mrs. Shortridge now lives. That was
about the time of the outbreak of the Civil War and before the house was
completed every man who had been engaged in its construction had gone to
war. After the death of his father in 1872 he continued making his home
with his mother and after his marriage in the spring of 1885 established his
home there, his mother thereafter making her home alternately with her
several children, who in the meantime had married and established homes of
tlieir own. About a year after his marriage Sanford Shortridge bought the
interests of the other heirs in the home place and made many substantial
improvements to the same, coming to be regarded as one of the most pro-
gressive and substantial farmers in that section. He prospered in his opera-
tions and he and his family became very comfortably situated. Sanford
Shortridge died at his home in Fairview township on October 10, 1902, and
his widow continues to make her home there.

KAYF.TTE C(JUNTV. INDIANA. IO49

On ]\larch 18, 1S85, Sanford Sliortridge was united in niarriaj^e to Ida
E. Dora, wlio was born in Columbia township, this county, January 4,
i86j, a daughter of Robert C. and Nancy Ellen (Hartman) Dora, the
former of whom was born in Bracken county, Kentucky, March 17, 1841,
a son of \\'illiam and Elizabeth (Morris) Dora, ami who came to Indiana
when a boy of sixteen or seventeen years to make his home with a sister
in this county. At the age of nineteen Robert C. Dora married Nancy Ellen
Hartman, who was born in Connersville township, this county, a daughter
of Levi and Rebecca (Mount) Hartman, pioneers of this county. Levi Hart-
man was born in the neighboring county of Franklin on Decemljer 7, 1816,
son of Henry and Nancy (Smith) Hartman. who were born in Berks county,
Pennsylvania, the former of whom was a son of Frederick Hartman, a native
of Germany, who had come to this country in pre-RevoIutionary days and
settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he married Nancy Black and
in 181 3 came thence into the then Territory of Indiana and settled in Frank-
lin county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a soldier of
the patriot army during the Revolutionary War and upon coming to this part
of the country took an active part in the affairs of the then pioneer commun-
ity. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, Jacob, Catherine,
Frederick, Nancy, Michael, Hannah and Henry. The latter, father of Levi
Hartman, married in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, Nancy Smith, of that
county, and in 1813 accompanied his parents to the then "wilds" of Indiana
Territory, settling near Brookville, where his first wife died in 18 16, leav-
ing three sons, Abraham, James and Levi. Henry Hartman later married
Elsie Tharpe and in 1854 moved to Platte county, Missouri, where he and
his wife spent their last days. To that second union five children were born,
Jonathan, William, Nancy, Newton and Lovina. Levi Hartman grew up
on a farm and early began farming on his own account. In June, 1838, he
married Rebecca (]\Iount) Jones, who by a former marriage was left with
one child when she married Levi Hartman. After his marriage Mr. Hart-
man rented a farm in Connersville township, this county, where he remained
about eighteen years. In the meantime he had bought a farm in Wabash
county, which he afterward sold and in 1852 bought and moved onto the
farm in Connersville township, where he spent the rest of his life, a substan-
tial farmer, the owner of a fine farm of four hundred and twenty acres. Levi
Hartman and wife were the parents of nine children, Nancy Ellen, Alfred,
John C, Hezekiah, Clarissa. Rhoda, Henry, Hannah and James.

After his marriage to Xancy Ellen Hartman, Robert C. Dora rented a

1050 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

farm in Columbia township, this county, and it was there that their daughter,
Ida E., now Mrs. Shortridge, was born. In 1862 Mr. Dora took his wife
and baby daughter to his old home in Kentucky and while there he was
imprisoned for resisting an attempt to enroll him in the Confederate army.
His wife had already started back to her home in this county with her baby,
but, upon learning of her husband's imprisonment, returned to Kentucky to
rejoin him, but before she reached the place of his imprisonment was overjoyed
to meet him on the way back North, he having been released. The most of
Robert C. Dora's subsequent life was spent on a farm in Orange township,
this county, though his last days were spent in Glenwood, where his death
occurred on March 18, 1913, and where his widow is nOw living. For many
years, in addition to his general farming, Robert C. Dora operated a thresh-
ing-machine outfit and was one of the best-known men in the western part
of the county. For some years he served as assessor of Orange township
and in other ways contributed of his time and his energies to the public
service, being justice of the peace at the time of his death. To him and his
wife nine children were born, of whom but four are now living, those besides
Mrs. Shortridge being William, who lives on a farm on the edge of Frank-
lin county; Rebecca, wife of John Jordan, of Rushville, and Clara, who is
living with her widowed mother in Glenwood.

Ida E. Dora grew up on the home farm in Orange township and com-
pleted her schooling in the Connersville Normal School. She then entered
the ranks of Fayette county's teaching corps and for five years served as a
teacher, teaching in the schools of Orange, Harrison and Fairview townships,
and was thus engaged at the time of her marriage to Mr. Shortridge. To
that union four children \\'ere born, Irvin D., Bertha M., Estella F. and
Nellie L. Irvin D. Shortridge was born on June 29, 1886, and was carefully
trained to the ways of the farm. He is now managing the home farm for
his mother and is likewise farming an adjoining farm, about two hundred
and fifty acres in all, and is doing well. He married Goldie Swift and has
two children, Noel D. and Norma E. Bertha M. Shortridge married Justus
Rees, a farmer living near Gings Station, in Rush county, and has one child,
a son, Myron Deloris. Estella F. Shortridge makes her home with her
widowed mother. When Fayette county gave its first free fair she was one
of the "queens" in the notable pageant that marked that affair, a picture of
which pageant is presented elsewhere in this volume. Nellie L. Shortridge
married Dr. Clarence Hinchman, son of U. G. Hinchman, and lives at Indian-
apolis. She has one child, a son, Wavne D.

AVKTTF. COrXTV, IXDIAXA.

CHARLl-S M. ARCHEY

Charles M. Archey. one of Harrison township's well-known and sub-
stantial farmers, is a native of the Old Dominion, but has been a resident of
Indiana since he was twenty years of age and of this county since tlie early
eighties. He was born in Monroe county, in that section of \'irgini:i now
comprised in \\'est Virginia, September 22. 1848, son of Charles S. and
Frances (Shirey) Archey, both natives of Virginia, the former born in the
Shenandoali Valley and the latter in Monroe county, who spent their last days
there.

Charles S. Archey was a farmer and also for many years a merchant.
He was engaged in the mercantile business when the Civil War broke out
and hired two substitutes to take his place in the ranks, during the last nine
months of the war his son, Charles M. Archey. the subject of this sketch,
though little more than a boy at that time, taking his place at the front.

Upon the completion of his military service Charles M. Archey returned
to his home in West Virginia and remained there until the fall of 1868,
when, he then being twenty years of age, he came to Indiana and located
in Rush county, where he began working as a farm hand and for nineteen
years was thus engaged, most of the time in Rush county. In the summer
erf 1881 he married and about 1884 he began farming for himself, renting
the Heman Jones farm in Columbia township, this county, and, with the
exception of three years has farmed in Fayette county ever since : three years
in Columbia township, three years in Orange township, ten years in NVaterloo
township, and since November, 1904, has been farming in Harrison township,
his place being situated two and one-half miles north of the court house. Mr.
Archey is farming one hundred and eighty-seven acres and in addition to his
general farming has traded quite a bit in horses and cattle. All of his place
is under cultivation with the exception of about fifteen acres of i)lue grass
in the creek bottom. Mr. Archey has witnessed the evolution of farming
from the days of the hand scythe and the flax hackle and has ever ke])t pace
with the various improvements in the methods of farming through all the
years in which he has been actively engaged as an agriculturist since the da\s
of his boyhood.

On August 18, 1881, some years after coming to this state, Charles M.
Archey was united in marriage to Luella B. Holmes, who was born in Union
county, this state, a daughter of John and Sarah (Scholl ) Holmes, the former
a native of that same county and the latter, of Fayette county. John Holmes

i052 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

was reared in Union county, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Holmes. His
wife, Sarah Scholl, was born in Jennings township, this county, a daughter
of Jacob and Elizabeth Scholl, who came from Pennsylvania in the early days
of the settlement of this part of the state, settled in Fayette county and spent
their last days in Jennings township. John Holmes moved from Union county
to Rush county and for nearly fifty years was engaged in farming there, his
last days being spent at Glenwood.

To Mr. and Mrs. Archey seven children have been born, namely : Daisy,
who married Ernest Watt, of Wayne county, and has four children, Sarah
Sylvira, Robert Earl, Erna Luella and Helen Louise: Bertha, who married
Alfred Bateman and lives in Waterloo township; Frank, now living in Union
county, who married Bertha Kershner and has two children, Glenna Fay
and Frances Ruth ; Errol, who lives in Waterloo township with his sister,
Mrs. Bateman, and husband, and Carl, Ethel May and Annis Mildred, who
are at home with their parents. The Archeys have a very pleasant home and
have ever taken a proper part in the general social activities of the community
in which they live, helpful in promoting all agencies having to do with the
advancement of the common welfare thereabout. Mr. Archey is a member
of the Connersville lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that popular organization.

HOWELL G. FYKE.

Howell G. Pyke, a well-known and substantial farmer and stockman
of the Orange neighborhood in the southwestern part of Fayette county and
proprietor of a fine farm in section 2 of Orange township, was born in Tipton
county, Indiana, January 6, 1870, son of Robert H. and Lucinda (Stires)
Pyke, who spent their last days on a farm in that county.

Robert H. Pyke was born on January 10, 1836, a son of John Wesley and
Nancy (Hastings) Pyke, pioneers of Orange township, this county. John
Wesley Pyke, who was born on February 4, 1797, was married on May
21, 1823, to Nancy Hastings, who was born on June i, 1800, a daughter of
Robert and Isabella Hastings, the former of whom was born on June 20,
1765, and was married on October 27, 1796. After his marriage John W.
Pyke established his home in Orange township, this county, then moved to
Howard county and there spent the remainder of his life, one of the substan-
tial pioneer residents of that community. Robert H. Pyke grew to manhood

KAVETTE Cni'NTV, INDIANA. IO53

in Fayette county and was united in marriage in 1854 to Lucinda Stircs, who
was born in the neighboring county of Rush on Septemljer 27, 1833. a
daughter of Benjamin and Barbara Stires. Al^out a year after his marriage
Robert H. Pyke moved to a farm in Prairie township, Tipton county, and
there he and his wife spent the remainder of their Hves, his death occurring
on December 2, 1903, and hers, January 25, 1916. They were nieml)ers of
the Methodist church and were the parents of ten children, two of whom ched
in infancy and the others of whom are still living, those besides the subject
of this sketch being as follow: O. M. Pyke, of Tipton county; Mrs. Ella
Hutto, of Kingman, Kansas ; J. F. Pyke, a lawyer, of Tipton ; Mrs. l-aura
M. Amstett, of Fowler, this state; Robert E. Pyke, of Indianapolis; William
M. Pyke, of Constantine, Michigan, and Sherman Pyke, of Tipton county.

Howell G. Pyke grew to manhood on the home farm in Tipton county
and remained there until 1897, when he came to Fayette county and rented
the farm in section 2 of Orange township, the northwest quarter of that sec-
tion, which he now owns, and after his marriage a few months later established
his home there and has ever since made that his place of residence. When
Mr. Pyke took charge of that farm of one hundred and sixty acres the place
was badly run down, hut by industry and the exercise of modern methods
of agriculture he has built it up until he has one of the best-improved and
most highly cultivated farms in that part of the county. Seven years after
taking charge of the farm he tought it and has since made many substantial
improvements on the same, having an excellent residence and good farm
buildings. In addition to his general farming Mr. Pyke has given consider-
able attention to the raising of a good grade of live stock and has done very
well in his operations. Mr. Pyke has ever given close attention to local civic
affairs and in 1912 was the nominee of the Progressive party for sheriff
of Fayette county.

On August 18, 1897. a few months after coming tn p'ayette C(junty,
Howell G. Pyke was united in marriage to Emma Hitchell, who was born
in the neighboring county of Franklin, daughter of Jacob and Caroline
(Porter) Hitchell, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter
in the neighborhood of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jacob Hitchell
moved with his family from Franklin county to this c<)unt\- in the fall of
1892 and located on a farm in section 11 of Orange township, where he died
a year later. His widow did not long survive him, her death occurring
about a year later. She had been previously married to Jonathan Abercrom-
bie, who died leaving five children. By her marriage to Jacob Hitchell she
was the mother of four children, those besides Mrs. Pyke being as follow:

1054 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Carrie, who married James Cox and died in the spring of 1910: Jacob, who is
Hving on his own farm in the southern part of Orange township, and
WiUiam, who is making his home with the Pykes. Mr. and Mrs. Pyke have
two sons, Virgil H., born on December 26, 1898, who has just completed the
high-school course, and Lester M., born on January 10, 1907. Mrs. Pyke is
a member of the Christian church and Mr. Pyke belongs to the Methodist
church. They have a very pleasant home and have ever taken a proper part
in the general social activities of the community in which they live.

HIRAM SHIPLEY.

Hiram Shipley, former member of the board of county commissioners
of Fayette county and a well-known and substantial farmer of Harrison
township, this county, was born in that township and has lived there all his
life. He was born on a pioneer farm near the Yankeetown school, in the
northwestern part of Harrison township, August 24, 1856, son of Thomas
Rodney and Sarah P. (Groves) Shipley, the former of whom, born on that
same farm, spent all his life there and the latter of whom is still living
there.

Thomas Rodney Shipley was born on November 15, 1821, a son of
Thomas and Eleanor (Morgan) Shipley, the former a native of the state of
Maryland and the latter of Virginia, who became pioneers of Fayette county
and here spent their last days. Thomas Shipley was born near the city of
Baltimore on February 16, 1772, a son of Adam and Rachel Shipley, the
former of whom died on November 20, 18 18, and the latter, September 16,
1820. Thomas Shipley served as a soldier during the war of 181 2 and later
moved from Maryland to Kentucky, whence he came up into Indiana in
1821 and settled on a tract of "Congress land" which he had bought from
the government in the western part of section 2 of Harrison township, the
original parchment deed to the tract signed by President Monroe on April i,
1823, being now in the possession of the first settler's grandson, Hiram Ship-
ley, the subject of this "sketch. Thomas Shipley created an excellent farm
there and on that pioneer home place spent his last days, his death occurring
on January 7, 1846. His widow, Eleanor Morgan, who was born in Virginia
in 1782, survived him for more than ten years, her death occurring on Octo-
ber 3, 1857.

On that pioneer farm on which he was born, Thomas Rodney Shipley
spent his entire life. On February i, 1849, he married Sarah P. Groves,

FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA. IO55

who was born on a pioneer farm over in Rush county, just west of Fair-
view, May 9, 1828, daughter of Donovan and Sarah (Hix) Groves, natives
of Kentucky, who had come up into this part of Indiana in pioneer days.
Donovan Groves was born in Kentucky on December 5, 1797, a son of Roljert
and Martha ( Miller ) Groves, the former of whom was a soldier in the
patriot army during the Revolutionary War, and who moved from Kentucky
into Indiana about 182 1 and settled on a farm on the eastern edge of Rush
county, near Fairview. Robert Groves was a well-known minister of the
^Methodist church in early days and exerted a wide influence for good here-
about. He died on August 25, 1855, at the age of ninety-one years and six
months. His wife preceded him to the grave just five days, her death having
occurred on August 20, 1855, aged eighty-nine years and five months. They
had been married for a bit more than sixty-seven years. Donovan Groves
spent his last days as a farmer in Rush county and there died on May 28,
1858, at the age of fifty-one years. His wife, Sarah Flix, was born in
Kentucky on May 22. 1798. Thomas Rodney Shipley was an excellent farmer
and accumulated quite a lot of land, having been the owner of nearly five
hundred acres. He died on March 2;^,, 1891, and his widow is still living
on the old home place where her children were born. There were seven of
these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in order of
birth, the others being as follow : John, who died from the effects of a fall
into a kettle of scalding water when he was about three years of age; Dono-
van, who died at the age of twenty-one years, three weeks after his mar-
riage, from the effects of a fall off a horse; Martha, wife of Elbert Cald-
well, of this county ; Matilda, wife of Sanford Caldwell, of this county; Eunice,
wife of Thomas Scott, and James, who was killed about ten years ago by
an explosion of dynamite while blasting stumps.

Hiram Shipley was reared on the old home farm and there continued
to make his home for two years after his marriage in the fall of 1877, after
which he moved onto the old Shipley homestead, the place his grandfather
bought from the government, the northwest quarter of section 32 of Harri-
son township, which he now owns, and where he has made his home ever
since, being quite successfully engaged there in general farming and stock
raising. Mr. Shipley is a Democrat and has for years given his earnest atten-
tion to local civic affairs. In the fall of 1912 he was elected commissioner
from his district, the first Democratic member of the board of county com-
missioners of Fayette county in more than a quarter of a century, and he
was re-nominated for that ofiice by his party in the campaign of 19 16, but
failed of election, the Republicans regaining much of their former strength
in that district in that year.

1056 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Mr. Shiple)^ has been twice married. In the fall of 1877 he was united
in marriage to Emma Baker, who died about ten years later, without issue.
On November 6, 1889, two years after the death of his first wife, Mr. Ship-
ley married Mary J. Curtis, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, daughter
of Wesley W. and Emaline (Brant) Curtis, the former of whom is still
living in Posey township, this county, where he is the owner of a fine farm
of four hundred and fifty acres. Wesley W. Curtis was born in Butler
county, Ohio, September 2, 1831, son of Daniel and Charlotte (Pocock)
Curtis, natives of Maryland, who moved to Ohio, where their last days were
spent. Daniel Curtis was a soldier during the War of 1812 and he and his
wife were earnest members of the Methodist church. Wesley W. Curtis
grew to manhood in Butler county, Ohio, and there married Emaline F. Brant,
who was born in that county in 1837, daughter of Mathias and Harriet Brant.
After his marriage he settled on a farm six miles east of Hamilton, where
his wife died on April 4, 1859. He afterward married Ellen Blue and in
March, 1864. came to Fayette county and bought a farm in Posey township,
where he since has made his home. His second wife died there in 1895.

To Hiram and Mary (Curtis) Shipley one child has been born, a daugh-
ter, Elsie, who married Wilbur Gibbs and lives at Fairview, this county. Mr.
and Mrs. Shipley are members of the Christian church at Fairview, as is their
daughter, and Mr. Shipley for years has been the superintendent of the Sun-
day school of that church, both he and his wife taking a warm interest in
general church work.

ALVIN E. BARROWS.

Alvin E. Barrows was born in Dorset, Vermont, on February 9, 1843,
and died at his home in Connersville, July 12, 1913. He was the son of
Milutus Barrows, who was the son of Experience Barrows, who was the son
of Solomon Barrows, who was the son of Lieut. Thomas Barrows, who was
a son of Robert Barrows, who was the son of Robert Barrows, who was a son
of John Barrow or Barrows, who arrived in Plymouth colony, Massachusetts,
in 1637. His mother, Lucina Gray Barrows, was a daughter of Susannah
Cleveland, who married Alvin Gray, she a daughter of Job William Cleve-
land, a Revolutionary soldier, the fifth generation from Moses Cleveland,
w'ho came to -New England in 1636 from Ipswich, England, who is also an
ancestor of Grover Cleveland.

CULi^^^T^^ ,(5 f ^^-^L/tA^^rT^OV

KAVKTTl- CorxTV. IXDIAXA. IO57

The naiiK' Alvin. it ma\' lie ^ocn. was (lcri\cil from liis .i;raiiilfatlier,
Alvin Gray, wliile tlic middle initial stdod for ICNperiencc. the name i>\ liis
(ither i^raiid father, lixperienee I'.arrdws. who was the son of l.ueretia Wales
Barrows, she the daiis^hter of L'apt. Xathaniel Wales, an ofilicer in the Reviilii-
tionary War, and (iraee lirewster Wales, who was the daughter of 1 )amaris
Gates and William Brewster, who was the son of Elizabeth Witter Brewster
and Benjamin Brewster, who was the son of Lydia Partridge Brewster and
William Brewster, \\ho was the son of Sarah Collier Brewster and I.ove
Brewster, who was the son of holder William Brewster, oldest and most dis-
tinguished of the Pilgrims on their arri\-al in Ameriea.

Milutus Barrows, the father of the suliject of this sketch, was twice mar-
ried, first to Lucretia Gray, and afterwards, when she died, leaving a family
of small children, to her sister, Lucina Gray, who was the mother of Alvin
E. Barrows. \\'hen he was aliout seven years old. the famih- mo\ed from
near Dorset, \'ermont. to Chautauqua county, Xew York, and were residing
there at the outbreak of the war. In 1861 Alvin was employed on an oil
derrick, just over the line in Pennsylvania. His father had been more or
less active in the abolition movement, and upon the call for seventy -five thou-
sand volunteers, he quit his job and went home for permission to enlist. At
the battle of Pair Oaks. \'irginia. he was severe!}' wounded, barely a\-oiding
the amputation of his left leg at the knee. In the same year he was again
wounded. .\t the battle of Chancellorsville. where he was taken prisoner,
he was officially commended for conspicuous bravery. He served a short
time in Libby prison, but his conduct had won for him such attention as
secured his speedy release. He served in the army more than four years,
in the Seventy-second. One Hundred and Twentieth and One Hundred and
Twenty-sixth Xew ^'ork \'olunteers. When the war was over, he returned
to his home in Xew ^'ork and attempted to do car])enter work and farm-
ing. This his lameness made im])ossible, and he drifted into mercantile pur-
suits, being for a time employed in the general mercantile Inisiness, but \erv
soon turning to the business of writing life and, later, fire insurance. I-"or
forty years he was a successful fire underwriter, nc\er ceasing this actixitv
until, on June q, 1913, he was stricken down at his desk. In i88r he left
West Farmington, Ohio, where he had commenced in the insurance business,
coming to Connersville, Indiana, and purchasing the insurance agency of
Ignatius Zeller, forming a partnership with Charles B. Sanders, under the
firm style of Sanders & Barrows. Until 1884 this partnership continued,
"(67)

1058 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

when it was succeeded by the firm of Fearis & Barrows, which continued
until 1887, when Col. J. H. Fearis withdrew to move to Minneapolis, Minne-
sota. Mr. Barrows then associated himself in business with the late Charles
Mount and the late Major Francis T, Roots, under the firm name of Mount,
Roots & Barrows. The interest of Messrs. Mount and Roots was bought
later, and for a number of years he did business under his own name until he
transferred his business to the corporate form in which it now stands, The
A. E. Barrows Company, with himself as president and treasurer and his son,
Frederic I. Barrows, as secretary. It has thus continued for a number of
years. In 1887 ~Mv. Barrows closed up the affairs of the stocking mill, act-
ing as assignee of the Keatley Stocking Company. At the inception of the
Fayette Banking Company he was one of the original partners, continuing
with it and its successor, the Fayette National Bank, until 1906, when he
sold his stock and became the vice-president of the Central State Bank. Later
he succeeded to the presidency of this bank and was active in the discharge
of his duties until the beginning of his last illness.

For many years Mr. Barrows had lieen a close friend of the late William
Newkirk, by the terms of whose will he was made joint executor with James
]\I. Alclntosh, of Indianapolis, a trust which he was executing up to the time
of his death. Perhaps the business activity which brought him in closest
touch with the people of Connersville was his long and honorable service as
a building association officer. ]\Ir. Barrows was a pioneer in Connersville
in providing means for home building to persons dependent on weekly sav-
ings. In 1886, with Dr. A. M. Andrews, Thomas Downs, R. G. Wait and
others, he organized the Connersville Building and Loan Association. This
was an association of the old style where all the shares matured at one time.
It was organized with a very limited membership and with great difficulty
because there was local prejudice against building associations. The associa-
tion, of which Mr. Barrows was always the secretary, was so satisfactorily
managed that a year later a series association, the Fayette Savings and Loan
Association, was established. As the first association met in Mr. Barrows'
office on Monday nights, the new association met on Tuesday, for he was
secretary for both. More than a quarter centur)^ has passed since the first
association was organized and as it paid out it was compelled by its charter
to disband. The second kept on maturing some twenty-five series, until, at
Mr. Barrows' suggestion, it modified its rules to adopt the individual or per-
petual plan. It now has assets in excess of half a million dollars, a monu-
ment of faithfulness, persistence and prudence.

FAYKTTE COCNTY. INDIANA. IO59

In 1 87 1, while living- in northeastern Ohio, Mr. Barrows was married
1(1 .Mary .\. I'cck. She was the daughter of Caroline Merriman I'eck and
Durt.n rVck. Im.iIi .'t Xew Haven cnnnty. Connecticut, the latter being the
vnn of .M(.r;ili .Mews IV.k and jdin I'cck. who was the son of Jernsha Hall
Feck and John Peck, who was the mhi n\ Mary I'armalee Peck and Samuel
i'eck. who was the son nf .Susannah and John Peek, who was the son of Mary
M.-ss I'eck and J<.hn Peck, wh.) wa> the son of I'.lder William Peck, one of
the earliest .\'ew luiiiland settlers .-nid a founder <if .\ew tlaven. To this
union were horn four ehildren, 1-reiIeric 1.. P.urton .Milutus. Caroline Lucina
(Dixon) antl Josephine. These, with two brothers, George .\. Barrows, of
Denver, Colorado, and Charles E. Barrows, of Greenville, Pennsylvania, and
the children of his son. Burton M. Barrows, Marian, Joseph B.. and Cath-
erine, are the only members of his immediate family surviving.

-Mr. Barrows had been, during nearly the whole of his life, an acti\e
member of the Methodist Episcopal church and on its official board for about
thirty C(.nsecntive years, being both a trustee and chairman of the board of
stewards. Mr. Barrows was always an acti\e Republican, though never an
office seeker, ffe served two terms as township trustee because two of his
good friends, Charles Roehl and Moses Kahn. tied for the nonunation. ;iud
then withdrew and asked him to be a candidate as a coiupromise.

.\t bis death, the etlitor of the Conncrsz'illc Xcn's wrote the following
]jersonal tribute, under the heading ".\ Worthy Citizen".: "In the passing of
AKin E. Barrows from this stage of action, Conners\ille and vicinity loses
from its social, its business and its industrial life a unit of striking outlines.
Since 1881 this man had been an active, steady, certain force in local affairs.
His earl\- life, ami bis arm\- record especiall\-, offer some glim])ses of a
])o-.vcrful character. These were fully sustained by the life of .Mr. Barrows
here, and diey present but a single asjjcct of a temperament of more than
usual distincti\-eness. Perhaps no man in Connersville was clearer of anv
suggestion of eft'eminac\- than was .\. E. Barrows. Serious minded, his
intellect bent itself, engine-like, to the work he set himself to do. The light,
the fri\olous, tlie fcjolish he wuuli! nc'ther suffer in himself nor tolerate in
ethers. His business in the world was to do things. Thus it came about
that many a casual eye jierceived the rugged busk which encased the actual
man. and mistook the exterior for the entirety. L'nder the cloak of what
might be taken f(U- a blunt manner, there was a warmth of sentiment in .\. E.
Barrenvs which, undemonstrative as it was. was deep and earnest and fore\'er

lObO FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in its place. Without tiie suggestion of ostentation, he was a deeply religious
man. Without being loud, he was a patriot of the highest t_vpe. Without
bold pretense, he was generous and philanthropic. Without a hint of weak-
ness, he was no stranger to the truest and most enduring of affections. Thus
it happened that Mr. Barrows' truest friends were those who knew him fully,
rather than those who merely met him. But in the circle of those who were
able to see and interpret the depths of his personality, he had such friends as
men of superficial makeup never know.

"Rugged, tenacious, severely methodical and unbendingly honest, .Vlvin
Experience Barrows long ago compelled for himself a high ])lace in the
affairs and in the eyes of men. This place, by the sheer might of him, he
held to the end nf his life. The recollection of his virile manner and uncom-
promising self-reliance somehow lends a peculiar depth, of pathos, for who-
ever really knew him, to the realization that his work is done and that he is
gone."

SCOTT E. CALDWELL

Scott E. Caldwell, one of Harrison township's best-known and most
progressive young farmers and the j)roprietor of beautiful "Caldwell Home
Farm" in the southwest quarter of section 33 of that township, a tract that
has been in the possession of the Caldwells from the days of the beginning
of settlement hereabout, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here
all his life. He was born on a farm in section 32 of Harrison township, the
place now occupied by Cleve Caldwell. March 24, 1881, son of Enoch and
Sarah Jane ( Scott ) Caldwell, both now deceased, who also were natives of
Indiana, the former born in this county and the latter in the neighboring
county of Wayne. .

Enoch Caldwell was born on the pioneer farm now owned and occu-
pied by his son, the subject of this sketch, October 27, 1833, son of Joseph
and Asenath (Powell) Caldwell, the former of whom was born in Preble
county, Ohio, August 15, 1809, a son of Joseph and Miriam Caldwell,
natives of North Carolina and members of the Society of Friends, who
became numbered among the earliest settlers of this county and here spent
their last days. The elder Joseph Caldwell was a son of James Caldwell,
who was born in 1749, and who, in company with his son came over into
Indiana Territory in the winter of 1811-12, locating in Fayette county, where

FAVKTTK COrXTV, IXDIAX \. lofn

for a time tlie (.'alilwcll family fciuiul prutcclidii a.t^aiii'^t the ihrcaloiied
depredations of tlie Indians in tlie old block house that had been established
on the present site of the city of C'onner>ville. On .\ni;ust 31, iHi^:^, Joseph
Caldwell enteretl from the government a tract of "C'on,L;ress land" in the
southwest cpiarter of section 33 of Harrison township and there establisheil
his home, he and his wife spending their last days there, active and influen-
tial pioneer residents of that part of the county. Their son, Joseph, was about
four years of age when they settled on that homestead tract and there he
grew to manhood, thoroughly familiar with pioneer conditions of living, antl
in turn established his home on that farm, remaining a farmer and stockman
and becoming prominent and intluential in the affairs of that neighborhood.
He was several times elected to offices of public trust and in many ways
made his influence manifest for good. He cast his first Presidential vote for
General Jackson and voted with the Whigs until the f<jrmation of the Ivepnl)-
lican party, when he became an earnest adherent of the principles of that
party and so remained the rest of his life. As a member of the Baptist
church he took an active part in church work and was an earnest promoter
of all agencies designed to advance the common good in this community
during his generation. He died on October 3, 1894, and was buried in Lick
Creek cemetery.

Joseph Caldwell was twice married. On January 31, 1833, he was united
in marriage to Asenath Powell, and to that union four children were born.
Enoch, Martha, who married Buel J. Thomas, Caroline and Alexander. The
mother of these children died on November 3, 1844, and on October 7, 1847,
Joseph Caldwell married Salenah Saxon, who was born in this state and
who survived him, and to that union two children were torn, Horace I", and
Alice, the latter of whom marrietl Homer M. Rroaddus. Following the
death of Joseph Caldwell in 1894 a local newspaper remarked that "he was
widely known and respected. In his death one of Fayette county's oldest
and best citizens is lost."

Enoch Caldwell, eldest son of the junior Joseph Caldwell, grew to man-
hood on the farm on which he was born and in his young manhood taught
school for several terms, teaching both before and after his marriage and
doing much to advance the cause of education in this community. After his
marriage in 1864 he lived for a few years on the farm now occupied by Cleve
Caldwell, in section 32 of Harrison township, and then moved to a farm two
miles south of Bentonville, but after awhile moved back to the place where

1062 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

he had begun kee]iing houbc and tliere he and his wife spent tlie remainder of
tlieir hves. Enoch Caldwell was a good farmer and also did much to promote,
the raising- of pure-bred live stock, giving much attention to his Poland China
hogs and registered cattle. He died in 1884 and his widow survived him
until March 11, 1895.

On May 17, 1864, Enoch Caldwell was united in marriage to Sarah Jane
Scott, who was born in the neighborhood of Jacksonburg, in Wayne county,
this state, well-known residents of that community, and to that union live
children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the
others being as follows : Cora, who married L. K. Tingley ; Sylvia, who
first married Wellington Beeson and after his death she married Omer Don-
icher; Myrtle, now deceased, who was Omer Donicher's first wife, and Alice,
who married Fred Hackleman.

Scott E. Caldwell was about three years of age when his father died
and after the death of his widowed mother in 1895, he Uien being alxiut four-
teen years of age, he made his home for some years with his sister, Mrs.
Sylvia Beeson. Before reaching his majority he married and began farming
for himself on the farm where he was born and where he remained until
_in May, 1914, when he moved to his present beautiful home, "Caldwell Home
Farm," the place entered from the government by his great-grandfather,
Joseph Caldwell, the senior, in 1813, and the sheep-skin deed attesting that
transfer is now in his possession. Mr. Caldwell is the owner of one hundred
and fifty-eight acres of "Caldwell Home Farm" and a tract of fifty-three
acres cornering the same, and is regarded as one of the substantial farmers
of that part of the county. He brings to his farming operations modern
methods of agriculture and is doing very well, both in his general farming
and in his stock raising.

On December 24. 1901. Scott E. Caldwell was united in marriage to
Evelyn M. Stone, who also was born in Harrison township, a daughter of
Edwin ^I. and Indiana (White) Stone, and who completed her schooling
at Purdue University, where she took an agricultural course, including domes-
tic science and kindred subjects, and is an admirable helpmate to her hus-
band in the operation of the home farm. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell had three
children, Joseph L., Mark Stone, who died August 13, 1908; and Helen
Louise. They have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general
social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting
all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare.

FAYETTE COL'NTV. INDIANA. IO63

HEXRY MAURER,

Henry Maurer, a well-known farmer and stockman of Harrison town-
ship, this county, and the proprietor of a well-kept farm about four miles
northwest of Connersville, is a native of Switzerland, but has been a resident
of this country, since he was nineteen years of age and of Faj^ette county
since he was about twenty-one. hence has spent the greater part of his life
in this community. He was born on January i8, 1852, son of Crist and
Susie (Russell) Maurer. both natives of Switzerland, the latter of whom
died when her son. Henry, was four years of age, the father dving about
fifteen years later.

After the death of his father,' he then being nineteen years of age, Henry
Maurer left his native Swizerland and came to this country, locating at
Hamilton, Ohio, in the vicinity of which city he worked for three seasons
as a farm hand. He then came on up into Indiana and for five years there-
after was employed on the farm of William N. Huston, in this county. He
married in 1880 and established his home on the Shields farm, just south of
East Connersville, which he farmed on the shares and where he made his
home for thirty- four years, at the end of which time, in March, 191 2, he
moved to his present farm in Harrison township, four miles northwest of
Connersville, where he is now living and where he and his wife have a very
pleasant home. Upon locating in Harrison township, Mr. Maurer bought
a farm of ninety-six acres, but he later sold fifteen acres of the same and now
has about eighty acres, which is well improved and on which, in addition to
general farming, he gives considerable attention to the raising of high-grade
live stock. For years Mr. Alaurer has been well known as a breeder of pure-
bred Shorthorn cattle and has also kept Percheron and French Coach horses.
He is now the owner of a fine Belgian stallion and has done much to improve
the strain of horseflesh in this count}' ; he also has a fine jack He has often
exhibited his cattle at fairs and stock shows and generally has taken most of
the prizes for stock in his class. He showed some fine horses at the first Con-
nersville free fair and has exhibited live stock there eveiw year since with the
exception of one year.

In 1880 Henry Maurer was united in marriage, in this county, to Ida
Hine, who was born in Harrison township, this county, a daughter of
Herman and Adeline ( Frink ) Hine, who came to Indiana and settled in
Favette countv before the davs of the Civil War. Herman Hine was born

1064 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in New York state, or in Pennsylvania, on Febrnary 17, 1822, and who was
married on April 15, 1846, at Montrose, Pennsylvania, to Adeline F. Frink,
who was born at that place on March 10, 1828. Following their marriage,
Herman Hine and his wife made their home in New York state until about
1857, when they came to Indiana and located on a farm near the Yankee-
town school house, in this county. In 1S62 Hennan Hine enlisted for ser-
vice in the I'nion army and on January z-j. 1863, died at a hospital at Ashland,
Kentucky, as the result of exposure endured during his service. He also
had a son. Lyman Hine, who enlisted for service during the Civil War and
who died in a hospital at Indianapolis on September 15, 1864. After the
death of her soldier husband, Mrs. Adeline Hine continued to make her home
in the Yankeetown neighborhood, in Harrison township, keeping her five
children together and sewing and doing anything she could to maintain her
home. There she spent the rest of her life, her death occurring on January
29, 1892, she then being sixty-three years of age. Mrs. Hine was a devoted
member of the Baptist church and was a kind and helpful neighbor, highly
esteemed by both old and young throughout that community for her many
excellent traits of character. Despite the affliction which beset her own life,
she was ever cheerful and was always ready to help others who were afflicted
or in need.

JOSEPH DALE FLOREA.

Joseph Dale Florea, one of the oldest and best-known farmers of Fay-
ette county and the proprietor of a fine farm home in Harrison township,
northwest of the village of Harrisburg, is a native son of Fayette county
and has lived here all his life, having thus been a witness to and a partici-
pant in the development of this region since pioneer days ; now in his seventy-
ninth year forming one of the few remaining living connecting links between
the present period of development in this county and that period of the county
when much was still in a formative state hereabout in the way of social
organization. ■ He was born on a pioneer farm in the immediate vicinity of
his present home on March 24, 1838, son of Lewis C. and Eliza (Dale)
Florea, who were among the most influential pioneers of that section of the
county and whose last days were spent here.

Lewis C. Florea was born in Woodford county, Kentucky, in 1808, a
son of John Florea and wife, the latter of whom was a Collins. His mother
died when he was but a child and when he was thirteen years of age he

KAVKTTE COL'NTV, INDIANA. IO65

accompanied his father up into Indiana, the latter settling in Fayette county,
where he died not long afterward. After the death of his father Lewis C.
Florea returned to Kentucky and there made his home with a cousin, George
Cleveland, until he had attained his majority, when he came back to Fayette
county, bought a farm about a mile north of the village of Harrisburg. in
Harrison township, and there .si)ent the remainder of his life, becoming a
well-to-do farmer and landowner, the proprietor of between four hundred and
five hundred acres of land in that part of the county.

Not long after returning to this county to make his permanent home
here, Lewis C. Florea married Eliza Dale, who was born in branklin county,
this state, in 1814, daughter of Joseph and Polly ( Bradburn ) Dale, who had
come up into this county in 1815 or 1816 and had settled on a farm one mile
west of Harrisburg. There still were many Indians in this part of the state
when the Dales settled in this county and the Indian children at once made
playmates of the Dale children. One of the squaws took a great fancy to
little Woodford Dale, then two years of age, and stole the child, with an
apparent view of rearing the boy in the tribe as a child of her own. The
kidnaping was quickly discovered, however, and after a hurried pursuit Mr.
Dale recovered his little son. Mrs. Dale was a daughter of Doctor Bradburn,
who was well known in the country northwest of Connersville in pioneer
days and who, in self-defense, was compelled to kill a couple of men who
had broken into his house at night with ulterior purpose, while under the
influence of liquor. The Doctor attacked the intruders with one of his
surgical knives and inflicted upon them injuries from which the\- later died,
although he bestowed upon their wounds his best surgical skill after he had
rendered them hors dc combat. Joseph Dale built a distillery on his farm
in the early days and the same was extensively patronized, not only by his
pioneer neighbors, among whom the constant use of whisky was not regarded
in the same bad light as at present, but by the Indians, who would call at
the distillery to have their buckskin bottles replenished with "fire-water."
Eliza Dale was but an infant when her parents came to this county from
Franklin county and after her marriage to Lewis C. Florea continued to
make her home here. li\-ing to lie eighty-three years of age. her death occur-
ring on October 26. 1897. being at that time one of the oldest continuous
residents of Fayette county.

To Lewis C. and Eliza (Dale) Florea seven children were born, six
sons and one daughter, of whom six are still living, those beside-s the subject
of this sketch, the second in order of birth, being Albert, who is living at

I066 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Coffeyville, Kansas, now past eighty years of age; John, of Eldorado, Kan-
sas; Fannie, wife of John Murphy; VViUiam, deceased; Lewis, of Texas, and
George, a well-known attorney at Connersville.

Joseph D. Florea grew to manhood on the home farm in Harrison town-
ship and from the days of his early boyhood was a valued assistant to his
father in the labors of improving and developing the place. He completed
his schooling in the high school at Connersville and for three or four years
thereafter taught district school. In 1862 he bought a cjuarter of a section
of land from his father, the same lying one mile north and two miles west
of Harrisburg, and following his marriage the next year established his
home there and has ever since continued to reside on that farm, which he
has improved in excellent shape. As Mr. Florea prospered in his farming-
operations he bought additional land until he became the owner of more than
four hundred acres, a part of which, however, he has since given to his
children, though he still retains about two hundred acres. In addition to his
general farming Mr. Florea has long given considerable attention to the
raising of high-grade hogs and has done very well. He and his wife have
a very pleasant home and are quite comfortably situated in the quiet "even-
ing time" of their lives, honored and respected by the entire community.

Joseph D. Florea has been thrice married. It was in 1863 that he was
united in marriage to Sarah E. Wilson, who was born near Milton, over the
line in Wayne county, daughter of Gideon and Margaret (Charles) Wilson,
earnest Quaker folk, who came from the Carolinas to Indiana about 1820
and settled in Wayne county,' where they spent their last days. To that
union three children were born, namely: Charles, now living on a farm
about a mile north of his old home place, who married Flora Thomas and
has one child, a daughter, Barbara; Frank, now living on a farm two miles
north of his old home place, who married Minnie Beeson and has one child,
a son, Lee, and Pearl, who married Daniel Green, a druggist, of Conners-
ville, and has three children, Dorothy, Catherine and Mary. Mrs. Sarah E.
Florea died in 1873, and on February 28, 1875, Mr. Florea married Lucinda
Corbin, who was born on November 22, 1855, a daughter of Jackson and
Mary Corbin, and to that union two children were born. Homer, now living
on a farm one mile north of his old home, who married Bertha Manlove and
has one child, a daughter. Hazel, and Oscar, born on July 14, 1878, who died
in infancy. Mrs. Lucinda Florea died on June 25, 1879, and on November
17, 1881, Mr. Florea married his present wife, Ella Guard, who was born
on October 25, 1850, daughter of Sanford and Eliza Guard, which union
has been without issue.

FAYETTE COrNTV. INDIANA. I067

DAMD L. WISE.

David L. Wise, one of Harrison township's su))stantial farmers, is a
native Hoosier and has Hved in this state all his life, a resident of Fayette
county since 1891. He was born in the neighboring county of Wayne on
October 19. 1853, a son of Henry A. and Martha (Whisler) Wise, the
former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Indiana, whose last da\s
were spent in \\'a_\ne count}-, this state.

Henr}- A. \\'ise was liorn in Lancaster county, Pennsyhania, and was
there trained as a shoemaker, becoming very expert at that form of crafts-
manship. His parents died in Pennsylvania before he had reached his
majority and shortly afterward he came to Indiana and located in Union
county, where he presently opened a shoemaking shop and became very suc-
cessful in that line in the days when shoes and boots were handmade, often
having orders three or four months ahead of his abilit}- to fill the same.
He also did some farming. He married after locating in Wayne county, his
wife, ]\Iartha Whisler, having been born in that county, a daughter of Peter
Whisler and wife, who caine to this state from Lancaster county, Penn-
sylvania.

David L. \\'ise grew up in Waxne count} and during his Ijoyhood was
an aid to his father in the shoe shop, becoming a proficient shoemaker. His
life work, however, has been farming. He farmed in \\'ayne count}" until
the fall of 1 89 1, about six years after his marriage, when he moved down
into Fayette county and settled on his present location, the farm of George
Richmond, a place of one hundred and sixty acres along the north line of
this count}-, north of C'onnersville, where he ever since has made his home.
In the fall of 1910 ^Ir. Wise and his son, Frank R. Wise, bought the adjoin-
ing cjuarter section on the west, known as the Hittle farm, and are now
farming both places, a total of three hundred and twenty acres, and are
doing very well ; in addition to their general farming being (juite extc!-isi\-el}-
engaged in raising live stock.

On January 28, 1885, David L. Wise was united in marriage to Sarah
Retherford, who was born on a farm in this county, east of Connersville, a
daughter of Isaac and Harriet (Earl) Retherford, the former of whoni also
was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families of this
section of the state. Mr. and ^Irs. Wise have one son, Frank R. Wise, who
is married and is living on the farm adjoining his father's place, the quarter
section mentioned above, which he and his father purchased in 19 10,

I068 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Frank R. Wise was born in Wayne county on May 9, 1886, and on
May 9, 1906, was united in marriage to Josie McFerren, who was born on a
farm east of Connersville, in this county, a daughter of Abraham and Susan
( Breitenbaugh) McFerren, both natives of this county, who are now living
in Waterloo township. Abraham McP^erren was born on a farm east of
Connersville, a son of David McFerren, one of the old settlers in that com-
munity, and his wife, Susan Breitenbaugh, was born on a farm east of Water-
loo, this county, a daughter of George and Catherine (LeRoy ) Breitenbaugh,
natives of Germany, who were married in their native land Snd came to this
country before the days of the Ci\'il War, settling in this county. George
Breitenbaugh enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War
and served for three years during the struggle between the states. To Frank
R. Wise and wife one child has Ijeen born, a daughter, Jeannette.

CLEVE T. CALDWELL.

Cleve T. Caldwell, one of Harrison township's well-known and progres-
sive farmers, is a representative in the fifth generation of one of the first
families of Fayette county, a family that has been represented here since the
year 181 1. He was born on a pioneer farm on the northeast quarter of sec-
tion 6 of Harrison township, just west of Vankeetown, August 1 1, 1888, and
has lived in this county all his life.

The Caldwell family in Fayette county descends from James Caldwell,
who was born in December, 1748, and who died on May 3, 1830, aged eighty-
one years, four months and twenty-seven days, and is buried in the private
burying ground on the old Joseph Caldwell homestead on the southwest
cjuarter of section 33 of Harrison township. Joseph Caldwell, son of the
James Caldwell mentioned above, was born in Guilford county, North Caro-
lina, and some time after his marriage moved from that state to Ohio, moving
thence, in the winter of 1811-12, over into Indiana and entering a tract of land
from the government in this county, the southwest quarter of section ^^ of
Harrison township, where he established his home and where he spent the re-
mainder of his life, one of the useful and influential pioneer settlers of that
part of the county. Upon moving over here from Ohio the Caldwells were
compelled to take refuge for a time in the old block house that had been
erected on Lick creek, in the southwest quarter of section 34 of Harrison

r.WKTTK ((IINTV, TN'DIAXA, 1069

township, the menacing attitude of the Indians at that time rendering such
precaution necessary. On Christma-; day, 1815, Joseph Caldwell completed
his house on section 33, but on account of Indian troubles did not occupy the
same at night for some time thereafter, the family, as well as the other early
settlers of that region, continuing to occupy the block house. On the farm
which he entered from the government, Joseph Caldwell spent the rest of his
life and is buried in the family burying ground on that place. That farm still
is in the possesion of the Caldwell family. Joseph Caldwell's children were
John. James, Joseph, Mary .(who married George Manlove. Sr. ), Margaret
(who married Nathan Morphew) and Lydia (who married Zenas Powell).

John Caldwell, eldest son of Joseph Caldwell, was born in Guilford coun-
ty. North Carolina, January 20, 1798, and was but an infant when his parents
moved from there to Ohio and was twelve or thirteen years of age when the
family moved from Ohio to Fayette county. Here he grew to manhood and
when of legal age entered the northwest quarter of section 3 of flarrison
township and there, after his marriage, established his home. He and .\lex-
ander Dale and William Trowbridge gave the land on which the I)ai)tist church
north of Harrisburg was erected. John Caldwell was twice marrie<l. Dy his
first wife, Phoebe Rich, he had the following children : Samuel, Oliver, John,
Jr.. Sanford, James. William, Josepli ( who <lied in infancy), Elizabeth (who
married James Elliot), Mehnda (a spinster) and Mary (who married John
I'Tazee). Samuel, the first-born of the above-named children, was born on
January 7. 1820, and on July 2, 1840, married Mary Parrish. who was born
in Butler county. Ohio. Octoloer 3. 1821. a daughter of Zachariah and Phoebe
Parrish. the former of whom was a soldier during the War of 181 j, and who
came over into Indiana about 1824 and settled near Fairview, in the township
of that name, in this county. Samuel Caldwell established his home on an
unimproved tract of land on the northern edge of Harrison township and pro-
ceeded to clear the place. In addition to his farming he also engaged in the
])ork-packing business at Connersville, a member of the firm of Caldwell,
Loder & Company, which was put out of business during the panic of 1873.
He continued farming his place in Harrison township and there spent his last
days, his death occurring on June 24. 1896. His widow preceded him on
February 22, 1890. They were memliers of the Baptist church and their chil-
dren were reared in that faith. There were six of these children, sons all.
John. .\mos. Albert. Joseph, Sanford and Da\'id.

.Sanford Caldwell w.'is liorn on the ])aternal farm in the northern part

[O/O FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of Harrison township on Februar}' 12, 1858, and there grew to manhood. He
still makes his liome in that township, one of the best-known fanners r.. the
northern part of the county. Sanford Caldwell married Matilda Shiple) , who
also was born in the northern part of Harrison township, November 6, i860,
daughter of Thomas Rodney and Sarah (Groves) Shipley, both of whom also
were born in this part of the state. Thomas Rodney Shipley was born in the
northwest part of Harrison township, this county, November 15, 182 1, a son
of Thomas and Eleanor (Morgan) Shipley, the former of whom, born near
the city of Baltimore, Maryland, February 16, 1772, came into Indiana by
wav of Kentucky and entered a tract of "Congress land" in the northwestern
part of Harrison township, this county, and there established his home. That
tract still is in the possession of the family, the original parchment deed signed
by President Monroe on April i, 1823, being now held by Thomas Shipley's
grandson. Hiram Shipley. There Thomas Rodney Shipley was born and
reared and in turn became a farmer on his own account. He was successful
in his operations and accumulated nearly five hundred acres of excellent land
in that neighborhood. His death occurred on March 2t,. 1891. His wife,
Sarah Groves, was born on a pioneer farm in Rush county, west of Fairview,
May 9, 1828, daughter of Donovan and Sarah (Hicks) Groves, early settlers in
that part of the country. Donovan Groves was bom on December 5, 1799, a
son of Robert and Martha (Miller) Groves, the former of whom died on
August 25, 1855, at the age of ninety-one years and six months, and the latter
of whom died five days previously, August 20, 1855, aged eighty-nine years,
five months and three days. Robert Groves and wife lived together for sixty-
seven years. He was a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary
War and in early days was a well-known preacher in the Methodist church.
He moved from the East to Kentucky and thence up into Indiana, settling in
Rush county in pioneer days. Donovan Groves spent his last days, a well-to-
do farmer, in Rush county, his death occuring on May 28, 1851, at the age of
fifty-one years, five months and twenty-three days.

Cleve T. Caldwell, son of Sanford and Matilda (Shipley) Caldwell, grew
to manhood on the home farm in Harrison township and remained there
until hi^ marriage on Thanksgiving Day. November 25. 1914. to Ruby Leffing-
well, who also was born on a farm on the northern edge of Harrison town-
ship, daughter and only child of Elmer and Dora (Johnson) Leffingwell, also
members of pioneer families in this part of the state. Elmer Leffingwell was
born on a farm in the neighborhood of Alquina. in Jennings township, this

FAYETTE COl'NTY, INDIANA. IO7I

county, August 29, 1866, a son of Jonathan Avery and Lucy (Ellis) Lefting-
well, t^i,e former of whom was born in Genesee county, New York, in 1826
and was.j.iut eight years of age when his parents came to Indiana and settled
about Oiie mile west of Hawkinsville, in Harrison township, this county.
There the father died not long after coming here, but the widow and children
continued to make their home there until the children were grown. Jonathan
A. Leffingwell grew to manhood in this count)- anil licre married Lucy Ellis,
daughter of Lewis and Samantha (Thomas) Ellis, the former of whom was
a son of Moses Ellis, who came to Indiana and estaljli.shed his home in Lay-
ette county more than a century ago. .\fter his marriage Jonathan A. Lefifing-
well farmed in Layette county for awiiile and then moved to Madison county,
moving thence to Illinois, but after a l)rief residence in that state returned to
Layette county and for a time thereafter operated a saw-mill at Bentonville.
He then moved to a farm near Lalmouth, in Rush county, and thence back
to this county, farming for three or four yt^irs in Jennings township, whence
he moved to the farm on the northern edge of Harrison township where his
son, Elmer, now lives, and there he spent his last days, his death occurring >
in July, 1884. His widow survived him for sixteen years, her death occurring
in 1900. They Mere the parents of nine children, namely : Edgar, who died
at the age of seven years; twins, who died in infancy; Lewis, who lives in
Posey township, this county: Ada, who died about 1896; Emma, of Gonners-
ville; Minor E., of Gonnersville ; Elmer, who is living on the old home farm
in Harrison township, and INIinnie, who married S. D. Lynch and now lives
in Kennewick, W'asliington. Elmer Leffingwell was about two years of age
\vhen his jiarents moved to the north edge of Harrison township and there
he grew to manhood. He married Dora Johnson, who was l)orn in the neigh-
boring county of Wayne, a daughter of Samuel and Hester ( Hoo\er) John-
son, anfl after his marriage farmed on rented land until about 1902, when he
liought the old homestead place where he was born and where he since has
made his home, being quite successfully engaged there in general farming and
in the raising of hogs. He is the owner of a well-improved farm of two
hundred and twenty acres and has a vers- comfortable home. Since his mar-
riage Cleve T. Caldwell hi^^ been farming on a farm owned by his wife's father
and is doing very well. In bis political faith he is a Democrat and gives a
good citizen''^ attention to local civic affairs, Init has not been a seeker after
public office.

10/2 FAYETTE COT'NTY, INDIANA.

THOMAS \V. WORSTER.

Among the old families of Fayette county there are few that became
identified with the affairs of this county at an earlier date than did the
Worster family. The family has ])een represented here since territorial days
and some members have maintained a continuous residence on the old Worster
homestead in Jennings township since it was entered by James Worster about
1813. Of this pioneer family the subject of this memorial sketch was one
of the best-known representatives in his day and generation.

The late Thomas W. \\'orster. for years one of the most honored and
influential residents of Jennings township, was born on the farm above
referred to and on which he resided for many years, a son of James and
Nancy ( Milner ) Worster, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the lat-
ter of Kentuck}'. His parents were among the early settlers in Jennings
township, where their last days were s]jent, influential and useful members
of that pioneer community.

James Worster was born on December 31, 1772, and was but a lad
when his parents, the Rev. Robert and Mary (Gorman) Worster, left Penn-
sylvania and moved to Kentucky. The Rev. Robert Worster was a native
of England, who, as a young man, came to the American colonies and located
.in Pennsylvania. He was a minister of the Methodist church and enjoyed
the distinction of being the first preacher of that denomination west of the
Alleghany mountains. For years he labored in Kentucky and then in his
old age, came up into Indiana and spent his last days at the home of his son,
James Worster, in Fayette county. He was a remarkable man in many ways
and was an educator as well as a preacher, his services in both connections
creating a distinct influence for good upon the pioneer community in which
he spent his last days in this county. He was enthusiastic and earnest in his
work and possessed great powers of endurance. That he was blessed with
a hardy constitution is shown by the fact that he attained the great age of
one hundred and one years, his death occurring in this county in December,
1830. His widow, who was many years his junior, survived but a little more
than a year, her death occurring on February i, 1832. The family has been
noted for longevity and the present generation seems to be maintaining the
record of the past generations along that line. To the Rev. Robert W^orster
and wife a considerable number of children were born, all of whom long
since have passed to the great beyond.

THOMAS W. WORSTER.

MRS. MARY A. WORSTER.

r.WUTTF, COUXTY. INDIANA. IO73

As noted above, James W'orster was l)ut a latl when his parents moved
to Kentucky and his early years were spent in running a llatboat down the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. He took part in the earlier
engagements of tlie War of 1812 and in the fall of 1813 came up into Indiana
and settled at Brookville. Previously he had entered a tract of land in Jen-
nings township, in Fayette county, and presently occupied that tract. It was
one of the first places settled in the township and has remained in the posses-
sion of the family ever since. At the time that tract of "Congress land'' was
entered the Indians still were numerous hereabout, considerable num!)ers of
them often being seen hunting for game. Although great niunbers of
Indians fought with England in the war then in progress, it was rarely that
the settlers in this section were molested, a fact due, no doubt, to the kind-
ness with which the whites invariably treated the aborigines. Before com-
ing to Fayette count}- James Worster married Nancy Milner, who was born
on September i, 1789, a daughter of Amos Milner and wife, of Kentucky,
the former of whom was a soldier of the patriot army during the Revolu-
tionary War and in the French and Indian Wars and was a participant in
General Braddock's defeat in 1755. Amos Alilner died at the age of
ninety-one. James Worster and wife were industrious and highly respected
pioneer citizens of Jennings township, prominent in the work of the Meth-
odist church and were jxjtent influences for good in the days of the beginning
of a social order in this county. James Worster died on September 29.
1849, in his sixty-eighth year, and his widow survived him for many years,
her death occurring on September 24, 1876. Eight children were born to
them, all of whom, with one exception, reached ad\'anced age. Those chil-
dren, besides the subject of this memorial sketch, were as follow: Hannah,
born on July 31, 1806, who lived to the age of eighty-seven years; Mary Jane,
October 16, 1808, who died on February 6, 1899; Amos M., May 25, 1811,
who lived to the age of eighty-five years; Robert, December 7, 1814, who
lived to be about eighty-tw-o; John O., June 10, 181 7, who also attained length
of years; Lucinda, November 23, 1822, who lived to ripe old age. and Eliza-
beth, who died at the age of thirty years.

Thomas W. Worster, who was born on the farm his father had entered
in territorial days, February 8. 1828, grew to manhood on that farm and
there made his home during his life, an energetic and influential farmer.
On October 26, 185 1, he was united in marriage to Mary A. Blue, who was
born in the neighboring county of Union on February 16, 1833, daughter
(68)

1074 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

of Jacob W. and Mar}' (Stout) Blue, the friendship formed in school days
ending in their marriage. Both the Blues and the Stouts, early settlers in
Fayette county, are of Revolutionary stock, Mrs. Worster and her children
thus being eligible along three lines to membership in the Daughters of the
Revolution and in the- Sons of the Revolution. Mary Stout's father, Jonathan
Stout, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, later going to Kentucky, his
father having been there a companion of Daniel Boone, the famous scout
and Indian fighter. Mrs. Worster was left an orphan at an early age, her
mother having died in 1840 and her father four years later, leaving two
children, Mary A. and James ;\I., and she was reared by her aunt, Mary
Blue.

To Thomas W. and Mary A. (Blue) Worster six children were born,
namely: James Austin, born on March 21, 1853; John O., October 26,
1856; Charles S., October 24, i860; Thomas Lincoln, April 18, 1863; Mary
Jane, August 6, 1867, and Grace H., November 21, 1872. There are five
grandchildren: Thomas W., only son of James A. Worster; Melvin Paul,
son of John O. Worster, and Edna May, Dorotha and Robert Clififord, chil-
dren of Charles S. Worster. There are also two great-grandchildren, Senora
Jean, daughter of Melvin Paul, and Bertha Caroline, daughter of Edna
Worster \\'hite. The Worsters are members of the Methodist church and
take an earnest interest in its various beneficences. Thomas W. Worster
died on August 18, 1904, and his widow died on June 29, 1916.

Thomas W. Worster was a member of the Masonic order at Everton
and remained a member until the hall burned, which brought the lodge to a
close. He had been a faithful member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows for thirty years ; he was always ready to see after the sick of that
order. Fie was a great stock raiser and liked fine horses.

Mrs. \\'orster's earliest teacher was her uncle. Job Stout, so well remem-
bered by older citizens. She was left an orphan at the age of seventy years
and was raised by her aunt, Mary Blue. At the age of seventeen she went
to West Union, as it was then called, but now is known as Everton, to learn
the tailor trade with Billy Williams and met her future husband, T. W.
Worster. After her marriage she went to the farm entered from the govern-
ment by James Worster and lived there until the death of her husband,
-August 18, 1904. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church
at Mt. Garrison, and later was a member of the Everton church until her
death on June 29, 19 16. She was also a member of the Order of Rebekah
and of the Ladies Aid Society at Everton. Their house was always open to

rAVETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. 10/5

llie ministers of the gospel and they were free to come and go without
formahty. Mrs. WorsteT' as.sisted at the County Centennial in Connersville
in 1 916 and was a great help to the organizing committee.

\Vith the death of Thomas W. Worster and his good wife two of the
most prominent pioneers of the county have passed awa)-. It is a pleasure
to record the lives of such people. It is to such as these that the state owes
its prosperity and it seems eminently fitting to set forth in this manner the
records of their achievements. Their children and their grandchildren, and
descendants for all time to come, may here read the life history of this
worthy coujile, and it should be an inspiration to them to know all the good
they accomplished in the county where they lived so many years.

ERNEST A. MAURER.

Ernest A. Maurer, one of Fayette county's best-known and most pro-
gressive young farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred
and fifty acres in Harrison township, was born on that farm and has lived
there all his life. He was born on June 29, 1882, son of Alexander and Anna
( Wenger) Maurer, natives of Switzerland, and the former of whom is still
living, one of Harrisqn township's best-known residents, where he has made
his home since 1873, i" which year he came to this country from his native
Switzerland.

Alexander Maurer was born on December 22, 1848, son of Chri.^.tian
and Susan ( Rosell ) Maurer, also natives of Switzerland, who spent all their
lives there. At the age of twenty-five years Alexander Maurer came to the
United States and proceeding to Indiana, settled in Fayette county, where
he ever since has made his home. In 1875 he liegan farming on shares on
the Shields farm in Harrison township and after his marriage in 1878
established his home there, continuing to farm that place for thirty-one
years, at the end of which time, finding that the farm was too big for him to
handle as he grew older, he bought a farm of seventy-two acres, where he
now lives, just east of Hawkins, in Harrison township. There he built a
house and barn and made other improvements in keeping with the same and
is very comfortably situated. He has for years given much attention to the
raising of fine live stock and has done much to improve the strain of, the
stock raised in his part of the county. He is a member of the German

1076 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Lutheran church, as was his wife. The latter died on March 22, 191 5. She
also was born in Switzerland, Anna Wenger, and there grew to young wom-
anhood, coming thence to this country and locating in Hamilton county, Ohio,
where on January 24, 1878, she was united in marriage to Alexander Maurer.
To that union two children were born, the subject of this sketch having a
sister, Margaret.

Ernest A. Maurer was reared on the Shields farm, where he was born and
which he now owns, and received his schooling in the schools of that neigh-
borhood. During his youth and young manhood he was the victim of a
series of distressing accidents and seemed to have had more than his normal
share of misfortunes up to the time of his marriage in 1904, but since then
his "luck" seems to have turned and he not only has had no further accidents,
but has prospered beyond the average. Seven times during his youth he
was laid up with broken bones, his last accident having befallen him on the
night before the date set for his wedding, when he was tossed by an angry
bull and one of his shoulders and four of his ribs were broken. Just a few
days before he had paid out about all his ready cash for a fine horse and
two days after coming into possession of the same, the animal killed itself.
Though not at all superstitious, Mr. Maurer cannot help recalling that several
of his most serious accidents befell him on a Friday.

The spring following his marriage in 1904, Ernest A. Maurer began
farming on his own account, starting as a renter on the farm on which he
was born, and six years later bought that entire farm of two hundred and
fifty acres and has since done much in the way of improving the same and
bringing the farm plant up to modern standards. The place has a large
brick house on it and this, as well as the barn, he has remodeled in up-to-date
fashion, has built a new garage and lias otherwise improved the place until
it is regarded as one of the best-kept farms in that part of the county. In
addition to his general farming, Mr. Maurer has given considerable attention
to the raising of pedigreed Hereford cattle and has quite a bunch of fine,
pure-l^red stock of that strain. He has been cjuite successful in his opera-
tions and he and his family are cpiite comfortably situated.

In 1904 Ernest A. Maurer was united in marriage to Rannah B. Wil-
liamson, who was born on a farm near Lyons, this county, daughter of
Edmond R. and Lucinda (Strong) Williamson, both of whom also were
born in this county and who are now living retired at Connersville. Edmond
R. Williamson was born on June 29, 1851, on the old Williamson home-
stead, one mile south of Springersville, in Jennings township, this county, a

K.WETTK COr.NTV. IXDIANA. IO77

son <il Samuel E. ami Elizal>fth ( L'onoway ) Willianisdn, the formor of whom
was horn in 1807. a son of Moses and Jane ( Kijj;gs ) Williamson, the former
horn in 1774 and the latter in 1788. who came over into Indiana from Ohio
and settled on a farm one mile south of Lyons, in this county, in picMieer
days. There ]\Ioses Williamson l)ecame the owner of two hundred and forty-
three acres and there he and his wife spent their last days. Samuel William-
son spent all his life on that same farm, one of the best-known farmers in
that part of the county in his generation, he having been one of the most
extensive stockmen thereabout. He died in 1858, leaving his widinv with a
large family of children. She was born, Elizabeth Conowaw in North Caro-
lina and hatl come to this iiart of the cmmtry with her parents in pioneer days.
She remained on the home farm the rest of her life, her death occurring
in 1884.

On that pioneer farm in Jennings townshij), Edniond R. Williamson
grew to manhood. After liis marriage in 1874 he continued to follcnv farm-
ing and gardening in that vicinity, living on that portion of the old home-
stead that fell to his share, and there remained until 1894, when he moved to
the old Mount farm in Harrisi^i tnw nslii]). north of Conners\ille, where he
lived for eight years, at the end of which time he moveil to the Huber place,
where he spent two years and a half. He then returned to the old ^Villiam-
son homestead, where he remained until his retirement and removal, in ^larch,
1912, to Connersville, where he and his wife are now making their home.
Mrs. Williamson, before her marriage, was Lucinda Strong. She was born in
Waterloo township, this county, daughter of Wilson and Eliza (Fiant)
Strong, well-known residents of that part of the county, both now deceased.
Wilson Strong, w-ho was a veteran of the Civil War, w'as lx)rn and reared
in Waterloo township, a son of Moses and Susie (Gebe) Strong, the former
of whom was born in North Carolina and became one of the early settlers
in Waterloo township, this county, and the owner of a <|uarter of a .section
of land there. Wilson Strong bought a farm just on the western edge of Union
county and there sjjent his last days. His wife. Eliza Eiant. was Ixirn in
Montgomery county, Ohio, and came here with her parents, Martin and
Lucinda (Schack) Fiant, of Pennsylvania-Dutch parentage, who moved from
Ohio to Indiana and settled in Waterloo township, this county. Rannah B.
Williamson was a little girl when her parents moved to the farm north of
Connersville and she lived in that locality until her marriage to Mr. Maurer.

Mr. and Mrs. Maurer have one child, a son, Gail Wenger, who was born
on December 4. 1913. Mrs. Maurer is a member of the Christian church and

1078 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Mr. Maurer is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a mem-
ber of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in the
affairs of that organization takes a warm interest.

LAFE COKEFAIR.

Lafe Coke fair, former trustee of Jackson township and a substantial
farmer and hmdowner of that township, now living retired in the village of
Alquina, is a memlier of one of the oldest and best-known families in this
part of the state. He was born over the line in the neighboring county of
Union, December 8, 1869, son of Sylvanus and Mary A. (Brookbank)
Cokefair, the former a native of that same county and the latter of this county,
both members of pioneer families.

In an early day the name of Cokefair was one of the best-known in
this section of Indiana. Associated with the Cokefair mills it was a synonym
of fair dealing and honest service and the first of the name hereabout, Elisha
Cokefair, grandfather of the subject of this sketch and the founder of the
Cokefair family in this section of Indiana, was widely known, not only up
and down the valley of the White Water, but throughout all the eastern part
of the state and adjacent section of Ohio by reason of the products of his
mills along the creek over in Union county, near the line of Fayette county.
Elisha Cokefair was a man of untiring energy and established a woolen-
mill, a saw-mill, a flour-mill and other enterprises in that settlement. He
prospered in his affairs and at his death in 1864 left an estate valued at above
one hundred thousand dollars, a considerable sum of money in those days.
It is narrated of Elisha Cokefair that so scrupulously fair and just was he
in his dealings with his fellow-men that there was a standing offer at his
woolen-mill to replace any product of that mill that showed signs of wear
or required patching within one year of service ; and it is said that rarely
indeed did it become necessary to apply this guaranty, for clothes made of
Cokefair goods were expected to last for four or five years.

Elisha Cokefair had a somewhat eventful career in his younger days.
He was born in New Jersey in 1798 and was early apprenticed to learn the
dyeing trade. Dissatisfied with the nature of that employment he presently
escaped the indenture and ran away to sea, but was caught and taken back.
Three months later he again escaped and started out to make his fortune in
his own way, walking to Philadelphia and thence to Pittsburgh, in which latter

IAVI.TTF. Cm-\TV, TXDIAXA. lO/Q

city he olnained cni])liiynient in a mill. His restless spirit, liowcver, caused
him to leave that city after awhile and he went tm ddun the river to Cincin-
nati, whence he and anotlier htiy presently proceeded on down to Xew
Orleans. After working awhile in the latter city they decided to make their
way to Xew York and took passage on a vessel that turned out to be a
privateer or some such character of piratical craft and before they were long
at sea they found themselves involved with the crew of that vessel in an
attempt to board a merchant ship with piratical design. The boarders were
repulsed, however, and the boys, whose eyes were thus opened to the nature
of the craft on which they had taken passage, secured return passage on the
merchantman and presently found themselves again in Xew Orleans. After
awhile Elisha Cokefair returned to Cincinnati and remained there and in that
vicinity until after his marriage to Frances Miller, in the meantime perfect-
ing himself in the knowledge of the details of the milling business, particu-
larly with reference to woolen-mills, and started a woolen-mill in Ohio, where
he remained until 1822, when he sold his interests there and moved over into
Indiana and in Union county, near the line of this county, east of Everton,
erected a small woolen-mill, operated by power supplied by the creek there.
Afterward he built a larger mill and a brick house, hauling the brick for the
same for some miles in a wagon, the wheels of which were transverse sec-
tions of a poplar log. He also built a saw-mill and a flour-mill, which he
operated with success, and was likewise actively interested in other enter-
prises his various activities giving him a wide acquaintance throughout this
whole section of the country.

Sylvanus Cokefair, one of the sons of Elisha Cokefair, the pioneer
manufacturer, was born at the old woolen-mills over in Union count)' in
1832 and grew up to a thorough acquaintance with the details of his father's
extensive business. In 1854 he and his brother took charge of the mills and
continued to operate the same until 1S88, ever maintaining the high standard
of excellence which gave to the products of the Cokefair mills such a wide
reputation, the mill becoming known to every wool grower in Indiana and
eastern Ohio. When the mill finally was abandoned, Sylvanus Cokefair then
being the surviving owner, he left it just as it was when the stern compe-
tition of more modern and more extensive mills put it out of business and
it is still standing there on the creek, its ancient machinery now rusted and
useless, a fine old relic of the early industrialism of this section. Sylvanus
Cokefair lived to be within four days of eighty years of age, his death occur-
ring on October 25, 1912. while on a visit to his son and his widow is still
living at the old home over the line in Union county, in company with a

loSo FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

married niece. She was born on a farm in the southwestern part of Jennings
township, this county, February 7, 1845, a daughter of Henry and Lucinda
(Corbin) Brookbank, the former of whom was a Hfelong farmer in that
section. To Sylvanus and Mary (Brookbank) Cokefair two children were
born, the subject of this sketch having a sister, AHce May, who married San-
ford Keltner and now Hves at Anderson, this state.

Lafe Cokefair grew to manhood over in Union county, his earlier years
being spent in his father's mill and in labor on the home farm, remaining
there until he was twenty-five years of age. He married in 1891 and about
three years later came to this county and located on a farm a quarter of a mile
north of Everton, where he remained, actively engaged in farming, for
nearly twenty years and became the owner of an excellent fann of three hun-
dred and twenty acres, the same having two sets of houses on it. In 191 5
ilr. Cokefair sold an "eighty" of his half section, including one of the houses,
and moved to Alquina, where he now resides. On April 20, 1916, he bought
a tract of one hundred and twenty acres lying near his old home farm and
is now the owner of three hundred and sixty acres, all well improved. Mr.
Cokefair is an ardent Republican and for four years, 1904-08, served as
trustee of Jackson township.

On April 9, 1891, Lafe Cokefair was united in marriage to Mary Caro-
line Murphy, who was born on July 18, 1873, in Jennings township, this
county, on a farm adjoining that now owned by Mr. Cokefair, daughter of
Frank and Sarah Elizabeth (Corbin) Murphy, both of whom were born in
that same neighborhood. Frank Murphy was born on a farm near the Coke-
fair farms in Jackson township in 1844, a son of Samuel Murphy and wife,
and was living there when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted for service
in the Union army and served for three years and four months. Upon the
completion of his mihtary service he resumed farming in Jackson township
and remained there until his retirement and removal to Connersville, where
he is now living with a daughter, ]\Irs. Sarah E. Sefton. His wife died on
July 15, 1916, while on a visit to her daughter, Mrs. Cokefair. She was born
in that same neighborhood, a daughter of Alfred and Katura Caroline (Myers)
Corbin, both members of old families thereal)Out. The Myers family came
here in pioneer times from the Carolinas and settled on "Congress land" in
Columbia township.

To Lafe and Mary Caroline (Murphy) Cokefair four children have
been born, namely: Elisha Alfred Cokefair, born on May 18, 1892, now
managing his father's farm north of Everton, who married Alma Hubbell
and has one child, a daughter, Carolyn Elizabeth ; Frank Sylvanus Cokefair,

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. lOSl

born on June lo, 1896, now living at Connersville ; Sanford Keltner Coke-
fair, born on September 16, 1899, who is living with his brother I'Llisha on
the olil home farm, and Lafe, Jr., liorn on May 2S, 190S. The Cokefairs are
members of the Universalist church. ;\Ir. Cokefair is a member of the local
lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Knights of Pythias,
of the Improved Order of Red Men and of the Haymakers and is affiliated
with the encampment of the Odd Fellow order.

WARREN B. .MURRAY.

Warren B. Murray, a well-known and substantial young farmer of
Columbia township, this county, and former trustee of that township, is a
native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was born on
a farm in Connersville township, a short distance west of the city of Con-
nersville, June 6, 1882, son of William T. and Mary A. (Goble) Murray,
well-known residents of this county, who are now living quietly and com-
fortably retired at Connersville, where they have a pleasant home.

William T. Murray, v.^ho for years was actively engaged in fanning and
in buying and selling of live stock in this county, is a native of the Blue
Grass state, born in Mason county, Kentucky, December 17, 1846, son of
Jeremiah and Melinda (Steele) Murray, the former a native of Ireland and
the latter of Kentucky. Jeremiah Murray was about six years of age when
he came with his parents, George Murray and wife, to this country, the family
settling in Mason county, Kentucky, where he grew to manhood. His father
later moved to Cincinnati, where he died in 1863. Jeremiah Murray married
Alelinda Steele, a daughter of William Steele and wife, natives of Pennsyl-
vania, who had moved to Mason county, Kentucky. William Steel was a sol-
dier in the War of 1812, a member of a Pennsylvania regiment, and partici-
pated in the battles at Ft. Defiance, Ohio, and at Camden border. He later
moved to Mason county, Kentucky, as above noted, and in 1854 moved to
Cass county, this state, where he died in February, 1864, he then being seventy-
six years of age. Some time after his marriage, Jeremiah Murray moved
from Mason county, Kentucky, to the city of Louisville and thence to Cass
county, Indiana, where he died at the age of thirty-six years. He was both
a carpenter and a farmer. His widow later came to this county and here
spent the remainder of her life, her death occurring in 1892. They were the
parents of five children, of whom William T. Murray was the third in order
of birth and the onlv one now living.

1082 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

William T. Murray was six years of age when his parents moved from
IMason county, Kentucky, to Louisville, and was eight years of age when they
moved to Cass county, this state, in 1854. He was but a boy when the Civil
War broke out, but on January 2t,, 1864, he then being but little more than
seventeen years of age, he and two brothers enlisted for service in Company
K, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry,
and was attached to General Sherman's army, thus serving through the Atlanta
campaign. He then returned with General Thomas to Nashville, where he
was taken ill in 1865 and after recovering was transferred to the Seventeenth
Veteran Reserve Corps, with which he was serving when honorably discharged
on November 22, 1865. Upon the completion of his military service Mr.
Murray returned to his home in Cass county and was there engaged in farm-
ing for a couple of years, at the end of which time he moved to Rush county,
where he learned the harness-making trade and was engaged working at that
trade until 1873, when, he having married the year before, he located on a
farm in the Connersville neighborhood and for many years thereafter was
actively engaged in farming, stock raising and in the buying and selling of
live stock in this county, and has long been regarded as one of Fayette county's
substantial citizens. He lived in the southern part of Connersville township
until 1901, when he moved to a farm one mile north of Connersville, in Harri-
son township, where he lived for seven years, at the end of which time he
retired and moved to Connersville, where he and his wife are now living, and
where they are pleasantly situated.

In 1872, at Connersville, William T. Murray was united in marriage to
Mary A. Goble, of that city, and to that union eight children have been born,
all of whom are living. Mr. Murray is an active Republican and has for
many years paid close attention to local political afifairs, a frequent delegate
to county, district and state con\-entions. In 1896 he was elected assessor of
Fayette count}- and for twenty years gave good service in that office. He
is a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic and has for
years given his earnest attention to the affairs of that patriotic organization.

Warren B. Murray grew to manhood in this county, early trained to the
work of the farm and has been engaged in farming most of his life. After
his marriage in 1904 he began farming for himself on the old Heman Jones
homestead in Columbia township, where he now resides, their farm being one
of the best-kept and most profitably cultivated places in that part of the county.
In addition to his general farming Mr. Murray has given considerable atten-
tion to the raising of live stock and in buying and selling the same and has

FAYETTE CorXTV. INDIANA. I083

done very well. He is a Rcpuhliean and served for some time as trustee of
Columbia township, his term of office expiring on January i, 1915.

On February 11, 1904, \\'arren B. Murraj' was united in marriage to
Nellie Utter, who was born in Columbia township, this county, daughter of
Robert and Alary F. (Jones) Utter, the latter of whom is still living on her
old home farm in that township, a farm adjoining the farm on which she was
born. Robert Utter was burn on the farm on which his widow is now living,
on January 2, 1843, ^ ^"H "f '^imri and Susan ( W'inchell ) Utter, natives of
New York state, the former of whum was born on .\ugust 14. 179O, and the
latter, June 11, 1798. who came to Indiana with their respective i)arents in
18 16, the families settling in h'ayette county, where Zimri Utter and Susan
W'inchell were married on December 25, 181 7, and where both spent the
remainder of their lives, the latter dying on November 6, 1864, and the former
surviving until January 30, 1880. Zimri Utter was one of the best-known
and most substantial farmers of Columbia township in his day and for years
served as justice of the peace in and for that township.

Robert Utter grew up on the farm where he was born and on August 22.
1862, he then being nineteen years of age, enlisted at Indianapolis for service
during the Civil War, as a member of Company I-. Third, Indiana Cavalry,
serving in General Kilpatrick's command until liis term of enlistment expired,
when he re-enlisted in Company A, Eighth Indiana Cavalry, and was mustered
out with that command on July 20, 1865, with the rank of sergeant. During his
service he received an injury to his right arm, which proved permanent and
his arm was thereafter seriously crippled. Upon the completion of his mili-
tary service Robert Utter returned to the farm and engaged in the practical
labors of the same. He married in 1877 and continued to make his home on
the old home place until his election to the office of county' treasurer in 1880,
when he moved to Connersville, the county seat. He was re-elected in 1882
and thus served as treasurer of the county for two terms. He had previously,
in 1868 and in 1869, served as trustee of Columbia towioship and was ever
interested in local civic affairs. Following his service as county treasurer Rob-
ert Utter became part owner of a flour-mill at Connersville and was for a
couple of years engaged in the milling business there. He then returned to
the old home farm in Columbia township, and there spent the rest of his life,
his death occurring on April i, 1907. His widow, who still survives, continues
to nmke her home there, where she owns two hundred acres of land, besides
two hundred and forty acres of the adjoining farm on which she was born,
a total of four hundred and forty acres.

In 1877 Robert Utter was united in marriage to Mary I'. Jones, who

IOS4 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

was born on the farm adjoining that on which she now Hves, July 12, 1839,
daughter of Heman and Lydia A. (Hughes) Jones, the former a native of the
state of New Hampshire and the latter of Virginia, early settlers in Columbia
township, this county. Heman Jones was born near Hanover, New Hamp-
shire, June 10, 1812, a son of Nathan and EHzabeth (Spaulding) Jones,
natives of Massachusetts, of English extraction, who had moved to New
Hampshire and after a sometime residence in the vicinity of Hanover had
moved to Vermont; thence back to New Hampshire and thence, in 1820, to
Huron county, Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Heman
Jones was but a boy when his parents moved to Ohio and when about six-
teen years of age he went to Mt. Vernon, that state, where he began learning
the shoemaker's trade, completing his apprenticeship at Springfield, Ohio. He
spent the winter of 1829 working at his trade at Hamilton, Ohio, and then
went to Mason county, Kentucky, where he followed his trade until 1831,
when he came up into Indiana and tought a boot-and-shoe store at Liberty,
in Union county, where he married in 1835 and where he continued in busi-
ness until October, 1838, when he sold his store and moved over into Fayette
county, where he bought a farm of eighty acres in Columbia township. A
few years later he traded that place for a quarter of a section of unimproved
land in the same township and there established his home. As he prospered
he added to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of about
six hundred acres, besides other valuable holdings, being regarded as one
of the well-to-do citizens of Fayette county in his day. In the fall of 1884
Heman Jones retired and moved to Connersville, where he spent the rest of
his life, his death occurring on November 22, 1905, he then being ninety-four
years and five months of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave about
ten years, her death having occurred on July 7, 1895, she then being seventy-
seven years of age. She was born, Lydia A. Hughes, in Campbell county,
V^irginia, November 26, 1817, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Fosdick)
Hughes, who became early residents on this part of Indiana, settling in
Union county at an early day. Robert Utter was a member of the Chris-
tian church, as is his widow, and their children were reared in that faith,
There are two of these children living, Mrs. Murray having a brother, Ottis,
who is farming his mother's farm. There was another daughter, who died
in childhood, while the family was living at Connersville. Mr. and Mrs.-
Murray have four children living and one, a daughter, who died in infancy,
those living being Mary Candace, Frederick Maynard, Robert Milton and
John Richard.

Ottis Utter, brother of Mrs. Murray, and who is farming his mother's

1-AYETTK COUNTY. IXniAXA. IO85

place adjoining tlie ^Murray farm, was born in Columbia townsbip on August
30. 1870, and was reared on the farm, continuing fanning with his father
until the hitter's death and since then taking general charge of the home
place, on which he has maile a specialty of the raising of pure-bred Duroc-
Jersey hogs, his stock attracting much attention at the Indiana and Ohio state
fairs. He also lately has been quite extensively engaged in buying and selling
cattle. On September 13, 1893, Ottis Utter was united in marriage to Nor-
vella Carroll, who also was born in Columbia township, a daughter of
Timothy and Ann (Eddy) Carroll, both members of old families in this
county, the former of whom was killed by lightning when his daughter,
Xorvella, was an infant. His widow later married and thereafter much of
the youth of her daughter, Norvella, was spent in the household of her
mother's parents, G. W. and Louisa (Cox) Eddy, well-known residents of
this county. Ottis Utter and wife have two children, daughters, ]\larie and
Mildred, the former of whom was graduated from the Connersvillc high
school, later attending the State Normal School at l^erre Haute and is now
teaching school, and the latter of whom is attending the high school at Orange.
Mr. Utter is a member of Orange Lodge No. 234, Free and Accepted Masons,
and takes a warm interest in the afifairs of that organization. Both the Mur-
rav and the Utter families are very pleasantly situated in their homes
adjoining in Columbia township and take an earnest interest in the general
social activities of that neighborhood.

GEORGE M. WILLL-V^IS.

Eew men of East Connersville, Fayette county, are more entitled to
special mention in the history of the county, than is George M. Williams, a
veteran of the Civil War, who was born on July 5. 1845, ^t ^'"^'^ Washing-
ton, Wisconsin, and is the son of .\braham and Elizabedi ( Shepard )
Williams.

Abraham and Elizabeth \\'illiams were natives of Wales and the state
of Ohio respectively, and received their education in the schools of their
respective communities, where they grew to manhood and womanhood. .\s
a young man Abraham Williams left his native land and came to the Uniterl
States. On his arrival in this country, he located in Ohio, where he engaged
as a farm hand and where he lived for a number of years. It was in the
Buckeye state that he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Shepard. .\fter

I086 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

their marriage the young people established their home in that state where
they continued to live for some time, when they moved to Wisconsin, where
Mr. Williams engaged in the making of potash. He died in that state at
Goodhope; and his wife died in Chicago, of cholera, in the year 1853.

Abraham and Elizabeth Williams were the parents of the following
children: Harriett. Sarah, Charles, George and James. Harriett married
William Spivey, and she made her home at Beecher City, Illinois, until the
time of her death on August 23, 1916; Sarah is the widow of Leander Dodge
and lives at Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Charles, who was a member of Com-
pany E, Twenty- fourth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and gave
three years of his life in the defence of the Union, died at his home in Alil-
waukee, Wisconsin; James was also a soldier during the Civil War, having
enlisted in Company C, Thirty-first Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry,
and died at his home in Frankfort, Michigan. The parents of these children
were were among the highly respected people of the community in which
they lived and where they were so highly esteemed.

George M. Williams received his education at a subscription school, held
in an old log school house, with slabs for seats, and the writing bench on the
side of the wall. He remained at home until he was but a little past sixteen
years of age when he came to Connersville. and here in 1862 he enlisted in
Com.pany E, Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He later
served in Company D, Twenty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, from
April to November, when he was transferred to Battery F, Fourth United
States Artillery, Regular. Some time later he was placed in Battery M with
the Army of the Cumberland, and still later was with General Thomas in the
Army of the Cumberland. He saw much active service, and remained in the
service until March 2-j, 1865, when he received his discharge and returned
to Connersville. During his term of service he had the measles, a most
dreaded disease for the hoys in the field, and lay in the hospital from July
5, 1862, until November of that year, and which left him in a condition of
poor health since.

On his return to Connersville, Mr. Williams continued to make Fayette
county his home, and here he was united in marriage on January 6, 1870, to
Rebecca Reibsomer, a native of Pennsylvania, and who had settled in Fay-
ette county with her parents when she was but a girl. To this union two
children were born. Elizabeth and Newton C. Elizabeth is the wife of Thomas
Ketchen, a respected resident of East Connersville; Newton C. is a well known
mechanic of East Connersville. He is married to Catherine Fritz, and they
are the parents of four children, Helen, Blanche, Orville and Frances. Mr. and

FAYETTE COrNTY, INDIANA. IO87

Mrs. Williams were long active members of the Lutheran church, and until
the time of her death on April 9, 1916. Mrs. Williams was a regular attendant
and took the keenest interest in all church work. She was a devoted wife
and mother, and a kind and helpful neighbor. Her death was mourned by
a large circle of friends, who held her in the highest regard and esteem. She
took the greatest interest in the moral development of the community. With
her family she had lived in l-".ast Cnnnersville since 1870, where Mr. Williams
was employed in the saw-mill, and fur many years he was employed in the
manufacture of furniture.

JOHN M. BE.W'ER.

Though not a resident of l*"ayette count)', John M. Beaver has property
interests in this county, half of his well-kept farm of one hundred and sixty
acres lying in this county, and his home is just across the road, over the line
between Fayette and the adjoining county of Rush. He formerly lived in
Fayette county and both he and his wife are members of pioneer families in
this part of the state. He was born on a farm in Xoble township. Rush
county, about two miles south and a little west of the village of Orange,
January iq, 1842, son of Elijah and Ann Elizabeth (Rhodes) Beaver, the
former a native of Kentucky and the latter of \'irginia, who became useful
and influential pioneers of Rush county, where the\- spent their last days.

Elijah Beaver was born in July, 1808, near Georgetown, Kentucky, and
was but eight years of age when his father, Michael Beaver, of Irish parent-
age, came up into Indiana with his family in 181 6. the year in which Indiana
was admitted to statehood, and settled in Xoble township. Rush county, where
he procured from the government a tract of land at one dollar and twenty-
fi\e cents an acre and there established Iiis home. There Elijah Beaver grew
up amid pioneer surroundings and helped to clear the farm in the forest.
His father spent the remainder of his life on that pioneer farm, living to be
more than ninely-one years of age. and he alscj spent the remainder of his
life there, living to the age of eighty-eight years, a continumis resident of
Xcjble township for eighty years. His wife, Ann Elizabeth Rhodes, was born
in Virginia in 1816 and was about fifteen years of age when her parents,
John and Margaret (Knox) Rhodes, came to Indiana and settled in Xoble
township, Rush county, neighbors to the Beavers. The Rhodes family came
down the Ohio river in a flatboat to Cincinnati and thence overland to Rush
county, establishing their home about a half mile from the present village of

I088 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Orange, then known as Fayetteville, where they spent the remainder of their
lives, with the exception of a short time spent in Wabash county, this state.
John Rhodes lived to the great age of ninety-two yearsi

John M. Beaver grew up on the home farm in Noble township and
remained there until his marriage in 1867, when he located in Wabash county,
this state, where he spent a couple of years, at the end of which time he came
back to this part of the state and located on a farm in Fairview township,
this county, not far from his boyhood home, and there he lived for seven
years, or until 1876, when he moved to his present home on the west side
of the county line in Rush county and has lived there ever since. Mr. Beaver
has an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres, half of which lies in
Fairview township, this county, and the other half, in Rush county, and he
has long been quite successfully engaged in general farming, stock raising,
fruit growing and grows some tobacco. Two of his sons live nearby and
the respective interests of the father and sons remain very closely allied.

On October 23, 1867, John M. Beaver was united in marriage to Mary
E. Stewart, who was born in the neighboring county of Franklin, in the
neighborhood of Mt. Carmel, in 1850, a daughter of James M. and Eliza-
beth Ann (Waites) Stewart, the former of whom was born in Ohio and
the latter in Missouri. James M. Stewart was born in 1817 at a place now
called Goshen, in Ohio, and was twelve years of age when his father, Samuel
Stewart, came to Indiana and settled in Franklin county. His mother, who
was a McClearney, died in Ohio and his father later married Margaret Ear-
hart. James M. Stewart moved to Wabash county, this state, in 1855, and
there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1888, at the age
of seventy-one years. His wife. Ann Elizabeth Waites, was born near
Lexington, Missouri, and was left motherless at the age of twelve years.
Her father later moved to Atkinson county, Missouri. She survived her
husband nine years, her death occurring in April, 1897.

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver have four children, namely: Orpha E., who
married O. J. Cook, of Richland township. Rush county, and has four chil-
dren, Willard O., Wallace, Mrs. Emma Lorene Compton and Mary Evelyn;
Hugh E., who married Addie Gray and lives on a farm a half mile south
of Fairview; Chester, living on the west side of the Rush county line, just
south of his father's place, who married Blanche Murphy and has five children,
Lucile, Paul, Belva, Calvin and Emma Elizabeth, and Raymond S., farming
just across the road from his father's place, who married Etta Tinder and
has two children, a son, Robert Harold, and a daughter, Margaret Jeannette.
Mrs. Emma Lorene (Cook) Compton, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs.

1 AVETTl-; CDL'XTV. INDIANA. I0S9

Beaver, has one child, a daugluer. Mary Estelle, thus niakiii';- .Mr. and .Mrs.
Beaver great-grandparents before their golden-wedding anniversary. l'\)r
many years Mr. and Mrs. Beaver have l^een members of the Glenwood
Methodist Episcoixd church and have given their earnest attention to cliurch
work, as well as to other neighborhood good works and have been heli)ful
in many wa\s in advancing the common welfare of the community of which
thev so long have liecn residents.

d.\xii:l w. c.\ldwi-ll.

Daniel W. Caldwell, meniber of the board of county commissioners of
Fayette county and the proprietor of a fine farm in Harrison township,
where he now resides, was born on that farm and has lived there all his life.
He was born on July 25, i860, youngest son of Samuel and Mary (Parrish)
Caldwell, further and e.xtended mention of whose history and ancestry is
made elsewhere in this volume.

After his father's death in June, 181/), Daniel W. Caldwell bought the
interests of the other heirs in the paternal estate and is now the owner of a
well-improved farm of one hundred and eighteen acres in section 34 of Har-
rison township, about two miles north of the village of HarrLsburg. He has
been a lifelong farmer and has l^een ((uite successful in his operations. In
addition to his farming, for the past thirty years he has been the owner and
operator of a threshing-machine rig and is widely known throughout this
part of the country. Though he still owns the threshing outfit, he has not
personally operated the same for the past three years, turning the same over
to his nephews, who are running it for him. Mr. Caldwell has been an active
Democrat from the time he could vote and has ever given his earnest atten-
tion to local political affairs. In 19 13 he was elected a member of the board
of county commissioners from his district and is now serving in that capacity.
During Mr. Caldwell's incumbency in that ofince fine new buildings have been
erected at the county infirmary and much has been done by the county in
the way of bettering the highways. Commissioner Caldwell is an energetic
and public-spirited citizen and believes in i)romoting public improvements in
every proper way.

Daniel \\". Caldwell was united in marriage to Mary P. Cole, who also
was born in Harri'^on township, this count\-, daughter of .\lfred C. and Marv
(69)

logo FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

P. (Emerson) Cole, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this
volume. Alfred G. Cole was born on April 5, 1838, while his parents .were
on their way from Maryland to Indiana and his early childhood was spent
in Wayne county, this state. His parents, Joseph and Patience Cole, later
moved down into Fayette county and settled on a farm in Waterloo town-
ship, where he grew to manhood on the old Cole homestead, east of Water-
loo. He was thrice married, his first wife having been Rhoda Harlan, to
which union two daughters were born, Mrs. L. G. Henry and Mrs. Shaffner.
A few years after the death of his first wife, Alfred G. Cole married Mrs.
Mary P. (Emerson) Roby, of Brownsville, and to that union two children
were born, Joseph Cole, of Indianapolis, and Mrs. Caldwell. Following the
death of the mother of these children Mr. Cole married Matilda Fiant and
to that union five children were born, Kate, Bertha, John, Charles and one
who died in childhood. About twenty-five years ago Alfred G. Cole moved
from this county to Casey, Illinois, where he spent the rest of his life, his
death occurring on June 2, 1913, he then being seventy-five years of age.

To Daniel W. and Mary P. (Cole) Caldwell three children have been
born, namely: Russell Ward, who died at the age of two years and six
months; Elsie M., who married Walter Ray, of Connersville, and has two
children, Esther and Mary, and Glenn Alfred, who is at home. The Cald-
wells have a very pleasant home and have ever taken a proper part in the
general social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. Caldwell
is a member of the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and of the
local lodge of the Loyal Order of Moose and in the afifairs of both of these
organizations takes a warm interest.

HUGH E. BEAVER.

Hugh E. Beaver, a well-known and substantial farmer of Fairview
township, was born in that township on March 13, 1873, son of John M.
Beaver and wife, who are still living in that vicinity, for many years resi-
dents on a fine farm just over the line in Rush county, and further and
extended mention of whom is made in a biographical sketch relating to John
M. Beaver, presented elsewhere in this volume.

Hugh E. Beaver was about two years of age when his parents moved
from this county over into Rush county and on the home farm in the latter
county he grew to manhood and upon attaining his majority began farming

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. lOQI

tliere on his own account. In 1900 he thought tlie farm on which he is now
Hving-, a halt mile south of Fairview, in Fairview township, this county, and
after his marriage in 1902 established his home there. When he took pos-
session of the place, a tract of eighty acres, it had no improvements on it
with the exception of a little shop building, which is still standing. He Iniilt
a good house and farm building and now has a very well-appointed farm
plant. His house is fitted with a hot-water heating plant, has a bath room
and is piped for hot and cold running water, one of the most convenient
and up-to-date farm houses in that section. He has always used progressive
methods in his farming operations and is doing very well.

On May 7, 1902, Hugh E. Beaver was united in marriage to Addie
Gray, who was born in Union township, Rush county, this state, a daughter
of James and Martha (Nichols) Gray, the former of whom was born on
the farm on which he still lives in that county, more than eighty-three years
ago. He is a son of James and Mary (Nickel) Gray, who came from Monroe
county, \'irginia, to Indiana in 18 16, the year in which Indiana was admitted
to statehood, and settled on a tract of "Congress land" in Union township.
Rush county, the farm for so many years owned and occupied by their son,
the venerable James Grav, who has lived there all his life.

WILLIAM H. TATE.

William H. Tate, one of the best-known school teachers in Fayette
county and the proprietor of a well-developed farm in Columbia township, is
a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a
farm in the immediate vicinity of Bunker Hill, west of Connersville, June
7, 1869, son of James H. and Louisa (Halstead) Tate, further and extended
reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume. The Tates have a long
and honorable ancestry, the same being traceable back to Nahum Tate, poet
laureate of England, born in 1652, who died in 171 5. The name originally
was Taite, then Tait, but is now generally spelled Tate. Of this same family
was Archibald Campbell Tait, archbishop of Canterbury, torn in 181 1, who
died in 1882. \\'illiam H. Tate has inherited the poetic instinct of his ances-
tors and has written a number of very creditable poems, an example of which
is set out in the chapter in this work relating to the literary history of Fayette
county. He also has written much prose and his services are in demand as a
public speaker on various subjects.

IOq2 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Until his marriage, when he was twenty-five years of age, Wilham H.
Tate made his home on the paternal farm in the Bunker Hill neighborhood.
He supplemented his schooling in the schools of his home district by a course
in the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute and then took up teach-
ing and from that time to the present has spent his winters as a teacher in
the public schools, his summers being occupied in the cultivation of his well-
improved farm north of the village of Columbia, in Columbia township.
Including the term of 1916-17, Mr. Tate has taught twenty-six consecutive
terms of school and the children of some of his earlier pupils have been his
pupils in the second generation. During that period he taught three terms
of school in Rush county, but the remainder of his service as a teacher has
been . rendered in Fayette county,, extending to the schools of Waterloo,
Harrison, Connersville, Jennings, Orange and Columbia townships. His
longest period of service in one school was in Orange township, where he
presided over one school for twelve years. As noted above, Mr. Tate is
frequently called to the lecture platform and is widely known throughout the
county as a public speaker. In his farming operations he has Ijeen success-
ful and has a well-impfoved farm near Columljia. where he and his family
are very comfortably situated.

On June 6, 1894, Wrlliam H. Tate was united in marriage to Pareppa
R. Bryson, who was born at Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin,
daughter of Thomas C. and Mary C. (Alzeno) Bryson, the former of whom
at that time was the proprietor of a stone quarry at Laurel, but who in the
spring of 1885, moved with his family into this county and settled in Columbia
township, where he became a substantial sawmill man and farmer. To Mr.
and Mrs. Tate four childern have been born, one of whom, Mary Louise, died
in infancy, the others being James Russell, Thurlow Duane and Garnet Lucile.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate are members of the Central Christian churcli at Conners-
ville, and fraternally i\Ir. Tate is afifiliated with the local lodge of the Knights
of Pvthias. in the affairs of which he takes a warm interest.

ELWOOD HUSSEY

Elwood Hussey, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers
of Posey township, and the proprietor of a fine farm and a pleasant home
on rural mail route A, out of Milton, was bom on that farm and has lived there

|-\VKTTi-: corxTv, intmaxa 1003

all liis life. He was borii un May 4, 1854, a sun n|" jiniallian and Lmiisa
(I'>azier) Hussey, prominent pioneer residents n{ the nMrtheastern part "i
I'osey township, both long since deceased.

Jonathan Hussey was Ixirn in (Uiilfurd county. North L'arnlina, Jul\'
20. 1812, a son of John and .Mar\- ( Thornhuri; ) Ilussey. hnth ni whun.i
also were natives of that same count}'. Jnhn Ilussey spent all his life in his
native county, his death occurring there in 1816. lie left three sons, jnna-
th:m, Henry and Joseph. His widow suij.sequently married Robert Pitman
and in 1833 came to Indiana, whither her brother, Henry Thornburg. and
two of her sons, Jonathan and Joseph, had come some years previously, and
after a sometime residence in Fayette county moved up into Wayne county,
v^here she died in 1864. By her second marriage she w-as the mother of
three children, John H.. Milton and Mary I'itman. It was before he had
reached his majority that Jnnathan Ilussey had come out here from Xortli
Carolina to join his uncle, Henry Thornburg, who had settled in I'osey
township, this count\. ami ulien he was twenty-one _\-ears of age he walked
back to his old home in North Carolina to claim his inheritance. He then
returned here, bringing with him his brother, Tose])h. The l)rothers had but
uue horse and as Joseph Hussey was not so well aiile to walk as was his
brother, J(3nathan made almost all of his way liack by fimt. Cpim his
return here Jonathan Hussey resumed his place on his uncle's farm and
there remained until after his marriage, in the spring of 184 1, when he
established his home on the farm he had bought in the northeastern part of
Posey township, the place on which his son, the subject of this -ketch, is
now living, and proceeded to improve and tle\elop the same, later becom-
ing the owner of two hundred and forty acres of fine land. There he matle
his home until about five years after the death of his wife, when, in 1885,
he retired from the farm and moved to the village of Milton, where he
spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there on June ii, 1897, he
then being nearly eighty-five years of age.

On March 11, 1841, Jonathan Ilussey was united in marriage to Louisa
Frazier, who was born in Pose\- townshiji. this county, December j. 1824,
daughter of John and Rachel ( Beard ) Frazier, pioneers of that township,
wh(5 had settled on section 6, the place now occupied by William Rayle.
Both John Frazier and his wife were natives of North Carolina, the former
born on June 3, 1796, and the latter, October 24, 1799. They were married
in Wayne county, this state, and afterward settled near Milton, where they
remained until 1821, when thev came down into Ivayette countv and set-

I094 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

tied Upon the above mentioned farm in Posey township, wliere they
spent the remainder of their Hves, John Frazier dying on May 3, 1856, and
his widow surviving until June 2^,, 1871. They were earnest members of
the Methodist Episcopal church and were among the leaders in good works
in the community which they had helped to develop from pioneer days.
They had ten children, Malinda, Sarah, Jane. Louisa, Elizabeth, John B.,
Elias, Jesse, Samuel and Thomas E. Mrs. Frazier's father, Thomas Beard,
was a leader among the pioneers throughout this section in the early days.
He settled in the neighborhood of Beeson and during the Indian troubles he
and his family, together with the other pioneers of that settlement, were
driven to live in the blockhouse which afforded protection in that section.
Thomas Beard was of Irish descent and was a wonderfully effective extem-
poraneous speaker, his services on the hustings in that day being of great
value to his party. His brother, John Beard, who served for years as a
member of the Indiana Legislature from Montgomery county, owed much
of his success to the brilliant campaigns conducted in his behalf by his
brother. Representative John Beard was an able coadjutor of Caleb Mills,
then president of Wabash College at Crawfordsville, during the effectual
campaign in behalf of public schools conducted by Mills before the Legis-
lature and did much to put through legislation in that important behalf, the
important action he took in that movement earning for him the title among
his friends of "the father of public free schools in Indiana." Patrick Baird
( Beard ) , a delegate from Wayne county to the first constitutional conven-
tion held in Indiana, was also a member of this family and took an impor-
tant part in the deliberations of that convention, having been particularly
active in the movement that placed the convention on record admitting
Indiana as a "free" instead of a slave state.

To Jonathan and Louisa (Frazier) Hussey ten children were born,
namely: Elias, deceased, who was married and had a family; Henry, a
farmer living near Milton; John, who died when about two years of age;
Jesse, who died when about twenty-one years of age; Eunice, who lived
to be sixty-four years of age ; Lindley, who is living on a farm south of the
old home place; Rachel, widow of Joseph Evans; Elwood, the subject of
this biographical sketch ; ]\Iary Jane, wife of Elwood Moore, and Sarah
Olive, wife of George W. Baker. The mother of these children died on
September 23, 1880.

Elwood Hussev was reared on the farm on which he was born and

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. IO95

wliere he is now living and has H\-ed there all his life. He received his
education in the local schools and from the days of his boyhood was an al)Ie
assistant to his father in the labors of improving and developing the place.
Shortly after his marriage in 1884 his father retired from the farm and he
since has occupied the old home, owner of ninety-six acres of the tract for-
merly owned by his father, and is doing very well in his farming operations
and he and his family are very pleasantly and comfortably situated.
— In 1884 Elwood Hussey was united in marriage to Mrs. Anna (Ohmit)
Males, widow of Benjamin Males and daughter of Emanuel and Sarah
(Filby) Ohmit. She was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and was
but five years of age when her parents came to Indiana and located at Cam-
bridge City. Emanuel Ohmit was a carpenter and followed his vocation at
Cambridge City until his death on October 20, 1900. On January 30, 1865, he
enlisted in Company H. One Hundred and Forty-seventh Indiana Infantry,
in which he was promoted to corporal and served to the close of the war.
After his death his widow moved to Milton and still later made her home
with Mr. and Mrs. Hussey, at whose home she died on Christmas day, 19 12.
Emanuel Ohmit and wife were the parents of eight children, of whom ;\[rs.
Hussey was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow : William,
of Milton: Carson, of Cambridge City; John, also of Cambridge City:
Walter, who died leaving a widow, but no children; Cora, who died in in-
fancy; Sarah, who died when eleven years of age, and Frank, a well-known
merchant at Cambridge City, where he is engaged in the grocery, furniture
and hardware business. Anna Ohmit was married in 1871 at Cambridge
City to Benjamin Males, who was a painter by trade and who made his home
at Milton until his death on June 15, 1881, he then being thirty-one years
of age. To that union four children were born, namely : Lillie. who married
Edward Wasson and lived in Indianapolis until in December, 1916, when
they took up their residence with the Husseys, where Mr. Wasson died on
February 13, 191 7, leaving his widow and one child, a son, Everett; Evelyn,
born in 1874, who died when two years of age; Charles William Males, born

in 1876, who married Stacey and is now living at Omaha, Nebraska,

and Frank Benjamin, born in 1879, who died when about a year old.

To Elwood and Anna (Ohmit) Hussey five children have been born,
namely: John L., who is living at home, a valued assistant to his father in the
management of the farm; Ernest E., who married Cecile Johnson and lives on
a farm near Bentonville; Anna Florence, at home; Sarah Olive, at home,
and Ina Mav, who married Arthur T. ]\Ianlove, a farmer living near Ben-

1096 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

tonville, and has one child, a son, Russell Ehvood. The Husseys have a
very pleasant home and take a proper interest in the general social activities
of the community in which they live and of which Mr. Hussey has been a
resident all his life, ever helpful in promoting movements having to do with
the advancement of the common welfare in that part of the county and
throughout the county at large.

FREDERIC I. BARROWS.

Frederic I. Barrows was horn in Xelson township, Portage county,
Ohio. October 7, 1873. His ancestry is mentioned in the account of his
father, Alvin E. Barrows, found elsewhere in this work. \Vhen about seven
years old his parents brought him to Connersville, Indiana, and though he
had attended school for two years in Ohio, he went entirely through the Con-
nersville schools, being graduated in 1S90. He taught public schools in Fay-
ette county in 189 1 to 1894 and 1897 to 1900. He was graduated from
DePauw University, with the degree of Ph. B., in 1897, ^"^ from George-
town University Law School, with the degree of LL. B., in 1901. He
was admitted to the bar of Fayette county in 1899, and to the bar of the
supreme court of Indiana in 1902. From 1902 to 1907 he was a member of
the law firm of Elliott & Barrows, during which time he also served as captain
of Company L, First Indiana National Guard, and county chairman of the
Fayette county Republican central committee. He was elected mayor in
1905, serving until January, iqio. He became cashier of the Central State
Bank, March 9. 1907, and continued until elected vice-president, in 1913. He
was also the organizer and a vice-president of the Falmouth Bank until 1916, .
when he sold his interest. In 1912 he became the secretary and treasurer
of the Lexington Motor Car Company, representing the committee of credit-
ors engaged in winding up the affairs of that concern, and was the secretary
and treasurer of the Central Car Company and, later, of The Lexington-
Howard Company, which po.sition he still occupies.

On October 5, 191 5. Mr. Barrows was united in marriage with Miss
Ruth M. Hull, of Connersville, whose ancestry is mentioned in the article
referring to her father, Charles C. Hull, and found elsewhere in this book.

vM-^jyUyC

FAYETTE COrNTV, INHIANA. IO97

FRI'D ni.AKl-: IM-.RKIXS.

Fred Blake Perkins, a well-known farmer and landuwncr of Colnnibia
township and a veteran of the Spanish-American War. was born in the town-
ship in which he is living and. with the exception of three jears spent in
Connersville. has lived there all his life. He was horji on January lo, 1880,
son of Oran and Agnes ( I'.lake) Perkins, both <>{ whom also were born in
Fayette county and whu spent all their lives here. u>eful and inlhiential resi-
dents of Columbia township.

Oran Perkins was born in Columbia township, this county, December
28. 1845, son of William and Mary A. (Klum) Perkins, both members of
pioneer families in this county. William Perkins was born in New England
and came to Indiana with his parent^ in the days of his youth, the family
settling in this county in pioneer days, iiecoming substantial residents of
ColuiTibia township. His mother, before her marriage, was Susanna Rogers.
William Perkins became a large landduner and was a man of con.siderable
local influence in his ciimniunity. He married Mary .\. Klum. a member of
the well-know.n Klum family, which came from Xew \'ork slate to Indiana
and settled on Garrison creek, in Columbia township, this county. Oran H.
Perkins farmed all his life in Columbia township and was the owner of a
farm of one hundred and seven acres, which he bought there in 1870. On
Ma\ 3. 1868, he married Agnes E. Blake, also a native of Fayette countv,
who for a time lived at Bentonville. She was born on June 11, 1847, ^"cl
from her early childhood lived on the Michener f;irm. She attended Brook-
ville Academy and for three \ears before her marriage was engaged in teach-
ing school. The Blake family came from Gloucester county, X'irginia, Lewis
Blake coming here in 183 J and locating in the norlliern part of this county,
later moving to Columbia township. Oran H. Perkins and wife were active
meml)ers of the Methodist church and the former was a member of the
Knights of Pythias lodge. He died oh February 24, 1907, at the age of
sixty-one years, and his widow survived him a little more than two years,
her death occurriilg on March 29, 1909, she also being sixty-one years of
age at the time of her death. Tlie\' were the ])arents of ele\'en children,
two of whom grew to maturity and seven of whom are still living, those
besides the subject of this sketch being William, Lewis. Frank. Glen. Mrs.
Kate Elliott and Mrs. Elizabeth Murray.

Fred B. Perkins grew up on the home farm in Columbia township,
receiving his schooling in the local schools, and on August 9, 1899, enlisted in

lOga FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

the regular army for service in tlie Philippines and was attached to Company
G, Thirty-fifth Regiment, United States Volunteer Infantry. This company
was organized at Vancouver Barracks, Washington, August i6, 1899, and
sailed from Portland, Oregon, on October 4 following, disembarking at Manila
on the following November 9. Air. I'erkins served about eighteen months,
serving under General Lawton until the latter was killed and then serving
tmder Gen. Fred Grant. During that period of service Mr. Perkins partici-
pated in the following engagements : Skirmish at San Miguel on December
II, 1899; skirmish at Barrio Holang, June 24, 1900; Engagement at Culod-
nag Canayan, December 20, igoo; engagement at Banagdan, January 10,
1901 ; engagement at Camananan, February i, 1901, and a skirmish at Bindos
Binagdan, February 23, 1901. He was mustered out of service at the Presidio,
San Francisco, California, May 2, 1901. Mr. Perkins is a member of the
local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and of the Improved Order of Red Men.

On June 30, 1903, Fred B. Perkins married Florence Wines, who also
was born in Columbia township, this county, daughter and only child of John
J. and Julia (Custer) Wines, both also natives of Indiana and the former of
whom is still living, making his home with Mr. and Mrs. Perkins.

John Jackson Wines is a native Hoosier, born in Decatur county, this
state, December 24, 1847, a son of David and Sarah Jane (Pavey) Wines,
the former of whom was also a native of Indiana, born in Switzerland county,
and the latter, of Hawkins county, Tennessee. David Wines was a son of
Capt. John Wines, who was commissioned by Governor Noble to lead a
company during the War of 1812, serving in the army of General Jackson
and participating in the battle of New Orleans. Captain Wines died at the
age of sixty-four years and is buried in Shelby county, this state. Sarah
Jane (Pavey) Wines was a daughter of the Rev. John Pavey, a minister of
the Baptist church, who moved from Switzerland county, this state, to Decatur
county and in the latter county spent his last days. When John J. Wines
was about one year of age his parents moved from Decatur county to Shelby
county, where his father bought a farm and where the family remained until
1864, when they moved to Tipton county, where David Wines and his wife
spent their last days. In 1870 John J. Wines was married in Tipton county
and he remained there until February 8, 1876, when he came to Fayette coun-
ty, where he ever since has made his home. For about twenty years, in con-
nection with his general farming, Mr. Wines gave special attention to the
breeding of Shropshire sheep and had a fine lot of pedigreed stock. On Sep-
tember 8, 1901, his home was destroyed by fire, the contents of the house,

FAVKTTK COUXTV, INDIANA. IO99

even to the family apparel, goiui^- up in the tlanies. Inckulcil in this luss was
the pedigree book of Mr. Wine's tlock and since then he has given up the
raising of pedigreed stock, and has raised sheep simply for puri)()ses of util-
ity. Mr. Wines is the owner of a well-improved farm of due Inunlrcil and
eighty acres in Columbia town^bi[) and his son-in-law, .Mr. Tcrkins, and
wife own a farm of seventy-eight acres nearby, Mr. Wines making his hcime
with them.

Mr. Wines has been twice married. In 1870, wdiile living in Tipton
county, he married Alice Kitchen, who was born in Hancock county, this
state, a daughter of Rev. Andrew and Jeannette ( White ) Kitchen, natives
of Indiana. The Rev. Andrew Kitchen, a minister of the Methodist church,
was reared in Rush county. To that marriage one child was Iwrn, a daughter,
Zella, born on August 11, 1S7J, who tlied on April Ji, 1890. Mrs. .Mice
Wines died in November, 1878, and in February, 1880, Mr. Wines married
Julia Custer, who was born in Columbia township, this count)-, a daughter of
Hiram and Polly (Limpus) Custer, the former of whom came to this county
W'ith his parents from Bourbon county, Kentucky, in the davs of his youth
and here spent the remainder of his life, b'rom the time she was three vears
of age until her death, on July 19. 19 12, Mrs. Julia Custer Wines lived on
the farm on which Mr. Wines is now living. Mrs. Perkins is the only child
of this second marriage. Mr. Wines is a member of the Methodist church
and, fraternallv, is affiliated with the Knights of Pvthias.

EDWI.X .M. STOXE.

Edwin yi. Stone, one of Fayette county's l)est known and most sul)-
stantial farmers, a former menil)er of tlie Connersville cit\- council, former
county assessor, an honored veteran (jf the Ci\il War and the proprietor of
a fine farm in Harrison township, is a native son of F'ayette comity and has
lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm a short distance east
of the village of Harrisburg, at a point where the Christian church in that
neighborhood now stands, ]\Iarch 18, 1845, son of the Hon. Charles .M. and
Lovisa (Carver) Stone, the former of whom was born in this count\-, a
member of one of the pioneer families, and the latter in the state of New
York, who were for many years accounted auKjng the most influential resi-
dents of the Harrisburg neighl>orhood.

IIOO FAYETTE COL'NTY, INDIANA.

Charles M. Stone was born on a pioneer farm a short distance west of
the village of Alpine, in this county, in 1821, his father, a native of Rhode
Island and a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War,
having settled there at an early day in the settlement of this county. When
Charles M. Stone was twelve years of age his father was killed by a log
rolling on him while working in the timber. His mother married again and
he remained on the home farm until his marriage, when he took over the
management of the farm of his wife's father, the old Carver farm just east
of Flarrisburg, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives.
In 1 86 1 Charles M. Stone built the substantial brick residence on that place,
now owned and occupied by Charles Bell, and which house still stands as
one of the best houses in that part of the county. Charles M. Stone was an
active Republican, for years looked upon as one of the leaders of his party
in this county, and for two terms represented this district in the Indiana
state Legislature. He died at his home in Harrison township on May 9,
1889, ^"cl his widow survived him many years, her death occurring in 1907.
She was born, Lovisa Carver, at Cayuga Lake, New York, a daughter of
Elijah Carver and wife, who came here in pioneer days and settled on the
farm above referred to just east of Harrisburg, the farm on which the sub-
ject of this sketch was born. Elijah Carver was a descendant of Gov.
Jonathan Carver, who came over in the "Mayflower," and was for years
r.ne of the influential residents of Harrison township, his death occurring
there many years ago. Charles M. Stone and wife had three children who
grew to maturity and who are still living, namely: Edwin M., the subject
of this biographical sketch; ]\Irs. Eliza A. Florea, of Te.xas, and Mrs. Kath-
erine Elorea Broaddus.

Edwin M. Stone was reared on the farm on which he was born, receiv-
ing his schooling in the neighboring school, and remained there tmtil his
marriage, in the spring of 1870, when he located in Connersville, where he
engaged in the livery business and later engaged in the retail meat business,
remaining there until the spring of 1881, when he moved to his present
home, a farm three and one-half miles northwest of Connersville, where he
has since lived and where he and his family are very pleasantly and very
comfortably situated. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Stone has
given much attention to the raising of pure-bred cattle and a picture of a
bunch of his fine stock is presented on another page in this volume, as an
example of the fine quality of cattle raised in Fayette county. Mr. Stone
is a Republican and has ever given his earnest attention to local political

i-.\vi:ttij on-XTV, Indiana. iioi

affairs. During liis residence in Connersville he served for some time as a
member of the city council from liis ward and after moving to his farm was
elected county assessor, being tlie first man elected to tliat oflice in I-ayette
county after the enactment of the law creating the office in ihc early nineties.
Mr. Stone is an active member of the Grand Army of the l\ei>uhlic and
takes an earnest interest in the aft'airs of the local post. Wiieii about eigiitcen
years of age, November 9^ 1863, he enlisted as a pri\ate in (.'oniiiany .\.
One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantrv.
and was mustered out with that command on August 31, 1865, after having
participated in much active service under the command of Gen. George TI.
Thomas in the Army of the Cumberland.

Mr. Stone has been twice married. On May 5, 1870, he was united in
marriage to Indiana \\'hite. who was born on a farm near Bunker Hill, west
of Connersville, in this county, a daughter of Hamilton While, who was
reared in this count}- and who had moved onto that farm after a sometime
residence in Comiersville, where he had been engaged as a painter. To that
union eight children were born, two of whom died in infancy and six of
whom are still living, namely: Lillie, who married Wilfred Frazee, of Hen-
dricks county, this state, and has one child, a daughter, Mary; Charles, who
lives on a farm one mile north of his father's place, and who married Mary
Powell and has two children, Josephine and Helen ; Flomer P., who married
Ella Johnson and is how ranching in Texas: Minnie I., who married Amos
Kerr, by which marriage she has a son, Ralph Kerr, and after whose death
she married W'ebb Ensminger and is now li\ing on a farm in the western
part of Harrison township: Clinton Stone, of Connersville, who married
Lillie Frazier and has one child, a son, Fxlwin M., and Evaline, who married
Scott Caldwell and has two children, Joseph and Helen Louise. Mrs.
Indiana Stone died on February ^o, 1895, and on March 2. 1897, Mr. Stone
married Mrs. Frances E^ Shera ( Fattig) Ridge, who was born near Oxford,
Ohio, a daughter of John' and Mary ( Duke) Fattig, the former of whom was
born in ^'irg■inia and who came to Indiana with his parents, Jacub and
Frances I^^attig, when lie wa^ a child, tlie family settling in Henry county.
When he was about eighteen years of age John P'attig located at Conners-
\ille, where he presently married Mary Duke, who was born near Oxford.
Ohio, daughter of John and Eliza (Shera) Duke, nati\es of Ireland, who
had come to this country and had located on a farm in the vicinity of Oxford,
in Butler county, Ohio. John Fattig was a cari)enter and he and his wife
spent their last days in Conner^-ville. where their daughter, Frances, grew to

II02 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

womanhood and where she married Horace Ridge, a native of Ripley county,
this state, a well-known school teacher of this county, who had also taught
school in Union county, and who died in 1S92, leaving one child, a son,
Albert Ridge, who died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Stone have . very
pleasant farm house and take a warm interest in the general social ar---ities
of the community in which they live, ever helpful in promoting all u 'icies
naving to du with the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.

WILLIAM H. THOMPSON.

William H. Thompson, a well-known and substantial farmer of Posey
township, this county, for many years assessor of that township, former
postmaster of Bentonville, where for years he was engaged in the mercantile
business and before that time a blacksmith in that village, is a native son of
Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was born in the village
of Harrisburg on June 7, 1848, son of Charles and Mary (Caldwell) Thomp-
son, the former of whom was born in Marion county, this state, and the
latter in this county.

Charles Thompson was "born in 1828 in Marion county, Indiana, where
his parents had settled upon coming to this state from Kentucky, and in his
youth came to this county and at Harrisburg learned the blacksmith trade
in the shop of Stephen Thomas, where he worked until about 1854, when
he moved to Bentonville and there started a blacksmith shop of his own,
which he continued to operate, off and on, for fifty years; in the meantime
buying a small farm in that vicinity, farming when not actively engaged in
blacksmithing, and spent the rest of his life at or near Bentonville, dying
there on October 13, 1901. His wife, Mary Caldwell, was born in Harrison
township, this county, November 12, 1825, and died on May 23, 1895, and
was a daughter of Judge Train Caldwell (born February 17, 1778), and his
wife, Elizabeth Dehaven (born August 31, 1781), the latter of whom was
a Dehaven. Judge Train Caldwell was the first circuit judge in Fayette
county and he had a son, James Caldwell, who for some time served as
clerk of the court. Charles and Mary (Caldwell) Thompson were the
parents of five children, two of whom died in infancy and the others of
whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, George
Thompson, and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Rea, widow of Benjamin F. Rea.

William H. Thompson has spent most of his life in Posey township.

FAYETTE COL'NTV. INDIANA. IIO3

About 1S7J, shortly after his marriage, he began working at the blaeksniith
trade \xith liis father at Bentonville and later became a partner of his father
in that business and still later a partner, in the same line, with Edward
Barker,^, continuiijg thus engaged at blacksmithing for about fifteen years,
at the^e^id of which time, in the fall of 1887, he embarketl in the mercantile
busintj^^^^at Bentonville and was shortly afterward made postmaster of that
village, continuing as merchant and postmaster there until the spring of
1897, when he moved to the farm on which he is now living, in the northern
part of Posey township, and has lived there ever since, quite successfully
engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Thompson is a lifelong Demo-
crat and has ever taken a warm interest in local political affairs. In 1900
he was elected assessor of Posey township and by successive elections has
held that office ever since, a period of nearly eighteen years. He is a mem-
ber of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Falmouth,
Indiana, and has for years taken a warm interest in the affairs of that popular
organization.

Mr. Thompson has been twice married. On September 14, 1870, he
was united in marriage to Lucinda Hatfield, who was born near the city of
Ft. Wayne, in Allen county, this state, a daughter of Owen Hatfield and
wife, and who died on March 29, 1876, leaving two children, Charles and
Oscar. Another son, Harry, born to that union died when about one year
of age. Charles Thompson, who lives on his farm one mile north of Ben-
tonville, married Clara Kemmer and has one child, a son, Russell. Oscar
Thompson, who owns a farm about three miles north of Richmond, in the
neighboring county of Wayne, where he makes his home, married Sadie
Hicks. On September 5, 1877, Mr. Thompson married, secondly, Anna E.
Lamberson, who was born on a farm in the northwest part of Posey town-
ship, this county, a daughter of Samuel and Demaris (Overturf) Lamberson,
the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Ohio, who were pioneers
in this county. The Lambersons and the Overturfs were originally from
Maryland and came into this state from Kentucky. To this second union
three children have been born, namely: Walter, now living at Falmouth,
who married Emma Bowles and has two children, Lorraine and Wayne;
}klamie L., who married John Mallory, a farmer living near the village of
Dublin, and has two daughters, Effie and Georgia, and Samuel, living near
Germantown, who married Catherine Mueller and has one child, a daughter,
Margaret Helene. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have a pleasant home and are
very comfortably situated. They have ever given proper attention to the
good works of the community in which they live and are helpful in promot-
ing all worthy local causes.

KAVETTE COUNTY,

F.D\\'ARD P. H.-\^^'KIXS.

Edward P. Hawkins ^x-as born November lo, 1881, in Connersville,
Indiana, and up to the present time ( 191 7) he haS spent his life in his native
city. His parents were Edward A', and Margaret (Pratt) Hawkins. His
mother was liorn in the state of New York, but the father, Hke the son, is a
native Indianian, and a sketch of his Hfe appears elsewhere in this history.

The junior Hawkins received his common and high school education in
the Connersville public schools. After he was graduated from the high
school in 1898, he, at once, went to work in his father's factory. For nine-
teen years he has devoted his energies to the upbuilding and the extension
of the business which his father had established in 1882, under the name of
the Connersville Furniture Company. In 1901 he was made secretarv of
the company, and in 19 10 he became assistant general manager. At the
present time, he holds both positions and accomplishes the work of each with
characteristic promptness and industry.

During the winter of 1916-1917 Mr. Hawkins founded the National
Moorish Tile Flooring Factor}- and became the first president of the com-
pany. It opened for business in February, 1917, and promises to become
one of the city's most substantial institutions.

Though Mr. Hawkins has been very earnestly and continuously occu-
pied with industrial activities, he has never neglected to do his part in the
working out of the civic problems which present themselves to the attention
of every public-spirited citizen. As president of the Commercial Club for
the past two years, he has accomplished much in furthering the general wel-
fare of the city of his birth. Being a man of action, he throws his power and
personality into everything he undertakes and stays with it to the "finish".
A striking example of this fact is his remarkably successful management of
the Fayette county centennial celebration of 1916. For five months in the
spring and summer of that year he devoted practically all his time to planning
and putting into execution the hundred and one details which resulted in the
community having the best county celebration in the state.

It is proper in this connection to mention that on account of his intelli-
gent and conservative management of public affairs, he was chosen as one of
the governors of the Hoosier Dixie Highway Association. In general, it is
thoroughly understood by all who know him that any and everything which
he feels will be of benefit to his city or to the public at large, will receive from
him a hearty, enthusiastic and intelligent support.

FAYF.TTF. COrXTV, INDIAN'A. IIO5

Politically, Mr. Hawkins is affiliated with the Republican party. Ilis
fraternal relations include membership in several national organizations —
the Odd Fellows. Elks, Moose, Travelers' Protective Association, Eagles, Red
Men and Knights of Pythias. He is also a member of the Greek-letter fra-
ternity of Phi Delta Kappa, the Columbia Club of Indianapolis, the Indiana
Press Cluli, the Cincinnati Auto Club, the Cincinnati Country Club, the New-
castle Country Club, the Hoosier .Automobile Association and several other
similar organizations. In keeping with the spirit that prompts those in powcr
to give just recognition to meritorious energy. Governor Goodrich appointed
Mr. Hawkins as a member of his staff, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

Mr. Hawkins was married, October 5, 1904, to Miss Marie Kimball.
She is r daughter of Judge Eben W. and Frances (Bender) Kimball and was
born in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her father was a native of Massachusetts
and her mother of Michigan. Judge Kimball is still living; his wife passed
away in April, 19 16. Mrs. Hawkins has one brother, Fletcher Kimball.
Mr. and ]\Irs. Hawkins have one .son. Edward K. The family are members
of the ^Methodist Episcopal church.

In every community there are men who are leaders. It has always been
thus and it will always be. They may possess no more native ability than
those with whom they mingle and associate, but somehow, someway, thev are
gifted with special qualities that win for them honor and preferment. Such
a man is Edward P. Hawkins.

OLI\'ER PORTER MYERS.

Oliver Porter flyers, a well-known and substantial farmer of Posey town-
ship, this county, and the proprietor of a fine farm of ncarl\- two hundred acres
at the south edge of that township, where he and his family are very comfort-
ably and very pleasantly situated, is a native son of Fayette county and has
lived here all his life. He was born on the old Huston homestead farm in
Posey township on Xovember 4, 1884, son and only child of Cabin and Mary
Laura (Manlove) Myers, the latter of whom is still living on her well-kept
farm south of Bentonville.

The late Calvin Myers also was a native of this section of Indiana, having
been born on a pioneer farm two and one-half miles south of Cambridge City,
in the neighboring county of Wayne, .\ugust 4, 1855, second son of Michael
(70)

II06 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

K. and Elizabeth (Ferris) Myers, the former of whom was born in that same
neighborhood, a son of Gideon and Catherine (Crull) Myers, early settlers of
that community. Gideon Myers came to this state from Pennsylvania and
established a tannery and harness-making shop in the lower part of Wayne
county, where he spent the rest of his life. His son, Michael K. Myers, became
a farmer and live-stock dealer and lived on a farm south of the village of
DubHn until 1879, when he moved to Ouinemo, in Osage county, Kansas,
moving thence presently to Ottumwa, in Coffey county, same state, where
he farmed and spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there in
October, 1908. His widow, who was born EHzabeth A. Ferris, near the village
of Milton, in Wayne county, this state, a daughter of Joseph and Deborah
(Atwell) Ferris, died on February 9, 191 1. Their son, Calvin Myers, was
reared on the home farm and there lived until after he had reached his majority.
On October 9, 1877, he married Mary L. Manlove, who was born on the old
Manlove farm, two and one-half miles southeast of Bentonville, only daughter
of William and Margaret (Munger) Manlove, both members of pioneer fami-
lies in that section of the county and further and fitting mention of which fam-
ilies is made elsewhere in this volume. On December 10, 1877, he and his
wife began housekeeping on the old Myers homestead place, and there remained
until November 20, 1880, when they moved to a farm one mile south of
Bentonville, where Calvin Myers spent his last days, his death occurring there
on February 17, 1906, he then being fifty years of age, and where his widow
is still living, the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres one mile
west of the place where she was born.

Oliver Porter Myers lived on the farm on which he was born until after
his marriage in 1905 and shortly afterward took possession of the farm of one
hundred and ninety-eight acres in the southern part of Posey township, where
he established his home and where he has ever since lived. Mr. Myers is a
progressive farmer and a member of the Connersville Commercial Club, ever
giving his thoughtful attention to any movement designed to advance the com-
mon welfare of the community at large. He and his wife have a delightful
home and are regarded as among the leaders in the general social activities of
the community in which they live. Mrs. Myers is a member of the Christian
church at Bentonville and is active in the work of the Missionary Society of
that church, as well as in the work of the W^omen's Club of the Bentonville
community and of the Mothers' Club in that vicinity, helpful in advancing all
good movements thereabout. Mr. and Mrs. Myers have two children. Garnet
Elnora, born on February 5, 1907, and Willard Calvin, March 19, 1913.

I-AVETTli ailXTV, INDIANA. IIO7

As noted above, it was on October i8, 1905. that Oliver Porter Myers
was united in marriage to Mary Elizabeth Overhiser, who was born on a farm
one mile north of Bentonville, this county, en May 9, 1887, a daughter of
Willard and Ellen ( Kemmcr ) Overhiser, both of whom also were born in this
county and who are still living on their farm north oi Bentonville, where Mrs.
Myers was born and where she lived until her marriage. Willard Overhiser,
an honored veteran of the Civil War and former trustee of I'ose\' township,
is a native of this county, as noted above, lx)rn in Eairview township on Novem-
ber 1, 1841, son of George and Elizal^eth (Storms) Overhiser, the former of
whom, born in Otsego county. New York. August Ji. 1804, was a son of John
Casper and Mary (Near) Overhiser and a grandson of Conrad and Mary
(Story) Overhiser. John Casper Overhiser was twice married and by his first
marriage was the father of two children and by his second, eighteen. In 1826,
in Xew York state, George Overhiser married l'~lizabeth Storms, who was born
in that state on June 30, 1807, a daughter of Peter and Dorcas ( Ballard )
Storms and a granddaughter of Thomas and Asenath Ballard, and in 1838 he
and his family came out to Indiana and settled in Fairview township, this
county, remaining- there until about 1842. when he nuived to Fiance )ck county
and then, a couple of years later, to Blackford count)', where his father-in-law,
Peter Storms, had entered a tract of government land, and in that county he
and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, her death occurring in i860 and
his in 1862. They were the parents of thirteen children, nine of whom are still
living, but of whom Willard Overhiser is the only (jiie residing in this county.

Willard Overhiser learnetl the carpenter trade in his youth and was work-
ing at that trade when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted as a private in
the Thirty-fourth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, attached to tlie Thir-
teenth Army Corps, and with that command served until mustered nut on beb-
ruary 3, 1866, During that long period of service he i)articipated in sdUie of
the most stirring engagements of the war, including the siege of X'icksburg,
and in Texas took part in the last battle of the war, fought on May 13, 1865,
after Lee had surrendered. Upon the completion of his military service. Mr.
Overhiser resumed his work as a carpenter and worked in various parts of
Fayette and Wayne counties, until after his marriage in 1873, when he located
at Cambridge City, where he remained until in Xuxcnibcr nf 1879, when he
returned to this county and settled on the farm one mile nnrtb of Bentonville,
where he has made his home ever since. Mr. Overhiser was three times elected
trustee of his home township, serving in that capacity for a ])eriod of ten years.
He is an active member of the Grand Army of the I\ei)ublic, the present com-

II08 FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

niander of the post of that patriotic order at Cambridge City, and is affiliated
with the Masonic order.

In 1873 Willard Overhiser was united in marriage to EHzabeth E. Kem-
mer, who was born in Posey township, this county, February 1 7, 1854, daugh-
ter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Campbell) Kemmer, the former a native of
Kentucky and the latter of this county. Samuel Kemmer was born in
Bracken county. Kentucky, September 27, 1823, son of John and Sarah
(Overturf ) Kemmer, the former of whom was a son of Nicholas and Sarah
(Pholer) Kemmer, whose last days were spent in this county. Nicholas
Kemmer, a native of Germany, emigrated to this country when about eighteen
years of age and was living at Boston when the famous "Boston tea party"
marked the beginning of the struggle of the colonies for independence, he
having been one of the patriots dressed as Indians, who threw the tea over-
board from a British vessel in the harbor as a protest against what the
colonists declared to be unjust taxation. He later served as a soldier during
the Revolutionary War and was at Yorktown when ComwaUis surrendered
to Washington, his position in the ranks during that historic incident being
such that he was able to observe the two generals in conference. After the
close of the war he settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and there mar-
ried Sarah Pholer. Later he moved to Kentucky and in 1833 came from that
state up into Indiana and settled in Posey township, this county, where he
died in 1839.

John Kemmer, one of the eight children born to Nicholas Kemmer and
-wife, married Sarah Overturf in 1820 and in 1831 came from Kentucky to
this county. He bought a tract of eighty acres in Posey township, where he
and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, his death occurring on August
29, 1864, and hers in 1886, she then being eighty-four years of age. They
were the parents of nine children, Mary Ann, Matilda Jane, Samuel J.,
Melvina, Sarah, IMehitabel, Sanford, Harvey and Lewis. Samuel J. Kemmer
was eight years of age when his father came up here from Kentucky and he
grew to manhood in Posey township. On January 13, 1849, he married Eliza-
beth Campbell, who was born in Posey township, daughter of Charles and
Jane ( Gillan) Campbell, pioneers of the southeastern part of that township
and natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and of Ireland. Jane Gillan came
to this country from Ireland with two brothers and proceeded on out to
Indiana, where she entered a tract of government land in Posey township,
this county, where she continued to live after her marriage to Charles Camp-
bell. On her death on February 17, 1862, she left her land to her grand-

I AVKTTK anXTV. INDIANA. I I CK)

children. Sanuiel Kenimer was a man of wide reading and at the time of
his death, in May, 1910, was said la liave had the most extensive farmer's
hbrary in Fayette county. Five tlaughters were horn to Samuel Kemmer and
wife, those besides Mrs. Overhiser hein^ as foll.iw: Sarali J., wife of
Benjamin Crane: Luzcna .Mice, deceased, who was the wife of William
Hanby; Mary F., wife of Emory Sloan, and Emma 1-"., wife of llenrv Mason.
To Willard and Elizabeth (Kemmer) Overhiser five ciiiidren have been
born, namely : Emory A., a Connersville mechanic, who married Ethie
Knipe and has two children, Ellen M. and Elizabeth M. : Corwin G.. a rural
mail carrier out of Bentonville, who married Mrs. Eunice (Manlove) Curtis;
Bessie Mabel, who married Harry G. Cole, of Houston, Te.xas, and has two
children, Mildred E. and Alorrison B. ; Fannie, who married Benjamin Ertel,
of Rush county, and lias two dau,y;hters. Ruby !■". and Gertrude R.. and
Mary Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Myers, the subject of this biographical sketch.

CARL C. S^HTH.

Carl C. Smith, undertaker and funeral director at Connersville, was
l)orn in that city and has lived there all his life, with the exception of some
years during his youth, when his parents were residents of the city of Cin-
cinnati. He was born on April 23, 1871, son of Thomas L. and Delia J.
(Moyer) Smith, both members of well-known families in this county.

Thomas J. Smith was born in this county and here grew to manhood
and married. He began working for the Big Four Railroad Company and
for some years while engaged in that employ was located at Cincinnati.
Later he returned to Connersville and there engaged in the hardware, furni-
ture and und-ertaking business, continuing thus engaged the rest of his life,
becoming one of the l>est-known and most substantial business men in Con-
nersville. When his son, the subject of this sketch, reached his majority
he admitted the young man to partnership in the business, which was tliere-
after conducted under the firm name of Thomas L. Smith & Son.

Carl C. Smith was but a child when his parents moved to Cincinnati
and in that city he received his schooling. When his father embarked in
business in Connersville he took an active part in the store and when eigh-
teen years of age was made manager of the hardware department of the
same. In 1892, he then being twenty-one years of age, he was admitted
to partnership with his father in the general hardware, furniture and under-

mo FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

taking line, under the firm name of Thomas L. Smith & Son and continued
thus connected until his father's death. In 191 3 he sold the hardware and
furniture departments of the business and has since then given his undi-
vided attention to the undertaking line, long having been recognized as one
of the leading undertakers and funeral directors in eastern Indiana; Mr.
Smith has one of the most thoroughly equipped undertaking establishments
in this part of the state, his equipment including all modern appliances and
devices for the effective direction o-f a funeral along up-to-date lines, an
auto-hearse and six other cars being a part of this equipment.

On October 14, i8gi, Carl T. Smith was united in marriage to Mary
Emily Fuchs, daughter of Herman and Eliza Fuchs, and to this union three
children have been born. Mr, and Mrs. Smith are members of the Chris-
tian church aiid Mr. Smith is a member of the board of trustees of the con-
gregation to which he is attached. Fraternally, he is affiliated with nearly
every secret society and fraternal organization in the city of Connersville
and takes a warm interest in' the afifairs of all.

RICHARD HARRISON ROWE.

Richard Harrison Rowe, trustee of Columbia township, who is success-
fully engaged in the woven-wire fence business at Nulltown, is a native of
Kentucky, but has been a resident of Indiana the greater part of the time
since he was a boy. He was born in Scott county, Kentucky, February 22.
1865, son of Hiram Newton and Rachel Ellen (Estill) Rowe, both of whom
were born in that same county, the latter a daughter of Berry Estill and wife,
both of whom lived to extraordinary ages, the former dying at the age of
ninety-seven years and the latter, at ninety-three.

Mrs. Rachel E. Rowe died when her son, Richard H., was five years
of age, leaving her husband with seven children. He kept the children together
as well as he could, but from the time Richard H. Rowe was thirteen years
of age he was practically thrown upon his own resources for a livelihood.
After working out a short time on a farm in Kentucky, he came to Indiana
in the January before he was fourteen years of age, in company with his
brotlier, William Edward, two years his elder, the boys having heard much
of the Hoosier state and regarding it as a land of opportunity. They made
their way to Rushville and upon inc(uiry there found that there was work
to be obtained at Gings Station. There they found employment cutting

lAYKTTK C(H:NTV. INDIANA. 1 I I I

wood for a tile factory and were thus engaged until spring, wiicn Riciiard
H. Rowe obtained employment with I'ihenezer Smith, where he remained for
some years and where he was treated with as much consideration as a member
of the family, Mrs. Smith giving the lad excellent training and ad\ ice and
exerting an influence upon his receptive mind which had much to ilo in
molding his life. From Smith's place young Rowe went on up into Grant
county and was there engaged at farm work for a year, at the end of which
time he returned to Rush county, where he remained until 1889, when he
went over into Illinois and was for a year employed at farm work in Cham-
paign county, that state. He then returned to Rush county, this state, and in
1890 was united in marriage to Mary Sawyer, of Columbia township, this
county. For seven years after his marriage Mr. Rowe continued working
ing as a farm hand and then undertook to farm on his own account on the
farm of his father-in-law in Columbia township, and was thus engaged for
three years, at the end of which time he found himself heavily involved in
debt, his financial disaster being largely due to an outbreak of cholera in
his drove of hogs and to farm losses of one character and another.

Upon finding himself thus deeply involved in debt, Mr. Rowe left the
farm and in 1899 moved into the village of Nulltown, where he became
engaged in the woven-wire fence business and has since continued in that
line, being very successful, and has paid off all his financial obligations, with
interest. Mr. Rowe in recent years has given considerable attention to local
political matters and in 1914 was elected trustee of Columbia township, as
the nominee of the Progressive party, and is now serving in that locally
important office, giving his most thoughtful attention to the public service.
He is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and he and
his wife are members of the Christian church. To them eleven children
have been born, namely : Clarence Parker, Rachel Belle, Mary Marie, Lydia
Delilah, Walter Seymour, Ethel, Theodore Roosevelt, Catherine Willina,
Robert Melvin (who died at the age of nineteen months), Dorothy Mildred
and Margaret.

Mrs. Rowe was born at Cincinnati, a daughter of Thomas Parker and
Annabelle (James) Sawyer, former residents of this county, who are now
living retired at Eaton, in Delaware county, this state. Thomas P. Sawyer
was born in Boston and upon the outbreak of the Civil War enlisted for
service in the I'nion army and served until the close of the war, among the
notable battles in which he was engaged having I)een the first and second
battles of Bull Run and the battle of Gettysburg. During his service he
received a very severe gunshot wound in the hip and was reported as dead.

I I 12 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Upon the completion of his military service, instead of returning to Boston,
he located at Cincinnati, where for twenty-five years he was employed as a
traveling salesman. He then moved to Louisiana, where he spent a year,
at the end of which time he moved to Kentucky. Seven years later he came
to Indiana with his family and bought a farm in Columbia township, west
of Alpine, but continued traveling, selling chinaware, and was thus engaged
until his retirement from business, when he sold his farm and moved to
Eaton, where he and his wife are now living.

JOSEPH EMERY HUSTON.

Joseph Emery Huston was born at West Alexandria, Preble county,
Ohio, January 24, 1861. His ancestry comprised names famous in New
England history. The line of descent is direct from John Alden, the hero
of Longfellow's poem, and one of the "Mayflower" pioneers. The succeed-
ing generations are Captain Jonathan Alden, his son, Jonathan Alden, Austin
Alden, Josiah Alden, Salome Alden (Davis), Josiah Alden Davis, Mary
( Davis) Huston, who was the mother of Joseph Emery Huston, ninth genera-
tion of the Aldens in America. Mr. Huston's ancestors, Austin Alden,
Robert Smith. Edward Gale and Josiah Davis, each had distinguished Revolu-
tionary War records.

His parents, John Van Winkle Huston and Mary Davis Huston, resided
at West Alexandria at the time of his birth and until John V. Huston died,
leaving two sons, the subject of this sketch and Robert T. His widow mar-
ried Joseph Mills, after whose death she came to Indiana in 1908, and there
lived until her death, July 3, 1915.

Mr. Huston received his collegiate training in the Ohio State University.
In his young manhood he owned and conducted a job printing business.
.\fter some experience in this line, he sold his interest and came to Conners-
ville, becoming secretary and treasurer of the Connersville Buggy Company.
He was a cousin of James Nelson Huston, at that time one of the foremost
business men of Connersville, at whose request he sold his interests in the
Connersville Buggy Company to become one of the managing officers of Mr.
Huston's bank, at about the time , that Mr. Huston was treasurer of the
United .States. In 1892-3, in connection with J. N. Huston, J. T. Wilkin,
John B. McFarlan, S. W. and C. D. Beck, and others, he organized the Con-

^^^^^.

KAYKTTE CorNTV, INOIANA. III3

ncrsville Blower Cunipany. dropping out of the other J. N. Huston companies
at the time. The enterprise, in its inception, was somewhat handicapped by
the sudden financial embarrassment of one of the principal members, wiio
promptly withdrew, leaving- the others to organize and carry forward the
business. There are in the United States only two or three other concerns
manufacturing rotary positive pressure blowers, and one of them had been
established a great many years prior to Mr. Huston's company. Due to the
character of the management, and the work done in the comparatively short
period of its existence, the Connersville Blower Company has become a very
great factor in the line of manufacture it follows, having now a capital stock
of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars and a substantial surplus. Its
machines are recognized by engineers the world over as of the highest
standard and their use is general in every grand division of the world.

^"■or many years Mr. Huston has been associated with the Fayette
National Bank, for a numl^er of years as vice-president and, since the death
of Preston H. Kensler, as president of that institution, the largest strictly
commercial bank in the community.

Air. Huston was married, Septemlier 29, 18S7, to Lilly M. Davis, at
Richmond, Indiana. To them were born the following children: Mar-
guerite, Joseph Emery and Leland Davis, the first dying in infancy, the third
when about ten years old. The second child survives and is among the
prominent younger business men of the community, elsewhere mentioned in
this work. Mr. Huston and his wife are active in the work of the Presby-
terian church, Mr. Huston having for many years had official responsibilities
therein. He is a director and officer in the United Vacuum Appliance Com-
pany, the Connersville Land and Improvement Company and the Lexington-
Howard Company.

No mention of Mr. Huston's activities in this community would be
complete without some reference to the qualities that have contributed to
his very remarkable business success. Those who know him best appreciate
him for the extreme care and caution with which he undertakes anything
with which he is connected, but especially for the fact that his whole business
career has been dominated by a determination to live his business and per-
sonal life in strict conformity to his best ideals. A Puritan ancestry is well
represented by a business career such as that of Josejih F.mery Huston has
been. His bitterest opponent would frankly admit that there never was a
time when his actions were not dictated by the strongest sort of adherence
to his conception of his duty — and more than once to his own personal dis-

14 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

advantage. It is much to have been instrumental in the estabhshment of sucH
great commercial enterprises from such small beginnings, but it is more to
have built them up to solidity and importance by a policy which at all times
was grounded on the highest moral and ethical principles.

WILLIS R. LAKE.

Willis R. Lake, one of Fayette county's best-known farmers, the pro-
prietor of a fine farm in Jackson township, now living in the pleasant village
of Everton, was born in Jackson township and has lived there all his life.
He was born on July 5, 1861, son of Willis and Ehzabeth (Ray) Lake,
members of old families in this section of the state, further mention of whom
is made elsewhere in this volume.

The elder Willis Lake was born on a pioneer farm in Dearborn county,
this state, across the river from Harrison, a son of 'William and Mary
(Rounsavell) Lake, who came from New Jersey to Indiana in territorial
days, settling in Dearborn county and coming thence up the White Water
valley to Fayette county and settling in Jackson township, in the settlement
then known as West Union, now know as Everton, about the year 1835.
Willis Lake grew to manhood in that community and farmed in Jackson
township the rest of his life, one of the most substantial and influential citi-
zens of that community. He and his brother, Phenas 'Lake, further men-
tion of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, worked together before
their marriage and for some years afterward, and also operated a saw-mill
at Everton in partnership. Willis Lake's wife, Elizabeth Ray, was born
in Laurel township, over the line in Franklin county, a daughter of Lewis
T. and Margaret Jane (Lee) Ray, who came to this state from Ohio and
settled in Franklin county, later moving up into Fayette county and locating
in the Mt. Zion neighborhood in Jackson township. Later they bought
another farm in Franklin county, but late in life sold out there and moved
to Delaware county. Willis Lake died at his home in Jackson township
on November 10, 1903, he then being eighty-three years of age, and his
widow survived him about four years, her death occurring in 1907. They
were members of the United Brethren church and their children were reared
in that faith. They were the parents of nine children, of whom four are
still living, Lewis T., Mrs. Louisa Adams, Zachariah and Willis R.

AVF.TTE COU?,-TY, INDIAN.'

Willis R. Lake lived with his parents until his marriage, when he
began farming on his own account, establishing his home on a farm south-
west of Everton, and has farmed nearly all the time since in Jackson town-
ship, but since 1907 has been making his home at Everton. He is the
owner of a well-improved farm of one hundred and fifty-six acres south-
west of Everton and he and his son, Claire, have ninety-one acres in another
tract nearby, where they work in partnership, farming and raising and fatten-
tening hogs for the market. Willis R. Lake is a meml)er of the local lodge
of the Knights of Pythias at Everton and takes a warm interest in the affairs
of that organization.

In 1881 Willis R. Lake was united in marriage to .Mma Johnston,
known to her friends as "Dine," who was born in the house in which she is
now living, in Everton, daughter of William and Harriet (Sjjencer) Johnston,
for years prominent residents of Everton. William Johnston was born in
Ohio, a son of Pennsylvania-Dutch parentage, his father a tanner. The
family moved to Cincinnati, where the father died when William was a
boy. The latter later went to Lebanon, Ohio, where for some time he made
his home with the Shakers and where he learned the tailor trade, later com-
ing to Lidiana and locating at Brookville, where he was living at the time
of his marriage. He later moved to I'airfield and thence, about 1855. came
up into Fa3-ette county and located at Everton, becoming there the owner
of a general store, in partnership with Mr. Irwin, and for years was engaged
in business on the site now occupied by the Dawson store. He also engaged
in the merchant-tailoring business and was engaged in business until a few
years before his death, which occurred on August 26, 1895, he then being
seventy-five years of age. He w-as a member of the Methodist church, a
Mason and an Odd Fellow and took an active part in church and lodge work.
In an early day William Johnston was the owner of a tract of four acres of
land, now crossed by Vine street, in the city of Cincinnati. His wife, Har-
riet Spencer, was born, it is believed, on a farm in the near vicinity of Oxford.
Ohio, where her parents, John and Alma Spencer, had located upon coming
West from New Haven, Connecticut. John Spencer was born either in
England or Scotland and his wife was an orphan, who grew up at Xew Haven,
Connecticut. Harriet Spencer came over into Indiana with her i)arents from
Ohio, the family settling in Franklin county, where she was living when she
married Mr. Johnston. To that union four children were born, James and
Winifred, who died in childhood, and Charles, who was in business at Everton
with his father and who died on January 13, 1889, at the age of thirty-four
years, Mrs. Lake thus being now the only survivor of the family. Her mother

mo FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

died at Everton on December i-j, 189.1, at the age of seventy years and nine
months.

Mr. and Mrs. Lake have one child, a son, Claire, who is mentioned above.
Claire Lake was born on the home farm near Everton on August 18, 1882,
and from boyhood has been an able assistant to his father in the labors of the
farm, now being in practical management of the same, farming in partner-
ship with his father. In October, 1906, Claire Lake was united in marriage
to Maude Lake, who also was born in Jackson township, a daughter of
Ellis R. and Flora (Murphy) Lake, further mention of whom is made else-
where in this volume, and is now living on the old home farm, where he
was born and where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. Claire Lake
is a member of the Masonic lodge at Connersville and of the Everton lodge
of the Knights of Pythias.

JESSE O. HENRY.

Of the native sons of Fayette county, Indiana, who have reached a
marked degree of success, as farmers and stockmen, and who have won
positions of honor and influence in the county, is Jesse O. Henry, of East
Connersville, who was born on November 16, 1863, and is the son of Jesse
S. and Elizabeth A. (Cross) Henry.

Jesse S. and Elizabeth A. Henry were also natives of Fayette county,
where they received their education in the local schools and where they were
reared to manhood and womanhood. Mr. Henry was born on December 25,
1836, and as a young man engaged in farming, in which work he continued
for the rest of his life. He began his life's work as a poor boy and, by hard
work and close application to business, he became one of the successful men
of the county. He was a man of much patience and had a high regard for
the rights and opinions of others. His life was a worthy one and he was
held in high regard. He was a most kind husband and an affectionate father.

Jesse S. Henry took the deepest interest in all local affairs and his
ability was recognized by the people of his home township. For several
terms he held the important position of township trustee, during which time
he administered the affairs of the office in a most capable and honest and
fearless manner. He was associated with the Democratic party, yet he was
not a partisan in the narrow sense of the word. While he was loyal to his
party, he was ever striving for the best interests of the district in which he
lived and the county in general. His entire life was lived in Harrison and

Waterloo townsliips and lie liad imich to do witli the moral and (.■ilucalioiial
development of those communities. Elizaljeth A. Henry was a <levoted wife
and mother and, by her pleasing personality and womanly traits, she won
for herself many friends, who mourned her death on July 14, iHS^. S<ime
time after the death of his wife, Mr. Henry niarried Mrs. lluldah J. .Mont-
gomery, who died on March 17, 1885.

To Jesse S. and Elizabeth A. Henry were born the tollowint^ children:
William L., Jes.^^e O.. kobert W., Ktiie .\l., iva, I.. C.. and .\lfred. William L.
grew to manhood in the county and later engaged in the grain and elevator
business at Louisville, Indiana, where he has met with success: Rol)ert W.
is a general farmer and engaged in the coal business at Huber Station,
Fayette county; Efifie M. is the wife of J. B. Jones, Jr., one of the well-
known and successful men of W^aterloo township; Iva is the wife of J. Lew
Small, a highly respected resilient of lilwood, Indiana; L. G. married Sarah
Cole, and was for many years before his death an efficient operator and
train dispatcher at Broken Bow, Montana: Alfred N. married Estella Show-
alter, and until the time of his death was one of the successful farmers and
stockmen of the county. .\t the time of his death, on March jj. 1914.
Jesse S. Henry was the grandfather of twenty-one grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren, and one of his greatest pleasures was in the society
of his children and their children.

Jesse O. Henry received his education in the common schools of Harri-
son township, and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad and
young man he assisted his father with the many duties on the place. He
remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, at which time he
was united in marriage, on May 25, 1887, to Mary M. Dungan, who was
born in Waterloo township, Fayette county, and is the daughter of Bcnjann'n
F. and EUzabeth (Strong) Dungan. The parents were also born in Water-
loo township, the father having been born in 1836, and died on October jj;.
1916. Since the death of the husband and father, Mrs. Dimgan has lived
with her daughter, Mrs. Henry. Mr. Dungan was a successful farmer and
stockman and was known as one of the prominent and influential men of the
county. He and Mrs. Dungan were active members of the Christian church
and for many years took much interest in all church work. They were the
parents of two children, ]\Iary M., and William. The latter is a well-known
carpenter of Indianapolis, Indiana.

To Jesse O. and Mary M. Henry have been born four children: .\rthur
Vernon, Emery Ellis, Jesse B. and .\. Irene. Arthur X'ernon was born on
February 11, 1888. He received his education in the local schools, was

Ill8 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

reared on the home farm and since the year 19 13 he has been engaged in
the coal business at East Connersville, the firm being known as the East
Side Fuel Company. Emery Ellis, who was born on July 11, 1890, was
also reared on the home farm, and is now engaged in business with his
brother in the coal business at East Connersville. He is married to Flossie
Enos and to them have been born two children, Beatrice E. and Janet Ruth.
Jesse B. was born on July 23, 1897, and is a machinist and A. Irene was
born on November 4, 1907.

Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Henry moved to a farm in
Waterloo township, where they established their home, and where they
remained for one year, after which they located on a farm south of Conners-
ville, where they lived for eleven years before locating in East Connersville,
where tliey have lived for the past fifteen years. Mr. Henry has a splendid
farm of three hundred and. twelve acres in Waterloo township, which he
operates in addition to three hundred and fifty acres thit he rents. He has
served on the city council and has long been prominent in the affairs of the
communitv.

ABRAM LYONS.

In the eastern part of Fayette county in pioneer days there were few
names better known tlian that of .\1iram Lj-ons, the pioneer after wliom
the village of Lyonsville (formerly Lyons Station) was named, and in the
second generation of that descent in tliis county there also was an Abram
Lyons, son of the pioneer, who, in his day, was equally well known and held
in equally high repute in this comnumity in which he was Ijorn and in whicli
he spent all of his life.

The senior Abram Lyons was a X'irginian, who came to Indiana b}' way
of Kentucky, with his wife, Parmelia, a native of Kentucky, and located in
Fayette county in pioneer days, first settling on a farm in Waterloo town-
ship, north of Springersville. Later he bought a quarter of a section of
land, where Lyonsville is now situated, and there he spent the rest of his life.
On that pioneer farm he estabhshed a distillery and a store for the sale of
general merchandise and as the village grew up around these initial enter-
prises it came to be named Lyons Station (now Lyonsville) in honor of its
founder.

On that pioneer farm the junior Abram Lyons was born on October 12,
1830, and there he grew to manhood. From boyhood he was a valued

assistant to his father, driving a wagon from his home to Cincinnati twice a
week, taking produce bought at the village store of his father to the city
and returning with merchandise. When twenty-three years of age the junior
Abram Lyons married and thereafter tie voted his attention to farming, con-
tinuing a farmer the rest of his life, farming a part oi the time in Jennings
township, but the most of the time in Waterloo township, owner of tlie
farm where his sons now live, and where he died in 1889.

In 1853 the junior A1)ram Lyons was united in marriage to Sarah
Scholl, who was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in January, 1830, a
daughter of John and Polly (Reed) Scholl, antl who was seven years of age
when her parents moved from Pennsylvania to Indiana, bringing their house-
hold goods out in a covered wagon, liesides which the little Sarah walked
almost all the way to her new home in the then "wilds" of Fayette county.
John Scholl located in A\^aterloo township, on the place where Louis Scholl
now lives, and there his daughter, Sarah, grew to womanhood and married
Abram Lyons. To that union seven children were born, six sons and one
daughter, namely: John A., born in 1854, now living on the old home farm
and w^ho has always lived in the neighborhood where he was born, for eleven
years following threshing and saw-mill work, though most of the time farm-
ing; Charles Jefferson, born in 1857, who died in infancy; Robert, born in
i860, who died in i88g; another son, who died in infancy; Albert L., who
is married and is living on the old home farm; James E., l)orn in 1867, now
living in Jennings township, who married Margaret Van Blaracum and has
four children, Elsie, \'irgil E.. \'ivian L. and John E., and Carrie, who died
in infancy.

Albert L. Lyons was born in 1864 and has lived all his life in Waterloo
township. On October i, 1899, he was united in marriage to Mary Eliza
Van Blaracum, daughter of John and Sarah Van Blaracum, and a sister of
the wife of his Ijrother James. Mrs. Lyons died«on May 6, 1916, when a
little over thirty-five years old, leaving three children, Arthur R., InezL. and
Willard A. There were two other children, Harold and Norman, who died
in infancy. Mary E. Lyons was born on January 30, 188 1, in \\'ayne
county, this state; her mother died when she was seven years of age and
she grew to womanhood in this count}'. Mrs. Lyons was a member of the
Christian church and ever active in the good work'^ of that congregation and
in the auxiliary .societies attached to the church. Her life was one of sim-
plicity and Christian characteristics, and she was ever ready to befriend those
in need.

In T913 .Arthur R. Lyons found in the orchard on the old home place a
Spanish silver coin of the date of 1783.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

EMERY HUSTON.

Emery Huston, advertising and assistant sales manager of the Lexing-
ton-Howard Company, manufacturers of the Lexington automobiles, at Con-
nersville, in which company he is a stockholder, was born in Connersville
and has lived there all his life. He was born on January ii, 1891, son of
Joseph Emery and Lilly (Davis) Huston, the former of whom was born in
Ohio and the latter in Indiana, who are still living in Connersville and further
and extended reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

Joseph Emery Huston was born at West Alexandria, in Preble county,
Ohio, son of John VanWinkle and Mary (Davis) Huston, the former of
whom was a general trader and merchant at that place. John V. Huston
died at West Alexandria, leaving two sons, Joseph E. and Robert T., and his
widow married Joseph Mills, after whose death she came to Lidiana, in
1908, and spent the rest of her life in Connersville, where her death occurred
on July 3, 191 5, she then being past seventy years of age. Joseph E. Huston
was reared in the Ohio village in which he was born and there became
engaged in the job-]M-inting business. He presently sold his print shop and
took a course in the Ohio State University, after which he came to Indiana
and became connected with the J. N. Huston private bank at Connersville, as
assistant cashier of the same: later becoming connected with the Conners-
ville Buggy Company, which latter connection he retained until 1893, when
he and several others organized the Connersville Blower Company and
became engaged in the manufacture of rotary and positive-pressure blowers,
one of the three such manufacturing concerns in the United States. The
Connersville Blower Company manufactures blowing machines for the
acceleration of the pressure in gas mains and for similar use in irrigation
mains and is also engaged in the manufacture of pneumatic tubes. Joseph
E. Huston and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Three chil-
dren have been born to them, the subject of this sketch having had a sister,
Marguerite, who died in infanc}', and a brother, Leland Davis, who died
at the age of nine years.

Following his graduation from the Connersville high school in 1909,
Emery Huston entered Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Indiana, and was
graduated from that institution in 1913. In that same fall he became con-
nected with the Lexington-Howard Company at Connersville, as advertising
and assistant sales manager, and has ever since occupied that position. This
company manufactures the well-known Lexington automobile and Mr.

Stnck

liolders i

n the CO

nil,:

my.

also is a ^

.loekli,,l.ler

Unue-

r Cnnip;i

im- and

otllCV

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.s -ivcs 1

lis earnest

iiiierci

al and i

mlustria

1 li

to of

liis

home cil

V. In his

F.wr.TTi: rorxTv. ixniAx.

Hnston is one of ih
in the Conners\ille
attention to the co
pohtical views Mr, Huston is "independent" and skives liis tiiouglitful atten-
tion to local civic affairs, bnt has not been a i)arlicularly active participant
in political matters.

On Xo\eniher iS, ii)[4. lunery Huston was united in marriaijc to
Xellie Ansted. who was born at Indianapolis. January lo. iSyi. daughter of
Edward Willard and Catherine (Pnirk) .\nste(l. who later became residents
of Connersville, where Edward W. .\nsted has lonj,^ taken a leading- position
in the cotrimercial and industrial life of the city. Mrs. Huston is a member
of the Catholic church. .Mr. Huston is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity,
in the afifairs of which he took an active interest during his college days and
in which he still retains the liveliest interest. He and his wife have a very
pleasant home at Connersville and take a pro])cr interest in the general social
activities of the city, helpful factors in the promotion of their home town's
best interests.

FRAXKLIX M. WORSHAM.

The late Franklin M. Worsham. for years one of Fairview township's
most substantial farmers, was a native son of Fayette county and lived here
all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm on the banks of the NVhite
Water, two miles south of Connersville, April 9. 1829, son of Jeremiah and
Nancy ( Fullin ) Worsham. who were among the earliest settlers of this
county.

Jeremiah Worsham, a Virginian, came up here from Brookville in 181 1
and became a permanent resident of Fayette county, useful and iiiHuential
in the early days of the settlement around Connersville. He was born in
Washington county. Virginia, in 1786, and in 181 1 came over into Indiana
Territory, stopping for awhile at the settlement at Brookville and coming
on up into Fayette county in that same year, entering land and settling on the
banks of White Water, two miles south of the Connersville settlement. Not
long after coming here he married Nancy Fullin. who was born in Ten-
nessee in 1795 and who had come to Indiana with her parents in 181 1. the
family locating in Fayette county. To that union were Ijorn thirteen children,
William W., Elizabeth, Ruth. Malinda, Samuel, Robert, lohn ].. George
(71)

1122 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

W., Franklin M., Jeremiah. Charles W., Joseph T. and Sarah. Jeremiah
VVorsham, the pioneer, remained on the farm on which he first settled for
about ten years, at the end of which time he moved to another farm he had
purchased over west of Connersville and on that latter place spent the
remainder of his life, his death occurring on October 20, 1861. His wife
had preceded him to the grave more than two years, her death occurring
on July 16, 1859. Jeremiah Worsham was a good farmer and an excellent
business man and at the time of his death was the owner of more than five
hundred acres of land in this county. He was one of the most active pioneers
in the western part of the county and did much for the early development
of that section. Jeremiah Worsham is accredited with the arrest of the
first man ever hung in Rush county, Swanson, who was tried and convicted
of the crime of murder. Following the murder of his victim, Swanson got
away and the hue and cry went out over this part of the country. Mr.
Worsham found the fugitive sleeping in a clearing on his farm with his
rifle over his arm. Standing over the sleeping murderer, with a handspike
raised for action, Mr. Worsham woke the fugitive, with the remark, "Swan-
son, I've got to take you.'' Swanson replied, "^^''ell, you've got me," and
he accompanied his captor without resistance, being taken to Rushville,
where his trial, conviction and execution shortly followed.

Franklin M. Worsham grew up on the paternal farm west of Conners-
ville and was thus thoroughly familiar with pioneer conditions in this sec-
tion of the state. After his marriage, in the spring of 1856, he startea
farming on his own account on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres he
had bought in section 25 of Fairview township and there established his
home. He later bought additional land there, becoming the owner of one
hundred and eighty-three acres, the original parchment deed for a part of
which, granted to William H. Russell in 1821 and signed by President Mon-
roe, is still in the possession of the family, which continues to retain the
home farm since the death of Mr. Worsham. Franklin M. Worsham was
a Democrat and ever gave a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs,
although he never was included in the office-seeking class.

On March 13, 1856, in the adjoining county of Rush, Franklin M.
Worsham was united in marriage to Mary S. Newbold, who was born in
this county on March 5, 1835, on a pioneer farm on the Rushville pike, about
three miles west of Connersville, a daughter of Robert H. and Jemima
(Messersmith) Newbold, early settlers in that part of Fayette county. Robert
H. Newbold was born in Delaware, a son of Robert Newbold, who came here
with his family in pioneer days. The senior Robert Newbold was the son

K\NKTrK rol XTV, INDIANA. I I 23

oi another Kulicrt Xewljold and his nicilhcr is said to have iieen a tlaughter
uf Caesar Rodney, of Delaware, one of the signers of the Dechiration of
Independence. After the survey of the highway l^tween Connersville and
Rushville, Robert H. Newbold took the contract for clearing the first three
miles of that road west of Connersville and faithfully fulfilled his contract,
clearing off the timber and building the mad, and after the cunipictiun of
the same acted for some tmie as stage dri\er hctwecn Ciinners\ille and Kusli-
vilie, later for some time cn,i;ageil in frei.t;lilin;;- iK'tween Cunnersvilk' and Cin-
cinnati.

To Franklin ]\I. and Mary S. (Xewboldj W'orsham nine children were
born, namely: Armilda, wife of J. B. Wiles, of Fairview township; Saman-
tha A., who died on January 21, 1917: John T., who died on October 28,
1902; Robert F., who continues to make his h(3me on the old home farm
and assist his brother Alva in the management of the same; Martha M., who
also remains on the home farm; Albert H. S., who, on November 28, 1894,
married Laura Jonas and is now living in Chicago; Alva P. B., who is con-
tinuing to operate the home farm in Fairview township; William M., who
is a druggist, and Daisy E., who, on November 8, 191 1, married Rowland
Murray and now lives at Indianapolis. Franklin M. Worsham died at his
home in Fairview township on April 2, 1897, and his widow survived him
for nearly twenty years, her death occurring on January 15, 191 7. She was
not a member of any church, Init always held to the Baptist faith. The
W'orsham brothers are Democrats and ha\e e\er given their interested atten-
tion to local civic afifairs.

WILLARD ROBIXSOX.

Willard Robinson, one of Harrison township's well-known and sub-
stantial farmers and trustee of that township, was born in that t(j\vnship
and has lived there all his life. He was born on December jt,. 1872, smi of
Erastus and Frances (Smith) Robinson, both natives of Indiana, the former
bom in this county and the latter in the neighboring county of Rush, and the
latter of whom is still living at her home in Harrison township, the place
where her husband was born and where he spent all his life.

Erastus Robinson was born on a pioneer farm in Harrison townshi]),
this county, April 8, 1841, son of Lewis and Mehitable (Ellis) Robinson,
natives of New York state and pioneers of this county, where their last days
were spent. Lewis Robinson was born on June 10, 1791, near Trumans-

FAVKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA..

burg, between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake, in New York, and there grew
to manhood. On May 20, 1821, he married Mehitable Ellis, who was born
in that same neighborhood on November 21, 1800, and in 1823 came West
to what then were regarded as the "wilds" of Indiana and settled in Favette
county, where he established his home. Upon coming to this part of the
country, Lewis Robinson came by flatboat down the Susquehanna and Ohio
rivers to North Bend, Ohio, where for a time he worked for Gen. ' /illiam
Henry Harrison, afterward governor of Indiana and President of the United
States, presently coming on up into Indiana and locating on a homestead
farm in the vicinity of the Yankeetown school in Harrison township, this
county, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in May, 1844.
His widow survived him a little more than thirty years, her death occurring
on July 14, 1874. Lewis Robinson was a shoemaker and a farmer. He and
his wife were earnest members of the Baptist church, he having been for
years a deacon in the church, and their children were reared in that faith.
There were seven of these children, of whom Erastus Robinson was the last-
born, the others being as follows: Mary, who married Lorenzo Carver;
Elias, who was born on April 9, 1825, and who died in Madison county, this
state; Rachel M., who married Daniel T. Taylor; Minerva, who married
Jonathan Ward: Martilla, wlio married Lemuel Leffingwell, and Eunice, who
married Hiram Hiltibidle.

Reared on the home farm in Harrison township, Erastus Robinson spent
all his life there. He was not yet three years of age when his father died
and after the other children had grown up and moved away he remained on
the farm with his mother and later came into possession of the farm, where
he continued his farming operations until his death. He was a man of high
character and of much native ability and served as administrator or executor
of a number of estates lying in the locality of his home. In 1863 Erastus
Robinson married Frances E. Smith, who was born at Raleigh, in Rush
county, this state. May 30, 1840, a daughter of Eli and Minerva (McCann)
Smith, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of this state. Eli Smith
was but a child when his parents, John and Margaret (Groves) Smith came
from Kentucky to Indiana, locating in the Fairview neighborhood in this
county, and tliere he grew to manhood. He married Minerva McCann, who
was born and reared at Raleigh, over in Rush county, a daughter of William
and Minerva ( Monger) McCann, and made his home at Raleigh until the
death of his wife in 1843, when he moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where
he lived until the California gold craze broke out in 1849. He joined a party
headed for the gold fields of California and never again was heard from by

IMIUC i<\

Ikt paternal

Indiana

<m a visit to

il Iktc.

inarryin<; him

I-AVl^TTF. IdlNTV, INDIA:

his family. His ilau.i;lit(.T. h'ranco. <;rc\v iij) in
grandparents at Little Ruck and in iS()0 came ha^
kinsfolk. Here she met l'>astns Udl.inscm and ret
in 1863, as noted above. Mr. Kol.inscin died at his Imme in I larri-^Mii township
in March. 1906. He was a member of the l!ai)tist ehnreh. as is bis widow,
and their children were reared in that faith. Tiiere were six ni these chil-
dren, <?f whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in (irder nl birth, the
others being as follow: Eli, who died in 1S98, leaving a widow ami two
children, who live near the old Robinson homestead; I'Jiima E., who mar-
ried Herbert Taylor and lives in that same neighborhood; Lessie Belle, who
died when twenty-two months of age; Lewis, of Connersville, and Donovan
S.. who is farming near the old homestead place, and owns part of the old
place.

W'illard Robinson grew to manlKJod nu the old home place, where his
father spent all his life, and received his schooling in the public schools in
that neighborhood. From boyhood he was a valued assistant in the labors
of improving and developing the home farm and remained there imtil his
marriage in 1894, when he bought the old Hawkins Hackleman homestead
fiirm of one hundred and thirty acres in the northwest (|uarter of section 14
of Harrison township, just west of ("onnersx ille, and there made his Imnie for
six years, at the end of which time, in the sjjring of 1903, he sold the jilace
and bought the farm just west of the Hackleman place, a very well-iniprcived
place of sixty-eight acres, where he since has made his home and where he
and his wife are quite pleasantly situated. Mr. Robinson is a Republican
and from the days of his boyhfwd has taken an active interest in party affairs,
giving close attention to local politics. In the fall of 1914 he w-as elected
trustee of Harrison township and is now serving the public in that important
capacity. He and his wife are members of the Christian church and take a
pr< per interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the
general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in pm-
n.oting all agencies designed to advance the common welt'are.

On December 25, 1894, W'illard Robinson was united in marriage to
Adelia Hackleman, who was born on the old Hackleman homesteail, now
the ThieLaud farm, alx)ve referred to, a dau.ghter of Hawkins and Sallie
(Wolfe) Hackleman, members of old families in this county, the former
of whom died on October 10. 1894, and the latter. July 12. 1904. The
Hacklemans of Fayette county are descended frum .Michael Hackleman,
who was born in Germany about 1720 and who cmignited to .\merica when
seventeen vears of age. being bound li. a Maryland or I'ennsvlvania farmer

J 120 FAYKTTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

for three years to pay his passage. He finally cleared twenty-si.x acres of
timber land and thus squared his account. In the spring of 1751 Michael
Hacklemaji married Mary .Sailors and settled on a farm overlooking the Sus-
quehanna river, near the line separating Pennsylvania from Maryland. He
died in the Abbeville district of South Carolina in 1808, leaving five children,
one of whom, Jacob Hackleman, on September 20, 1773, married Mary
Osborne, who was born in Maryland, a daughter of Thomas Osborne. Soon
after his marriage Jacob Hackleman moved to Lincoln county. North Caro-
lina, where he was living during the Revolutionary War period. He ser\-ed
as a soltlier of the patriot army during tliat war until he was so badly
wounded in the arm that he could no longer serve and he then hired John
Grant to ser\e the remainder of his term of enlistment. In 1784 Jacob
Hackleman moved with his family to the Abbeville district of South Caro-
lina, where he remained about twenty years, at the end of which time, in
1804, he moved to Boone county, Kentucky, settling on the river opposite
North Bend, Ohio. Two or three years later he came over into Indiana Terri-
tory and settled on the White Water, three miles above Harrison, where he
remained five years, at the end of which time he came on up into Fayette
count) and located in the foutlieast rjuarter of section 1 1 in Harrison town-
ship, where he remained until 1821, when he moved to Rush count}', where
he died on January 16, 1829.

Jacob Hackleman had a large family, among his sons being Isaac Hackle-
man, born on March 26, 1780, who, July 2, 1801, married "Elizabeth Hawkins,
who was born on May 22, 1783. Immediately after his marriage Isaac
Hackleman and his wife came out to Indiana Territory and located in Dear-
born county, about two and one-half miles from Harrison, and it was there that
Hawkins Hackleman was born on January 6, 1810. Five years later,*in 18 15.
Isaac Hackleman and his family moved on up the White \\'ater valley and
located on a farm in Harri«on townsbii), this county, near the present village
of Harrisliurg, thus b.aving been rmong the very earliest settlers in that part
of Fayette county, and it was there that Hawkins Hackleman grew to man-
hood. There Isaac Hackleman and his wife spent the rest of their lives, the
latter dying on July 3, 1835, and the former surviving until December 10,
1844. Hawkins Hackleman early took an active part in local afifairs in the
pioneer neighborhood in which he was reared. His first schooling was
obtained in a primitive log school house that had oiled pajier instead of glass
for window panes, and he recalled the time when the present important city of
Conncrsville con-irted of a block hou.=e and a small cluster of log cabins in the
woods. Durino- his vouno- manhood, as was customary in those davs, h:

iavi:ttf. coiNTv, indiaxa. 1 127

attended tlie "imister>" three times a year aiul he belonged to llie "Mat l-'<»it
Company." I'nmi the lime he was se\enteen years of age he usually made four
or tive trips to Cincinnati eaeh tall, driving hogs, receiving for such service
Iwenty-tive cents a day. Ifuring the summer of i8jS, he then being eighteen
years of age. he worked two months at making shoes, at a wage of si.K dol-
lars a month. On December 29, 1^31, Hawkins Hackleman married Sallie
A. Wolfe, who was born near (ieorgetown, in Scott county, Kentucky,
November 14. 1814, a daughter of David Wolfe and wife, who came U]) into
Indiana in 1824 and'settled in tiiis county. Tnassistcd, Hawkins Hackleman
made his own wedding shoes and his bride made her own weilding dress, a
frock of white. Their wedding was cnnducted in true ])ii)neer f;rshi<in, with
the subse(|uent "infare." to which tliey mde horseback. In 1S32 Hawkins
Hackleman engaged in mercantile business in Rush county, but presently
abandoned that business and returned to Fayette county, w^here, from 1837
to the time of his death, he made his home in the southeastern jiart of Har-
rison township, a substantial and influential citizen of that coninniniiy. his
influence ever being exerted in behalf of public improvement and all good
agencies.

]\Irs. Robinson taught school aliout eight years before her marriage and
she and her husband are members of the Labyrinth Club; she is also a mem-
lier of the Sesame Club and a charter and associate member of the Review
Club.

FRED W. F1SH1-:R.

I'red W. l"i>hcr. one of Connersville's Ijest-known and most progressive
merchants and the proprietor of an up-to-date and well-stocked grocery store
on Summit a\enue in that cit\ and another grocery store in the village of
Harrisburg, is a native of the old Buckeye .state, but has been a resident of
this state since the days of his young manhood and of hayette county since
1901. He was born in the city of Hamilton, Ohio, .\ugust i"/, 1867. son of
John and Mary (Young) Fisher, natives of the kingdom of Bavaria, who
had come to this country with their respective parents during the days of
their infancv, both families locating at Hamilton. Ohio, where they grew up
and were married and where they s])ent the remainder of their lives. John
Fisher was a shoemaker.

Reared at Hamilton. I'red W. I'isher received iiis schooling in the
schools of that city and thcve learned the trade of niolder. When eighteen

I 128 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

years of age, in 1885, he came to Indiana and located at Richmond, where
he began working at his trade and there a few years later was married. He
continued working as a molder at Richmond until 1901, when he moved to
Connersville, where he began working in the factory of the P. H. & F. M.
Roots Company and was thus engaged for four years, at the end of which
time, in 1905, he moved to Harrisburg and there engaged in the grocery
business. In October, 19 13, Mr. Fisher bought a grocery store at 310 Sum-
mit avenue, in the city of Connersville, and has since conducted the same, as
well as his store at Harrisburg, and has been quite successful in business.
Upon taking over the store at Connersville Mr. Fisher moved to that city
with his family and has since made that place his home, he and his family
being very pleasantly situated.

In 1887, at Richmond, Fred W. Msher was united in marriage to Mary
Mason, who was born and reared in that city, a daughter of John and Ger-
trude (Heinzleman) Mason, the former a native of Scotland and the latter
of Germany. John Mason was engaged in the bakery business at Richmond,
as was his father before him, and there he spent his last days. His widow
later made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Fisher and spent her last days at
their home in Harrisburg. To Fred W. and Mary (Mason) Fisher seven
children have been born, namely: Theodore, who died at the age of two
years and six months, and Carl, Ralph, Reginald, Roland, Gertrude and
Mary. Carl Fisher married Hazel Berkheiser and lives at 310 Summit ave-
nue, Connersville. Fred W. Fisher is a member of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest in the afifairs of that popular
organization. He is an energetic business man and gives his earnest atten-
tion to all movements designed to advance the general material welfare of
his home citv.

OMER DONIKER.

Omer Doniker, one of Posey township's well-known and substantial
farmers and the proprietor of a tine farm where he now lives, two miles
south of Bentonville, besides other land in the county, was bom in Posey
township and has li\ed there all his life. He was born on October 4, 1869,
son of Martin and Levona (Shipley) Doniker, both of whom spent their last
days in Posey township.

Martin Doniker was born in Germany on January 9. 1815, and lived
there until he was about twenty-three years of age, when, following the

KAYKTTK CorNTV, INDIANA. I I 29

expiraticin of liis term of military service, he came to tliis country and located
at Cincinnati, where he found work at his trade as :\ tailor, later coming up
into Indiana and locatinj^- at Connersxille. There he worked as a tailor until
iiis marriage, after which he moved onto the Templeton Beeson farm, two
and one-half miles west of Bentonville, where he farmed until after the death
of his wife a])out ^Sy;^, he being left with three small children, whom he was
compelled to place in the hands of kind neighbors for rearing. After the
death of his wile Mr. Doniker remained on the Beeson farm, in the employ
of Mr. Beeson, and w'as thus engaged until after his children had grown up
and established homes for themselves, when he began making his home
alternately with the children and thus spent the remainder of his life, his
death occurring at the home of his son, Omer, the subject of this sketch, on
January i6, 1902. His wife, who was born Levona Shipley, daughter of
Adam Shipley, was born on a farm in the northwestern part of Posey
township, this county, and was twice married, by her first husband, S. \V.
Hendricks, having had two children, namely : Mrs. Phoebe \'are, widow
of Ora \'are, who is now making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Bright,
at Indianapolis, and San ford Hendricks, who lives in Berrien county,
Michigan. By her marriage to Mr. Doniker she was the mother of three
children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Jennie, who married
Benjamin Copeland and now li\es on a farm four miles north of Conners-
ville, and Anna, who married .\l<inzo Wallace and after his death married
his cousin. Linville Wallace, and li\es at Milton, over the line in Wayne
county.

Omer Doniker was but four _\ears of age when his mother died and he
was taken in charge by Mrs. Hester bdorea, who lived in the southwestern
part of Posey township and who died when he w'as seven or eight years
of age. Two of her sons, Thomas and .Albert Florea, remained on the farm
and Omer Doniker remained with them and continued making his home on
that farm, later working fi r Dr. J. M. Patterson, whose wife, a niece of
Mr. I'lorea, became the owner of the ])lace and thus continued luitil he was
nineteen years of age, when he began "working out" for others, .\fter his
marriage in 1892 Air. Doniker began farming for himself on the old Leven
Ferguson farm in the southeastern part of Posey townshij). now the I'>ank
Florea farm. .\ \car later he moved to the Carver farm that had belonged
to his wife's father and lived there until \()Oj. when he moved to the farm
on which he is now residing, two miles south of Bentonville, and there has
made his home ever since. In addition to the well-im])roved farm of ninety
acres on which he makes his home Mr. Doniker als(j is the owner of f)ne

I 130 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

liundred and forty acres of the old Carxer farm and is doing very well in his
farming operations. In his political faith he is a Republican and takes a
proper interest in the general ci\ic affairs of the community, but has not
been a seeker after public office.

Mr. Doniker has been twice married. On February 24, 1892, he was
tmited in marriage to Myrtle E. Caldwell, who was born on a farm in section
30 of Posey township, a daughter of Enoch and Sarah Jane (Scott) Cald-
well, the former of whom was born on a pioneer farm in the northwestern
part of Harrison township, a son of Joseph and Salena (Ferguson) Cald-
well, pioneers of that community and further and fitting reference to whom
is made elsewhere in this volume. Enoch Caldwell grew up on the old Cald-
well farm where Scott Caldwell now lives, and after his marriage bought the
farm now owned by Cleve Caldwell in the northwestern part of Harrison
township. From that place he moved to what is now known as the Carver
farm on the southern edge of Posey township^ a place of one hundred and
forty-six acres, where his daughters. Myrtle and Sylvia, were born. From
that place he moved to the Train Caldwell farm, two miles south of Benton-
\ille, this giving him the ownership of three farms. In 1880 he moved back
to his first farm and he and his brothers, Horace and Alexander, and their
father there conducted a dairy farm. Enoch Caldwell there spent the re-
mainder of his life, his death occurring there in March, 1885. His widow
survived him just ten years, her death also occurring on that farm. In his
earlier manhood Enoch Caldwell was one of the best-known school teachers
in Fayette coitnty. He later served as a justice of the peace in and for his
home township and as assessor of the same and in many ways did well his
part in behalf of the community in which he spent all his life. He and his
wife were the parents of five children and the family were earnest members
of the Christian church. These children were Cora. Sylvia. Myrtle, Alice
and Scott. Cora Caldwell, now deceased, was the wife of L. K. Tingley.
Alice Caldwell is the wife of Fred M. Hackleman. Scott Caldwell lives on
the old home farm. Myrtle Caldwell, first wife of Omer Doniker. died on
December 18, 1905, and on September 17, 1907, her widowed sister, Sylvia,
married Mr. Doniker. By his first marriage Mr. Doniker is the father of
three children, Russell Harold. Lester E. and Ruth Levona, all of whom are
at home. Mr. Doniker and his family belong to the Christian church and
he is a member of Eodge No. 84 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mrs. Sylvia Doniker was first married on September 16, 1896, to W^ell-
ington Beeson, who was born near Beeson's Station, over the line in Wayne
county, a son of Mark and Ellen ( Harvey) Beeson, both of whom were born

FAVETTK COl'NTV, INDIANA. II3I

in that same neigliburlKKHl. 'I'lie llceson family, (Hic ..f tlie olik-st in tliis
part of the state, tinds furtlier and littiiii^' mentidii elsewliere in tlii> vohniie,
the family havin.t;- been ])r(>niinently representeil in this cmnmunitv since
pioneer days. Wellint^tim I'leescin -rew up on the old lieesdn home place
and lived there until his marriage tn Sylvia ("aldwell, after which he moved
to a farm one mile south of the present home of the Donikers and there he
spent the rest of liis life, his death occurring there on Xovcmljer 5, 1899.
He left a widow and two daughters, Eva and [""ern. His widow and daugh-
ters continued living on that farm until her marriage to Mr. Doniker. .She
still owns the farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres. Tiie Donikers
have a very pleasant hi me and fke an intcresteil part in the general soci.al
activities of their heme community, helpful in all gddd causes.

GABRIEL GIXX PcnVELL.

Gabriel Ginn Powell, one of the best-known and most sulistantial farm-
ers of Eayette count\- and the pro[)rietor of a line farm of two hundred and
forty acres, the old Powell homestead in the northeast corner of I'airview
tow^nship, rural mail route No. 15 out of Rentonville, was born on that farm
and has lived there all his life. He was born on August 13, 1848, a son of
Isiac and Mary \'iola (Ginn) I'owell, the former a native of Kentucky and
the latter of this county, whose last days were spent on the farm on which
their son, the subject of this sketch, is now living.

Isaac Powell was binii in Xichohis c<iunt\-, Kentucky, in 1810, and was
about fifteen years of age when his parents Zeiias and Charity ( P.aker)
Powell came up into Indiana with their famil_\- in 1825 and settled in this
countv, where their last days were spent. Zenas Powell was a well-to-do
farmer of the Carlisle neighliorhood in Kentucky, Init when the settlement
up here in this part of Indiana began to expand so promisingly in the early
twenties he determined to put in his lot with that of the settlers here and in
1825 he and his wife and all of their children save their eldest son, Nathan,
came here seeking a permanent location. Zenas Powell entered the south-
east (|uartcr of section 34 in IIarri>(jn township, a little more than a mile
northeast of Harrisburg, and there established his home in the then wilder-
ness. Xot long afterward his wife, Charity, died and- he married again and
for a time thereafter lived at Milton, but presently moved to a farm two
miles west of his old home and there he spent bis last days, hi.s death occurring

I 132 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

on April 2-j. 1857. His son, Zenas Powell, Jr., bought the interests of the
others heirs in the place and there he farmed the rest of his life. Zenas
Powell, Jr., was born near Carlisle, Kentucky, October 12, 1805, and was
twenty years of age when he came to this county with his parents. Here he
married Lydia Caldwell, who was born on the farm now owned by Scott
C''.ldwell, northwest of Harrisburg, the southwest quarter of section 34, ad-
joining the old Powell home, a daughter of Joseph and Miriam (Chadwick)
Caldwell, the former of whom, a native of Maryland, was one of the earliest
settlers in this county, having been one of the occupants of the old blockhouse
back in the days when the Indians were troublesome. Miriam Chadwick
was born in North Carolina and also was among the early arrivals in Fayette
county, her parents having come here in pioneer days. Zenas Powell, Jr.,
died on September 17. 1883, and his widow survived him until January 23,
1899. They were the parents of nine children, namely: Pewis F., long
since deceased; Mary Jane, who married Horace H. Elwell and is now
deceased; Emmaline, who married I. Zeller and is now deceased; Charity,
also deceased, who was the second wife of L Zeller; Eliza, who died when
two years of age ; Malinda, who died unmarried ; James, who died in child-
hood; Margaret, who is still living on the old home farm, and Sarah Cath-
erine, wife of L. L. Broadus. of Connersville.

When twenty years of age, about five years after his arrival in this
county, Isaac Powell married Elizabeth Dale, who was born on a pioneer
farm one mile west and one mile north of Harrisburg, a daughter of Alex-
ander Dale and wife, pioneers of Fayette county, who later moved to Wabash
county, and to that union seven children were born, namely: Stjuire, who
went to Philadelphia and married there, but came home with consumption
and here died ; Harriet, who married Hugh A. Dickey and now lives in
Grant county, this state ; Enos, who moved to Wabash county and died in the
city of Wabash; Nancy, who married James Ross, of Wabash county, and
died there; Alfred, who died in childhood; William Joseph, and another
who died in infancy. The mother of these children died in 1846 and in
1847 Isaac Powell married Mary \^iola Ginn, who was born in 1821 on a
pioneer farm in the Nulltown neighborhood in Columbia township, this
county, a daughter of Gabriel and Hannah (Wood) Ginn, early settlers in
<,hat community, who liafl come up here from Kentucky. Hannah Wood
was born near Havre de Grace, Maryland, and was but four years of age
when her parents moved to Kentucky, where she grew to womanhood and
where she married Gabriel Ginn, later coming up into Indiana and settling in
this county. About 1836 Gabriel Ginn moved from the Nulltown settle-

l\^l-.lll-. C()l.\l\, INDIANA. 'I33

ment to Connersville and (.'.stalilislicd liis hnrnv at llic iioinl now occupied by
The Big Four freight depot and was living there during eanal davs. His
wife taught school for some time in their home there, (iahriel ( iinn look
an active part in public atiairs in those days and for seven years served as
clerk of the court.

To Isaac and iNlary \'iola (Ginn) Powell were horn hve children, of
whom the subject of this sketch was the hrst-horn, the others being Thomas
Jefferson, Mary Elizabeth, Samuel K. and Sarah Desdemona, all of whom
are living save the two last named. Thomas Jefferson Powell is a well-
known farmer of this county, who lives on the Dan Lewis farm, a mile east
of Fairview. Mary Elizabeth Powell married George Looney and is now
living at Rushville. Sarah D. Powell married John Matthews, of Arling-
ton, and died about two years ago. In 1880 Samuel K. Powell married Ida
Murph}- and began farming in the north edge of Fairview township. He
was killed in an accident on Christmas night in 1891, and left a widow and
three children, Mary Estella, Donald G. and Homer. Mary Estella Powell
married Oliver Manlove, a farmer in Posey township, and has two children,
Elsie Louise and Robert G. Donald G. Powell lives on the farm just west
of the old Powell homestead in the north edge of Fairview township. He
married Meta Chance and has two children, Lowell C. and Helen Lorene.
Homer Powell, who married Ruby Dickey, is farming the old Powell farm
and lives in a separate house on that farm. For eight years or more during
the days of his young manhood, Samuel K. Powell was a school teacher,
teaching in the schools at Fairview and at Falmouth and the P>aker school at
"Yankeetown." He was an active Republican, was interested in the Patriotic
Order of the Sons of America and in the local lodge of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows and was a member of the Christian church, as is his widow,
who is now living on the old Isaac Powell farm, keeping house for her
brother-in-law. the subject of this sketch. She was horn at Hamilton, Ohio,
in i860, daughter of Cornelius and Katherine (Mason) Murphy, both of
whom also were born in that cit)-. and who came to this county when their
daughter, Ida, was about four years of age and settled in the Bentonville
neighborhood. There Cornelius Murphy died in 1879. His widow is now
living in Cincinnati.

Isaac Powell became one of the most sulistantial farmers in the wesicrn
part of the county and had a wide acquaintance throughout the county, this
acquaintance being enlarged by his years of activity as an auctioneer and
particularly as a crier at live-stock sales, he thus coming to know nearly
everybody in the county. For some time he served as cnunty assessor and

I 134 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

in other ways contributed to the public service. After his marriage in 1830
he and his wife started keeping house in a cabin on his father's farm, but
shortly afterward bought the farm in the northeastern corner of Fairview
township, where he spent the remainder of his life and where his son, the
subject of this sketch is now living. Very little, if any, of that land was
cleared at the time he bought it and he had a difficult task in clearing the
place and bringing it under cultivation. One field near the house he cleared
while the timber was still green and the fertility of that particular field was
permanently impaired thereby.

Gabriel G. Powell has always lived on the farm where he was born and
is a lifelong farmer. For years he has given close attention to the raising
of high-grade horses and hogs, and has a fine lot of draft horses and pure-
bred Duroc-Jersey hogs. He is the owner of two hundred and forty acres
of excellent land and is accounted one of the most substantial farmers in
that part of the county. Like his father, Mr. Powell is genial and hospitable
in his demeanor and is widely known throughout the county. Though he
has never married he is not wanting in natural affection, for he remained
with his parents in their old age and ever since the death of his brother,
Samuel K. Powell, has been like a father to the latter's children.

BURL EDDY.

Burl Eddy, a former well-known business man of Gonnersville, now
living on a well-improved farm that he owns on the western edge of Golum-
bia township, this county, was born in that township on April 14, 1867, and
has lived in this county all his life. He is a son of George Willis and Louisa
(Cox) Eddy, both now deceased, the former of whom also was a native of
Fayette county and the latter of the neighboring county of Franklin.

George Willis Eddv, former trustee of Columbia township, was born
on a pioneer farm in that township, in 1828, a son of Jonathan and Jane
(Hall) Eddy, early settlers in that community. Jonathan Eddy was born
in Massachusetts about the year 1798 and in the days of his young manhood,
about 1819, came to Indiana with the Perrin family and others and bought
land in Columbia township, this county, where he spent the most of the
remainder of his life. He was a quite well-to-do farmer for that period and
in addition to his home farm in this county was the owner of a farm in
Marion county, occupying the present site of Irvington, the eastern annex
to the city of Indianapolis. He and his wife were the parents of three chil-
dren, James, ]\Irs. Nancy Jane Allen and George Willis.

KAVKTTi-. cnrxTv, ixniANA. 1 135

Reared on tlie homesteail farm in Columbia township. George W. luUly
grew up familiar with the trials and hardships of pioneer living and in turn
became a farmer on his own account, spending his entire life as a farmer
in his home township. He was an excellent farmer and an active, repre-
sentative citizen of the community in which he li\ed. for some years serv-
ing most acceptably as trustee of his home township. He died on April 10,
1904, and his widow survived him for more than twelve years, her death
occurring on July 23, 1916. She was born, Louisa Cox, on a farm in the
neighborhood of Andersonville, in Franklin county, this state, a daughter of
Joseph and Anna (Paisley) Cox, natives of Virginia, who had lived in both
Kentucky and Ohio before coming to this state and who moved from here
to Illinois, where their last days were spent. George W. Eddy and his wife
were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the
second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Ellsworth, who lives
on a farm near Columbia; William, who died on September i, 1873, at the
age of nineteen years; Anna, who married Timothy Carroll, after whose
death she married George McCombs, of Connersville, and died at her home
in that city on I\lay 5, 191 1, and Viola, who married James Carroll and died
in 1886.

Burl Eddv was reared on the home farm in Columbia township, receiv-
ing his schooling in the local schools, and early learned the tinner's trade at
Connersville, where he presently established a tin-shop of his own and for
years did a general business in tinning, roofing and in installing furnaces,
following his trade in that city for about twenty-five years, at the end of
which time, in June, 1913. he retired from business in the city and moved
back to the old Eddy homestead in Columbia township. Two years later he
bought his present farm of one hundred and fourteen acres on the west edge
of that same township and has since made his home there, engaged in gen-
eral farming, in which he has been quite successful.

On March 30, 1898, Burl Eddy was united in marriage to Margaret
Leona Stevens, who also was born in Columbia township, this county, a
daughter of William J. and Ellen (Stephen) Stevens, the latter of wdiom
died more than sixteen years ago and the former of whom is now making his
home with his daughter, Mrs. Eddy. William J. Stevens was born at I^aurel,
in the neighboring county of Franklin, August 6, 1853, a son of Abner and
Elizabeth (Hires) Stevens, the former of whom was born in this county and
the latter in the state of Pennsylvania. Abner Stevens was born and reared
in Harrison township, this county, a son of Charles and Letitia (Thorp)
Stevens, early settlers in that part of P'ayette county. Charles Stevens was

I [36 FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

bDrn ill \'irginia and when a child moved with his parents to Kentucky,
where he was reared. As a young- man he came up into Indiana, locating in
Harrison township, this county, about two miles north of Connersville, in
1820. While living there he married Letitia Thorp, a member of one of the
first families to settle in Fayette county, and after his marriage took up a
tract of "Congress land" in the southwestern part of Columbia township,
where he lived until his retirement in old age, his last days being spent with
his daughter, Mrs. Cotton. Abner Stevens was but a child when his parents
moved from Harrison township to Columbia township and on the home farm
in the litter township he grew to manhood. After his marriage he located
at Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin and there made his home
until after three of his children were born, when he returned to this county
and located on his old home farm in Columhia township, where his wife died
in 1900. She was born, Elizabeth Hires, in Pennsylvania, and was but a
child when her parents, John and Sarah Hires, came to Indiana and located
at Laurel, where her father was for years engaged in the grocery business.
After the death of his wife Abner Stevens retired from the farm and there-
after made his home with his children, his death occurring at Connersville
in 1908. He and his wife were members of the United Brethren church
and their children were reared in that faith. There were six of these chil-
dren, five sons and one daughter. Mary Ellen, the only daughter, died at
the age of seven years. The five sons, Charles, William J., Alonzo, Curtis
and I'^ranklin, all lived to maturity.

William J. Stevens remained on the home farm until his marriage in
1875 to Ellen Stephen, daughter of Levi and Elizabeth (Walker) Stephen,
and then jjegan farming on his own account and has remained a life-long
farmer. His wife died on November 30, 1900, and since then he has been
making his home with Mr. and Mrs. Eddy. To him and his wife four
children were liorn, those besides Mrs. Eddy, the first-born, being Clara,
wife of Harry Smith, superintendent of the county infirmary; Clifford G., a
farmer in the southwestern part of Columbia township, who married Nora
Revalee and has four children, Ethel, Marie, Evan and Frances, and Benja-
min, a furnace setter, living at Indianapolis, who married Sarah Spears and
has one child, a daughter. Fern. Mr. and Mrs. Eddy have two children,
sons both, George William and Theodore Chime. Mr. Eddy is a member
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias and
takes an active interest in the affairs of both of these organizations.

FAVKTTi: COUNTY. INDIANA. II37

HEXRY p. DOKXGKS.

Henry P. Doenges. of Connersville. one of the most liit,'hly skilled pattern-
makers in this part of the country, was hern at Lawrenceburg, Indiana,
August II, i860, son of Simon and Amelia ( Kring) Doenges. and is a
brother of Simon Doenges, postmaster of Connersville, whose biographical
sketch presented elsewhere in this volume gives a full account of the Doenges
family in this part of the country.

Until he was sixteen years of age Henry P. Doenges continued to live
at Lawrenceburg, where he received his schooling and where he learned the
rudiments of the cabinet-maker's trade. He then for some time lived with
his mother's folks in various places in the West and also for a time at Indi-
anapolis, most of the time while thus moving about continuing his employ-
mentas a cabinet-maker. In 1882, he then being past twenty-one years of
age, he located at Connersville and went to work for the Connersville Furni-
ture Company and was thus engaged for the greater part of the time duf-
ing the next five or six years. He then for a time was engaged at his trade
in Wheeling and Parkersburg, West Virginia, and about 1888 returned to
Connersville, where he went to work in the blower factory of the P. II. &
F. M. Roots Company as a pattern-maker, a branch of craftsmanship which
he had acquired in addition to his knowledge of cabinet-making and general
wood-working. Ever since then Mr. Doenges has been engaged as a pattern-
maker and has done very well. He is an artist in his line of craftsmanship
and his services are in constant demand, now making patterns for both the
automobile factories at Connersville, as well as for some of the other local
factories. He takes a just pride in his labors and gives his most studious
attention to the plans entrusted to him.

In 1884, two years after locating at Connersville, Henry P. Doenges
was united in marriage to Barbara Gauck, who was born near the village
of Morris, in Ripley county, this state, a daughter of Fred and Lena (Hilde-
brand) Gauck, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Indiana.
Fred Gauck was but a child when he accompanied his parents from New
Jersey to this state, the family settling in Ripley county. His father and
mother spent their last days at Oldenburg, in Franklin county. Fred Gauck
married Lena Hildebrand, who was liorn in Ripley county, this state, daugh-
ter of John and Barbara (Schontz) Hildebrand. natives of Germany. John
Hildebrand upon coming to this country first settled in Cincimiati, but later
came on up into Indiana and settled in Ripley county, where he tx)ught a
(7^)

I 138 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

farm and where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Fred
Gauci< died in Ripley county and his widow is still living there.

Mr. and Mrs. Doenges have three children-, Flora, Martha and Ahlma.
Mrs. Doenges is a member. of the Catholic church and takes an earnest inter-
est in parish affairs. Mr. Doenges is a member of the local tribe of the
Improved Order of Red Men and takes an active interest in the afifairs of the
same.

GEORGE D. MESSERSMITFI.

George D. Messersmith, one of Columbia township's well-known and
substantial farmers and proprietor of a well-improved farm of one hundred
and eighty acres a short distance northwest of Nulltown, where he and his
family are very comfortably situated, was born in that township and has
lived there all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in that township,
September 11, 1857, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Ward) Messersmith, well-
known residents of that community, both now deceased.

Peter Messersmith also was born in Columbia township and lived there
all his life. He was born in 1834, a son of Peter and Mary (Grosslow)
Messersmith, who were born and married in Germany and who had one child
born to them in the old country, later coming to the United States and pro-
ceeding on out to Indiana, locating in this county and becoming early settlers
in Columbia township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, indus-
trious farming people. The junior Peter Messersmith was born after his
parents came to this county and farmed all his life on the old homestead in
Columbia township, where he was born and where he died in 1867. His
wife, Elizabeth Ward, was born in Preble county. Ohio, in 1831, and was
but a girl when her parents, William and Mary (Smith) Ward came over
into Indiana and located on a farm just northwest of Nulltown. in this
county, where they remained the rest of their lives. William Ward and his
wife were born in Rockingham county, Virginia, and were there married,
later moving to Ohio and after a sometime residence in Preble county moved
to Cleves, in that same state, whence, in the spring of 1837, they came on up
the valley of the Whitewater and settled on a farm near Nulltown, in Colum-
bia township, this county, where William Ward died in the following Octo-
ber, leaving his wife and four small children. The Widow Ward kept her
children together and by the exercise of courage and industry maintained
her little familv until the children were of a self-supporting age, among her

FAYETTE COUXTV, INDIANA. n ■),^)

labors having been the keeping of a hotel for Ixtarding the laborers on the
canal when the canal was being dug through that part of the country. She
lived to a good old age. her death occurring in 1894. l':iiz:ibcth Ward early
evinced an unusual interest in her studies at school and up.m completing her
schooling in the local schools became a school teacher and was thus engaged
for some years before her marriage to Peter Messersmith. To that union
five children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second
in order of birth, the others being as follow: Ida May, who died when four
years of age; Franklin, who has been dead a number of years; Marietta
Geneva, who is li\ing on the old home farm, and George, who is also living
on the old home place and farming the .same.

George D. Messersmith was ten years of age when his father died and
he grew up on the home farm near Xulltown, from boyhood an able assistant
to his widowed mother in the labors of maintaining the home place. .After
his marriage he and his wife established their home on the old Ward home-
stead in Columbia township and have ever since made that a place of resi-
dence. Mr. Messersmith is farming one hundred and eighty acres and is
doing very well, in addition to his general farming, giving considerable atten-
tion to the raising of high-grade live stock, with particular reference to
Poland China hogs, raising registered stock. Pie is a member of the local
lodges of the Knights of Pythias and of the improved order of Red Men and
in the affairs of these organizations takes a warm interest.

In 1901 George D. Messersmith was united in marriage to Stella Holmes,
who was born in Fairview township, this county, a daughter of John P. and
Ellen ( Reese ) Holmes, both natives of Indiana, the former born in I'Vank-
lin countv and the latter in this county. John P. Holmes was born on a farm
near the village of Andersonville in 1843. a son of William and Elizabeth
(Hogue) Holmes, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of \'ir-
ginia parentage, who had lived in the Andersonville neighborhood for some
years before their son. John P.. was born. When the latter was a boy in
his teens thev moved to Illinois, where both died about two years later. John
P. Holmes then returned to Indiana and l<icated in the neighborhood of Glen-
wood, where, in 1867, he married Ellen Reese, who was born in this county,
in the vicinity of Glenwood. daughter of Lorenzo and Rachel Ann (Moffett)
Reese, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. Lorenzo
Reese was born in 18 18 and was but a child when his parents, John and
Nancy (Barrett) Reese, came over into Indiana from Ohio and settled in the
neighborhood of Longwood, in this county. There Lorenzo Reese grew to
manhood and there he married Rachel Ann Moffett, who was born in Lan-

I 140 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

caster county, Pennsylvania, and who was but two years of age when her
parents, Thomas and Salome Moffett, came to Indiana and settled in the
neighborhood of Longwood, in this county. After his marriage Lorenzo
Reese located on a farm near Glenwood, where he died in 1846. His
widow married Lorenzo Springer and lived in that same neighborhood to old
age. After his marriage John P. Holmes established his home on a farm in
the Glenwood neighborhood and farmed there until in November, 1888, when
he retired from the farm and moved to Connersville, where he spent his last
days, his death occurring in 1891. Since his death his widow has spent much
of her time in the homes of her children. Stella Holmes was about seven-
teen years of age when her parents left the farm and moved to Connersville
and she was living there at the time of her marriage to Mr. Messersmith.
To that union one child has been born, a son, Forrest, born in 1905. Mr.
and Mrs. Messersmith are members of the Methodist church and take a
proper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the gen-
eral good works and social activities of the community in which they live,
helpful in advancing all movements designed to advance the common welfare.

JOSEPH A. MOORE.

Joseph A. Moore, one of Jackson township's well-known and substantial
farmers and who also for years was engaged as a carpenter and builder at
Everton, now living on the farm on which he was born in Jackson township,
was born on September 24, 1869, son of Daniel W. and Caroline (Beckett)
Moore, both of whom were born in the Everton neighborhood in this county
and there spent all their lives, influential residents of the community in which
they lived.

Daniel W. Moore was born in Jackson township, this county, January
23, 1840; a son of Anderson and Isabel (Gordon) Moore, both of whom
were born in this state, the- former in Fayette county and the latter in the
neighboring county of Franklin, and who spent all their Hves hereabout.
Anderson Moore was born on November 20, 1816, a member of one of the
first families that settled in Fayette county, and he grew up in this county.
He married Isabel Gordon, who' was born in Franklin county on March 9,
1820, and who died on November 9, 1859, and their family was reared in
this county. On March 14, 1863, Daniel W. Moore was united in marriage
to Caroline Ross, who was born in 1839 and who died in 1865. On Sep-

KAVETTE COTNTY, INDIANA. II4I

tember 20, 1866, he married, secondly, Caroline Beckett, who was born on
December 7, 1844, on a farm two miles east of Everton, a danghter of
Azariah T. and Emily (Ross) Beckett, further mention of whom is made in
a biographical sketch of their son, Azariah T. Beckett, Jr.. presented else-
where in this volume. Daniel W. Moore established his home on a farm in
section 22 of Jackson township, the place now occupied by his eldest son, the
subject of this sketch, and there spent the rest of his life, becoming the owner
of a fine farm of three hundred and thirty-two acres. He took an active
part in local civic afifairs and was twice elected trustee of Jackson township,
the first time in 1878. He also held other offices of public trust and gave
his earnest attention to the public service. He was a member of the Masonic
fraternity and a member of the Fayette County Protection Society, and he
and his wife were members of the Methodist church. His wife died aljout
eighteen years ago and he survived until May i, 1916. They were the
parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in
order of birth, the others being as follow: Nora B., who married W. H.
Snider and is now deceased; Emma, wife of Dr. A. P. Helvie, of Conners-
ville; Lafayette, a farmer of Jackson township and present trustee of that
township, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this
volume, and Alice, who married Roy Jerman and lives on a farm near Biil-
ingsville, in the neighboring county of Union.

Joseph A. Moore was reared on the farm on which he was born and
where he is now living and there he lived until his marriage at the age of
twenty-four years, when he began farming on his own account on another
farm in Jackson township, where he remained nine years, at the end of which
time he moved to Hamilton, Ohio, where for some time he was engaged
working at the carpenter trade. He then returned to this county and located
at Everton, where he engaged in business as a carpenter and builder and was
thus engaged, making Everton his home, until August 19, 1916. when he
returned to the old home farm where he was lx)rn and where he is now living,
he and his family being very comfortably situated. Though giving his chief
attention to his general farming operations. Mr. Moore, who is one of the
best-known carpenters and builders in that part of the county, continues his
operations as a builder and accepts contracts for building generally through-
out that section.

On February i. 1894, Joseph A. Moore was united in marriage to Cath-
erine Hornung, who was born at Everton, a daughter of Andrew and Caro-
line (Raber) Hornung, both of whom were natives of Germany, l)orn at

1 142 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

Hanau, Prussia, and who came to America with their respective parents about
185 1, the two famjhes locating at Cincinnati. Carohne Raber was born in
1836 and was about fifteen years of age when she came with her father to
this country, her mother having died in the old country, At Cincinnati, on
February 25, iSsg, she married Andrew Hornung, who came up into Indiana
the next year and located at Everton, in this county, where he made his home
for some years and then moved to Connersville, where he spent the rest of
his life, his death occurring there on January 3, 1889. His widow survived
him for more than eighteen years, her death occurring on July 10, 1907.
Although reared a Catholic, she was a faithful member of the Methodist
church and ever saw that her children attended the services of the church.
There were eight of these children, two of whom died in infancy and all
of the others of whom are still living save Peter, the eldest son, who died in
1913, Mrs. Moore, who is the youngest of the family, having three brothers,
George, Andrew and Frank William, and a sister, ]\Irs. ^Margaret Veach,
living.

To Joseph A. and Anna Catherine (Hornung) Moore eight children
have been born, one son and seven daughters. The only son, Edwin L., died
when three years of age. The daughters are all living, as follow ; Caroline,
who married Paul Kidd and lives near Everton; Lura May, who is living at
Connersville : Ethel, who is teaching a school, and Mary Catherine, Nora
Isabel, Freda Marine and Neva Eavonne, who are at home with their
parents. The Moores have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in
the general social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. Moore
is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and
takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.

RICHARD A. S. McMULLEN.

Richard A. S. McMullen, one of Fayette county's best-known and most
substantial retired farmers and landowners, proprietor of a fine farm in
Waterloo township, now living in the nearby city of Richmond, is a native
son of Fayette county and has lived here, actively engaged in farming, until
his recent retirement and removal to Richmond, where he built a modern
house on south Nineteenth street, where he now resides. He was born on
May 10, 1845, in ^n old stone house which is still standing, on the farm which
he now owns and on which he made his home until his recent retirement

FAYF.TTE COUNTY, INDIANA. I 143

and retnov.'il to Ixicliniond, a son (if Hcnrv Kendall and Ann (Cave)
McMullen, early settlers in that part nf this county, who spent their last
days in Richmond, this state.

Henry Kendall McMullen was horn near Stannardville, X'irjjinia, Octo-
ber lo, 1808, a son of James and Rdy (Kendall) McMullen, the former of
whom was born in October, 1771, and the latter, February 25. 1775. He
grew up in Virginia and there married l'"dizabeth Taylor, by whom were
born four children, two of whom died in \irginia and two of whom came
to Indiana, grew up in this county and here feared families. It was about
the year 1836 that Henry K. McMullen came, to Indiana with his family
from Virginia, settling in Wayne county, where his wife died.* On April
ig, 1838, he mafried ■Mrs. Ann (Cave) McMullen, widow of his deceased
brother, William McMullen. She was born in Orange county, Virginia.
March 19, 1807, daughter of Abner and Ann Cave. In 1839 Henry K.
McMullen mo\ed over into Fayette county and settled on a farm in the
northeastern part of Waterloo township, the place where the subject of this
sketch was born, and there he remained, an active and prosperous farmer,
until 1887, when he moved to Richmond, where he spent the rest of his life.
his death occurring about two years later, in August, 1889. His widow sur-
vived him for more than twelve years, her death occurring in February, 1902.
Henry K. McMullen ever took an active part in local public affairs and held
various local positions of trust, in the performance of the duties of which
he ever had the best interest of the public at heart. He was progressive in
his principles, voted for Fremont because of his detestation of the institution
of slaverv and in his later years warmly espoused the cause of the Prohi-
bition party. He and his wife w-ere earnest members of the Methodist Epis-
copal church and he for years was a leader in the local church of that denom-
ination.

Richard A. S. McMullen grew to manhood on the farm in the south-
western part of Waterloo township, where he w^as born, and after his mar-
riage in the fall of 1887. his father retiring from the farm about that time,
established his home there and remained there until early in 191 7, when he
moved to Richmond, where he had built a comfortable home and where he
now resides. Mr. McMullen is an able farmer and during his many years
of residence on the farm came to be recognized as one of the most substan-
tial citizens of that part of the county. He is the owner of about five hun-
dred and seventy acres of e.xcellent land and in his farming operations has
done very vvcll. His land is well improved and unincumbered and his farm
plant is fully up to the standards of modern methods of agriculture.

I 144 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

On November 26, 1887, Richard A. S. McMullen was united in. rnar-
riage to Sarah Gertrude Wood, who was born in the neighboring county of
Union, a daughter of Alexander and A'TeHnda (Lower) Wood, well-known
residents of that county, and to that union five children were born, namely:
Henry A, Fiske, who died in February, 1889, at the age of five months; Har-
riet Ann, who married Walter G. Knollenberg, of Richmond, and has one
child, a daughter, Gertrude Agnes ; Frances Melinda, twin sister of Harriet,
who married Hollis Ward Hanson, of Connersville ; Dorothy Alexandria,
who is at home with her father, and Mary Alice, who is at school at Glen-
dale. The mother of these children died on June 23, 1916. She was a life-
long member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the faith of which church
Mr. McMullen also was born and reared, and was for years one of the lead-
ers in the work of the congregation to which she was attached, so that in
her death she was greatly missed in the community in which she had so long
been an active influence for good.

A. P. HELVIF, D. V. S.

Dr. A. P. Helvie, well-known veterinary surgeon at Connersville, was
bom at Muncie, this state, February i, 1872, a .son of S. H. and Jennie
Helvie, who later settled in Fayette county. S. H. Helvie was born in Dela-
ware county and after his marriage made his home in Muncie until 1881,
when he came to this county and located on a farm in Jennings township,
remaining a farmer here until his death.

Having been but about nine years of age when he came with his par-
ents to this county, A. P. Helvie completed his common-school education in
the schools of Connersville. He then attended the Central Normal School
at Danville for a couple of terms, at the end of which time he returned to
the home farm in this county and remained there until his marriage in 1892
to Emelia Moore, after which he engaged in farming on his own account
and farmed for five years. He long had been a close student of live stock
and the ailments of the same and finally concluded to turn his attention to
veterinary surgery as a profession, and with that end in view then entered
the Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis, from which he was graduated
in 1900, with the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Surgery. Thus qualified
for the practice of his profession. Doctor Helvie opened an office at Con-
nersville and has since been engaged in practice there. Doctor Helvie keeps

FAYl-.TTK fOLNTY. INDIANA. 1 145

closely abreast of the ailvaiices \mui^ iiKulc in liis Inuiiaiie protession and is
a member of the Indiana State \'eterin:iry Association and of tlie I'ayette
County \'eterinary Association, in tlie deliberations of which bodies he takes
an active interest.

Doctor Helvie is a Republican and has ever taken a ,t;()od citizen's interest
in local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after office. Fraternally,
he is affiliated with the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks and with the Knights of Pythias and in the affairs of these jx^pnlar
organizations takes a wanu interest.

B. W. COOPb:K. M. 1).

Dr. C. W. Cooper, one of Connersville's well-kudun physicians, is a
nitive Hoosier and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a
farm in Hendricks county, this state, September i, 1S74, a son of the Rev.
Shelby Cooper, for manv years one of the best -known ministers of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church in Indiana, having had charges in varii>us parts ni the
ttate during his long and successful ministry.

Completing his common schooling in the high schocil at Cartersl)urg.
B. W. Cooper entered the Central Normal School at Danville and after a
comprehensive course there entered the Medical College of the University of
Kentucky at Louisville, from which institution he was graduated, four years
later, in 1907, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Upon receiving his
diploma Doctor Cooper opened an office for the practice of his profession at
Muncie, this state, and after a short time thus engaged there located at
.Straughn, where he practiced for about seven years, at the end of which
time he moved to Connersville, where he opened an office and where he ever
since has been engaged in practice. Doctor Cooper keeps fully abreast of
the advances being made in modern medicine and is a member of the Indiana
State Medical Association and of the American Medical Association, in the
deliberations of which bodies he takes a warm interest. The Doctor is a
Mason and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and of the Knights
of Pythias and in the alTairs of these several organizations takes an active
interest. In his political views he affiliates with the Republican i)arty.

In 1904 Dr. B. W. Cooper was united in marriage to Jennie Pearson
and to that union two children have been born, Helen and Hugh.
(73)

I 146 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

JAMES HAXKINS TATE (first.)

The Tate family is one of the oldest in Fayette county, having been
represented here since the year 1812, four years before the admission of Indi-
ana to statehood, and for many years the late James Hankins Tate, referred
to here as the first, because his son, of that same name, is still living in this
county, was one of the best-known and most influential farmers of Con-
nersville township. He was born in this county and had been a witness to
the development of the sanie since pioneer days, taking his part in that
development, and had served the public in various capacities in a most accept-
able manner.

The family of the Tates really had representation out here in the \-alley
of the Whitewater previous to 1812, for in that year, when William A. H.
Tate, then a boy of sixteen, came out here from Virginia, making the trip
alone on horseback, he had an uncle here, a Mr. Reagan, who had settled
some time before at a point about two miles south of where the important
city of Connersville now is Iccated, the Reagan place having been just west
of where the caml later was put through. When young William A. H.
Tale arrived here he liked the looks of things so well that he straightway
returned to his Virginia home and induced his father. Major John Tate,
to dispose of his interests in \"irginia and with the other members of the
family move out to the new country in the Indiana territory, and thus the
family was estabHshed here in Fayette county.

Major John Tate, the pioneer, hacl his title by right of his service in the
Virginia militia and was a fairly well-to-do person in his native state. He
married a Poston, member of a family -that had its origin in England, the
first representative of that family in this country having settled in Maryland,
the family later becoming established in \"irginia and representatives of the
same becoming later pioneers in Indiana, notable among these latter having
been "Sandy" Poston, a unique and well-known figure in the pioneer life of
this part of the state. "Sandy" Poston was a brother of Major Tate's wife
and he came out here early and settled among the Indians, becoming presently
widely known as a horse trader and a man of huge capacity for the joyful
things of life. Major Tate drove over from X'irginia to the new Indiana
country with his wife and their younger children, bringing their belongings
in a wagon, and bought land in the southern part of Connersville township.
Not long afterward he sold that tract and moved to the little hamlet that had
grown up around John Conner's saw-mill, now the city of Connersville, and

^VKTTK COrNTY. INDIANA

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of the peace in and for Coiinersville townshi]). hein,n' widely known over the
county as Squire Tate. He married Loui.sa Cunningham, who was horn a
short distance east of Connersville, daughter of the Reverend Cunningham,
a pioneer minister of the Baptist church, who had come out here from the
Carolinas. In a Ing cabin about four miles southwest of Connersville. Will-
iam .\. H. Tate and wife began hoiisek-eeping and in that lug cabin. July 20.
1830. James Hankins Tate, the subject ni this meninrial sketch was burn.

James Hankins Tate grew to manhood mi the hniiie farm in Conners-
ville township, fully accpiainted with the methods and iiKuiners uf pioneer
living. When hut nine years of age he was entrusted with the responsible
task of carrving the mail from Connersville on a route including T^aurel.
Dublin and Bentonville, and for twenty years or more continued carrying the
mail on that and an extended route, braving the storms of winter and the
blazing heat of the summer. For about sixteen years he also served as
assessor of Connersville township and in other w:iys gave of his time and
his energies to the public service. He became prosix^rous in his farming
operations and gradually enlarged his land holdings until he became the owner
of four hundred and eighty acres of choice land in his home township and
was long accounted one of the most substantial farmers in that neighbor-
hood. He and his wife were members of the Christian church and were
long accounted among the leaders in good works in their ncighlxirhood. For
the last five or six years of his life. James H. Tate was an invalid, requiring
his faithful wife's almost constant care. He died on October C\ iqi6. and
his widow survives, continuing to ni;ike her home on the old home f;u-ni in
Connersville township.

On December 23, 1858, James H. Tate was united in marriage to Louisa
Halstead, who was born in Columbia township, this county, on a farm about
a mile north of Columbia, Decemlier 3. 1840, daughter of Hickson and Eliza
(Jones) Halstead, the latter of whom was born in this county, member of a
pioneer familv. Hickson Halstead was born on a farm that is now covered
hv a section of the great city of Xew York, a son of Thomas Hajstead. and

II4o FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

when a young man came to Indiana, locating at Metamora, in Franklin
county, and later coming over into Fayette county, where he married Delilah
Martin, who lived in the northwest part of Connersville township, but was
not related to the Martins now living there. After his marriage Hickson
Halstead located on a farm in the south part of Connersville township, where
his first wife died. He then married Eliza Jones, who was born on a pioneer
farm in section 6 of Connersville township, daughter of William Jones, who
had come out here from Virginia in the days when the Indians still held
possession here and had later bought from the government a tract of land
on which he established his home and reared his family. After his second
marriage Hickson Halstead made his home on the Jones farm and there he
spent the rest of his life and it was there that his daughter, Louisa, married
James H. Tate, although much of her youth had been spent in the home of
an aunt in Orange township.

To James FI. and I^ouisa (Halstead) Tate eleven children were born,
two of whom died in infancy and one of whom, Eugene Preston, died when
eleven years of age. The surviving members of this family are as follow:
John E., a farmer, living on the northwest quarter of section 5 of Conners-
ville township; Emery Edinburgh, who lives in Orange township; Minnie,
wife of Levi Ballard, of Lidianapolis ; William H., who lives on Grandfather
Halstead's old home farm in Columbia township; Curtis L., who lives on a
farm on the Rushville pike, four miles west of Connersville ; James Hankins
(second), who lives on a farm southwest of Connersville, in the east part
of section 32; Orlia Francis, who lives in Montana, and Grover C, who lives
in Connersville. The Tate family are a hospitable people and are held in
high respect in the several communities in which they live, helpful in pro-
moting all movements ha^•ing to do with the advancement of the coiiimon
welfare.

JOHN L. DOENGES.

John L. Doenges, secretary-treasurer and general manager of the Con-
nersville Ice Company at Connersville and long regarded as one of the sub-
stantial and public-spirited business men of that city, was born at Lawrence-
burg, Indiana, luit has been a resident of Connersville since the year i88j.
He was born on Feliruarv 21, 1863, son of Simon and .\melia (Kring)

KAYiriTi; COrXTY. INDIANA. I 1 49

Doenges. natives of (leriiianv. who st-ttlcd at Lawrencchiirg. tliis state, upon
coming; to this country and there reared their family, Simon Doenges being
engaged there as a stationary engineer. Simon Doenges and wife were the
parents of nine children, seven of whom are .still living, those l)€si{Ics the
subject of this sketch i)eing as follow: Simon Doenges, postmaster of Con-
nersville, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume;
Minnie, wife of Charles Richter, of Indianapolis: Henry, of Cincinnati;
Louisea, wife of Henry Cramsey, of Indianapolis; Fred, of Connersville and
Anna, wife of I'Ved Sholtz, of Indianapolis.

After completing his boyhood schooling at Lawrencclnirg, John L.
Doenges Iiegan working as a farm hand and was thus engaged for some
time, presently taking up the trade of stationary engineer, later taking up the
trade of cabinet-making, which he followed for about twenty-five years.
It was in 1882 that he moved to Connersville and there found employment in
the plant of the Connersville Furniture Com])any and was engaged with that
concern for many years, presently becoming a stockholder in the concern.
He also became interested as a stockholder in the Connersville Ice Company,
of which his Jirother, Simon Doenges. now postmaster of Connersville. was
the president and general manager, and was made secretary and treasurer of
the same. When his brother left the active management of the company
tiT enter upon his duties as postmaster, Mr. Doenges assumed the general
management of the affairs of the Connersville Ice Company and is now
occupying that position. Mr. Doenges is a Democrat and has ever taken
an active part in local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public
office.

On April 21. 1883, John L. Doenges was united in marriage to Mary
Reifel, who was Ijorn in Ri])ley county, this state, daughter of Philip Reifel
and wife, natives of Germany and botii now deceased, who were the parents
of eight children, those besides Mrs. Doenges being George, Martin, Philip,
Minnie. Kate, Lou and Anna. To Mr. and Mrs. Doenges two sons have
been born, Ernest and Edward. Mr. and Mrs. Doenges are members of
the German Presbyterian church at Connersville and for about twenty years
Mr. Doenges was a member of the board of trustees of the same. He is a
member of Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Gutten-
berg Lodge Xo. 31C), Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in the affairs
of these organizations takes a warm interest.

!I50 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

JAMES MONROE HAMILTON.

James Monroe Hamilton, proprietor of an excellent farm in Waterloo
township, this collnt3^ where he makes his home, was born in that township
and has lived there practically all his life, save for a short period during
which he lived just over the line in Union county. He was born in 1859 on
a pioneer farm in Waterloo township, in the same house in which his father
was born, a son of Charles Henry and Rachel (Strong) Hamilton, both
natives of that same township, members of pioneer families and for years
prominent and influential residents of that community.

Charles Henry Hamitlon was bom on a pioneer farm in Waterloo town-
ship in 1834, in the same house, as noted above, in which his eldest son, the
subject of this sketch, was born, a son of Capt. James Scott and Eliza (Court-
ney) Hamilton, who were among the early settlers in that part of Fayette
county. Capt. James Scott Hamilton came out to Indiana from Virginia,
where he had served during the War of 18 12 as captain of a company
stationed at Norfolk. He was born on the ocean while his parents were en
route from Ireland to this country and was reared in Maryland, in which
state his father died. His mother, Mrs. Jane (Scott) Hamilton, later, in
1833, came to Indiana and settled in section 3 of Waterloo township, this
county, where she spent her last days. Capt. James S. Hamilton previously,
in Virginia, had married Eliza Courtney, who was born in Ireland and who
was but ten years of age when her parents came to this country, locating in
the Old Dominion, and he and his family also came to Fayette county, settling
in Waterloo township, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their
lives, honored and useful pioneers of that community. Captain Hamilton
was a man of ability and was a successful farmer, gradually accumulating
quite a bit of property in his new home out here in the "wilds'" of Indiana.
He and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist church and took an
active part in the general social life of the settlement during the formative
period of this now well-established and prosperous farming community. She
died in 1872 and he survived her for six years, his death occurring in 1878.
They were the parents of eleven children and a numerous progeny, in the
present generation, trace to that sterling pioneer pair.

Reared on the pioneer farm on which he was born and where his parents
settled in 1833, Charles H. Hamilton grew up to the life of the farm and
upon reaching manhood began farming there on his own account. In 1859
he married Rachel Strong, who was torn on a farm in the southeastern part
of that same township, the place where William Maze now lives, a daughter

FAYETTIi COINTY. INDIANA. IISI

of Richard ami Susanna (Gaby) Strong, both members of pioneer families
in this county and further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.
Richard Strong was born in \'irginia on June 9. 1802. and was but ten or
twelve years of age when his parents came out to Indiana and settled in this
county in 1813 or 1814. Here he grew to manhood and married Susanna
Gaby, who was born in Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania-Dutiii sink. >n\ June
<j, 1802, and who was but a girl when she came to this county witii iiur parents
in pioneer limes, .\tter iiis marriage Riciiard Strong settled on tlic farm
wiiere William Maze now lives, in the southeastern part of Waterloo town-
ship, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, the latter
living to be past eighty years of age, her death occurring on November 9,
1883. They were the parents of thirteen children. Charles H. Hamilton
remained a farmer all his life and was the owner of a well-improved and
profitably operated farm. For some \ears he served as assessor of his home
township and in other ways contributed his share of time and energy to the
public service. He died on, April 4, 1901, and his wife died on Decemljer
21,' 1885. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of
this sketch was the t'lrst-born, the others being as follow: .\nna Belle, who
died on January 28, 1878; Mrs. Laura Helen BuUard, of Indianapolis;
Charles Henson Hamilton, who died on December 11, 1915; John William
Hamilton, who died on November 7, 1896; Mrs. Maude Riggs, of Conners-
ville; Oliver Lafayette Hamilton, who died on October 4, 1870: Mrs. Rebecca
Jane Garrett, of Wayne county, this state; Mrs. Catherine Funk, of Water-
loo township, and Robert Washington Hamilton, who died on June 16, 1S76.

James M. Hamilton was reared on the paternal farm in Waterloo town-
ship, receiving his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood, and has
lived in that township all his life with the exception of short periods, a part
of the time living over the line in Union county. He married in 1880 and
in 1889 bought the farm on which he is now living, in Waterloo township,
and has ever since made his home there, he and his family being very com-
fortablv situated. He has a farm of one hundred and forty acres and his
place is well kejot and well imi)rove<l, his farm plant being ujo-to-date and
operated in accordance with modern methods of agriculture.

.As noted above, it was in 1880 that James M. Hamilton was united in
marriage to Sarah Elizabeth White, who was born on the old White home-
stead in the southwestern part of Waterloo township, this county, a daughter
of John and Catherine (Miller) White, the former of whom also was born
on that farm, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth ( Royd) White, the former of
whom also was born on that farm, a son of Joseph White and wife, who were

]I52 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

among the very earliest settlers in that part of Fayette county, the Whites,
in their respective generations being successful farmers and substantial
citizens. John White, who died in September, 1904, was twice married.
His first wife, who was Jane Dugan, died, leaving two children, Emma L.
and Daniel O., and in 1862 he married Catherine Miller; who was born in
Pennsylvania and who came to this county about 1853, she then being about
sixteen vears of age, with her parents, Isaac and Sarah (Myers) Miller, the
family settling in Waterloo township. To that second union three children
were born, Mrs. Hamilton having two brothers, Emmet Theodore and Isaac
Omar White. Mrs. Catherine White died in 191 1.

To James M. and Sarah Elizabeth (White) Hamilton six children have
been born, namely: Rozzie Belle, who married David Funk, now living on
the old White farm where her maternal ancestors were born, and has four
children, Edna Isabel, J. D. Willard. Eugene Wendell and Henry Ellis;
Claude Austin, now living in Wayne county, who married Edith Schroy and
has three children, Irvin L., Herbert J. and Ruth; Otto Arlington, who mar-
ried Ruth Baker and is now living at Springersville; Ethel W., who married
Albert Crawford and is now living in Union county; Alta L., who is at home
with her parents and Florence, also at home. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton are
members of the Christian church and their children were reared in that faith.
The Hamiltons have a very pleasant home and have ever taken a proper part
in the general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful
in promoting all movements having to do with the advancement of the com-
mon welfare thereabout. Mr. Hamilton is a member of the local lodge of
the Improved Order of Red Men and takes a warm interest in the affairs
of that organization. Politically, he is a Democrat and has ever taken a
o-ood citizen's interest in local political affairs.

CHARLES R. WIELIAMS.

The traditions of the Williams ancestry cross the ocean to Cromwellian
times in Wales, whence, after the restoration of the Stuarts to the English
throne in 1668, four brothers of the Williams name sought religious freedom
in America. Three of these brothers, who were persecuted in Massachusetts
colony, accepted the scant toleration of a forest obscurity back from Long
Island Sound.

One of these three, Matthew Williams, a Welsh Baptist preacher, had

FAYKTTI-: COUNTY. INDIANA. I I 53

Thomas who was the father of Timothy, who was tlie father of Jonas, tlie
Hoosier pioneer of the Williams family. Matthew lived to he one hmuired
and three, Thomas one hundred and two. and Timothy nearly one hundred
years okl. Like their ancestor, Thomas. Timothy and jon;is were H.'iptist
ministers.

Jonas was horn Deeeniher _'6. 1751. and in li<iyhood was ca])tured hy
the Indians, who hound his ankles >o ti,>;lnl\- with thon.t^s that his feet froze
while his captors slept. I'-ecause of lameness he became a currier in .\'ew
York City, and then a miller, and to hll in the waiting,' hours wiien <>rindin,s,'.
a shoemaker. He married k'leanor Ward of New \nrk City, lie removed
to the W'yominor \'alley and there operated one of the largest mills in the
valley. In 1778 their propert\- was destroyed and they escaped from the
Indians in the terrible massacre, .\fter their ruin at Wyoming, the family
went to Orange county, Xew ^'ork. and later to Cayuga county, where he
built and ran a mill, where is now the town of Geno;i.

-About 1812 Jonas W'illiams came to huliana. where he was the first
settler on, and gave his name to, the principal branch of the ^\'hite \\'ater
river. His son, Charles, was horn in Cayuga county, Xew York, November
-3' 1793' ^"d Ijecame the first pioneer farmer in what is now Fairview town-
ship, developing a fine farm about eight miles northwest of Connersville.
He was also an excellent carpenter, the first contracting carpenter in his
neighborhood and in that capacity erected most of the houses and barns built
in that part of the county in an early day. He was an energetic and enter-
prising citizen and prospered in his aft'airs. He served in the W'ar of. 1812
and had some thrilling experiences at that time. He was twice married.
His first wife, who was a Smith, was the mother of five children. His
second wife, Lydia Jobe, who was born in Pennsylvania on .April 16. 1800.
survived him many years, her death occurring on January 30, 1899, she then
being nearly ninety-nine years of age. She was an earnest and consistent
member of the Methodist church and was the mother of seven children, four
sons and three daughters. Charles Williams died at his home in Fairview
township in 1868, honored and respected Ijy all.

Charles R. \\'illiams was the eldest of the four sons of Charles and
L\dia (Jobe) Williams. He was reared on the home farm in Fairview
township, receiving his elementary education in the schools of that neighl)or-
hood and supplementing the same by a course in old .Asbury ("now DeFauw)
Universitv. At the age of eighteen he began teaching school, teaching dur-
ing the winters and farming during the summers, and was thus engaged in

I I 54 FAYETTE COUNTY,, INDIANA.

Fajette and Madison counties for eighteen years, beginning his teaching
service at a wage of eighteen dollars a month and closing the same at a wage
of seventy-five dollars a month, this latter being during the Civil War period.
He concluded his long teaching service in 1869. In 1864 he was three times
drafted for service in the Union army. Following the first two drafts, he
furnished substitutes, but on the third draft went to the front as a member
of Company C, One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer
Infantry, and with that command served for five months, being mustered out
in August, 1865. For eight years Charles R. Williams farmed in Harrison
township, this county, and in Madison county. In 1868 he was elected sur-
veyor of Fayette county, a position which he held very acceptably for a
period of twenty years. In October, 1874, he was elected auditor of Fayette
county and was re-elected in 1878. Upon the completion of his service as
auditor he for some time served as deputy auditor and was thus for many
years one of the most familiar figures about the court house and one of the
best known men in the county. In 1875, upon assuming the duties of county
auditor, he moved to Connersville, which ever thereafter was his home.

On August 3, 1851, Charles R. WilHams was united in marriage to
Caroline Ellis, who was born in Harrison township, this county, November
II, 1833. She was the daughter of Lewis and Samantha (Thomas) ElHs,
earnest and influential pioneers of that community. Richard Ellis, the early
pioneer, was an officer in the commissary department of the Colonial service
in New England and New York and was among the first settlers in Massa-
chusetts. His son, Reuben Ellis, was an ensign in the Colonial service in
1 754-1 757, and his ,?on, Benjamin, was a Revolutionary soldier of distinction.
To Benjamin was born Moses Ellis, who lived in Cayuga county, New York,
until 1 818, when he moved to the vicinity of North Bend, Ohio, where for
eight years he lived on the farm of Gen. William Henry Harrison. From
North Bend, in 1826, they came on up the White Water valley and settled
in Harrison township, this county. He was the first postmaster established
at Plum Orchard in 1827, the year after his location in that neighborhood,
and he in numerous ways contributed of his energy to the public welfare
thereabout. He and his wife were earnest members of the Christian church
and were tireless in church work. Betsy Judd Ellis died in 1841 and Moses
Ellis in 1848.

Lewis Ellis was about fifteen years of age when he came with his parents
to Fayette county. He grew to manhood on the pioneer farm in Harrison
township. On December 30, 1832, he married Samantha P. Thomas, daugh-
ter of Elder Minor Thomas, of this county, a pioneer preacher throughout

FAYETTE COUNTY, INOIANA. 1 1 55

this part of the state, a jjower tor ,c;oocl herealxnit in pioneer days and further
and fitting mention of wliom is made elsewhere in tliis work. Lewis ElHs
became a substantial farmer in Harrison township and a man of much influ-
ence there. He and his wife were members of the Baptist church and were
long among the leaders in good works in the northern part of the county.
Caroline Ellis Williams, their daughter, was the eldest of sixteen children.
It was said of her at her death that slie liad mothered forty-five children,
including eleven children of her own, eight grandijhildren and twelve great-
grandchildren and six of practical adoption into their family. Her life was
truly a life of service to others. In their later years both Charles R. \\'ill-
iams and his wife were cheerful, helpful Christian workers. They were lioth
members of the First Baptist church of Connersville and prominent in official
capacities.

In politics, "Uncle Charlie." as he was known throughout the county,
was a Republican — a progressive Republican. In 1884 he engaged in gen-
eral contracting with special reference to, bridge work and street and side-
walk paving, later associating his sons with him in that business and was
thus engaged until his retirement from business in 1906, after which time the
contracting business was continued by his sons, Charles, Roy L. and Frank
T.. who have carried out large engagements in that line, not only in this state,
but in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri and Louisiana.

It was this firm that in 1887 tore down the old bridge at East Conners-
ville, pictured elsewhere in this work and built the foundations for the pres-
ent bridge, the elder \\'illianis and his sons, Roy and Charles, being shown in
that picture.

Charles R., like his ancestors, was a soldier and belonged to the local
post of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died on Xoveml)er 5, 1908, and
his widow survived him but little more than two months, her death occurring
on January 9, 1909.

The children born to Charles R. Williams and Caroline (Ellis) Williams
were Frank T., Rose Ellen, Alice, Olive and Minor, who died of diphtheria
in childhood and are buried in the same grave ; Laura, who died in her young
womanhood: Lida. Harriet, Roy L., Bert and Charles, Jr.

Frank T., the eldest son, was born in 1852. He was reared a farmer,
but in May, 1876, he bought a store in Harrison township and was there
engaged in the mercantile business until he became connected with his brother,
Roy L., in the paving contracting in 1884, and has ever since been thus
engaged. On June 4, 1878. he married Morcnce M. Williams (of another

I 1 56 FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.

family), who was born in Connersville on May 31, 1857, daughter of Henry
and EHzabeth (Benton) Williams, who came here from Kentucky, and to
this union was born one child, a son, Carl, who died in infancy.

Rose Ellen Williams; the eldest daughter, was twice married. Her first
husband, Donovan Shipley, was thrown from a horse and killed three weeks
after their marriage. She later marrTed Bert Caldwell. She died leaving
two small children. Fern and Volney, who were raised and cared for by their
grandparents until they married and had homes of their own. Fern Cald-
well married Will K. Stoops, who lives on the Stoops farm south of Con-
nersville. To them have been born three sons, Edward, Wayne and Robert.
Volney Caldwell has for a number of years been connected with the postal
service — first on the railway mail service and at present in the local postoffice.
He married Neva Watson, of this city. They have one daughter, Virginia.

Alice Williams married Leander W. Jordan. To them were born three
children, Oliver, a merchant tailor, married Maud Fowler. They have two
daughters, Helen and Margaret, having lost their only son, Paul: Ola Jordan,
the widow of John Jordan, is a capable stenographer who has been with the
Lexington Automobile Company since they were installed at Lexington, Ken-
tucky. She has a son, Elmo, and a daughter, Evelyn. Elsie Jordan married
Lemuel Ludlow, of Harrison township. They reside on their farm.

Lida Williams married Charles Swain, of Muncie, Indiana. He is now
a paving contractor in Xew York. She died in 1907, leaving two daughters,
Laura and Zella. Laura is the wife of Lemuel Masterson, of Maysville,
Kentucky. They now reside in Cleveland, Ohio, where he has a profitable
position with the Sherwin-Williams Company. They have a son, William
Ellis, and a daughter, Carolyn. Zella married Emmett O'Brien, for her first
husband, and they had one son, Charles. She is now the wife of Marvel
Sutton, a farmer of Lyonsville, Indiana.

Harriet E. Williams, the youngest daughter, has been a teacher in the
Fayette county schools since her graduation from the Connersville schools.
As the valedictorian of her class, she received a scholarship to the State Uni-
versity at Bloomington.

In 1916 Miss Williams wrote and directed the pageant given, in Conners-
ville in behalf of Fayette county in connection with Indiana's Centennial
celebration. She is an active member of the First Baptist church of Con-
nersville.

Roy L. Williams married Effie Prosser, the daughter of Willis and Jane
De Moss Prosser. She was born in Huron, Lawrence countv, Indiana.

FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. II57

Roy lias l)ecn in tlie cimtraclinj;- business since a yount;- man. He calls Con-
nersville his iionie, hut at present they reside on llieir farm in soutlieastern
Missoufi, known as the "Woodsdale Farm," from which place he directs his
various paving jol)s and oversees his fifteen-hundrcd-acre farm. Mrs. Will-
iams is a memlier of the I'.aptist ciiurcli in ("nnnersviiie. -Mr. Williams is a
member of the Elks lodge.

Bert Williams, who died after rciching maturity, was one of the first
librarians of Connersville. He was a musician, especially fine on the flute.
He loved his work in the I'lue Ribbon Orchestra. He was a member of
the Methodist church.

Charles Williams, Jr., was the youngest son. He was a graduate of
the Connersville high school and finished a corresixjndence course in Scran-
ton, Pennsylvania. He has left a valuable plat of Connersville, which is in
constant use at the present time. He was a soldier in Company D, United
States Volunteer Engineer Cor]:)s during the Spanish-American War. He
was also a paving contractor and held various offices in Fayette county.

J.\MES HAXKIXS T.\TE (second.)

James Hankins Tate, the secdiul, so referred to here because there is
presented elsewhere in this volume a memorial sketch relating to his late
father, James Hankins Tate, first, is a native son of this county, as was his
father before him. and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm
about five miles southwest of Connersville, in section ^2 of Connersville
township, the same being in the immediate vicinity of his present home, May
10, 1874, son of James H. and Louisa (Halstead) Tate, both of whom were
born in F"ayette county, members of pioneer and well-known and substantial
families, further and more detailed reference to whom, together with a n.irra-
tive having to do with the beginnings of the Tate and Halstead families in
this county, is made elsewhere in this volume of biography.

Reared on the home farm in Connersville township, James H. Tate
(second) received his schooling in the local schools and has spent most of
his life farming, though for a couple f)f years he was successfully engaged
in the feed business at Connersville. giving up that business in order to return
to the farm, where he might give his assistance to his aging father, whose
death occurred in the fall of 1916. It was in 1903, following his marriage,
that the second James H. Tate beg;in farming for himself on a rented farm

I 158 FAYETTE COUNTY. INDIANA.

north of Connersville, and there he made his home for seven 3'ears, at the end
of which time he moved to his present farm, the same being located just
south of the place on which he was born, and there he has continued to reside,
he and his family now being very pleasantly and very comfortably situated.
Mr. Tate is a Democrat, as was his father before him, and for two years
he served as deputy sheriff of Fayette county. He has been quite successful
in his farming operations and besides owning a share in the old home farm,
has bought other lands until now he is the owner of one hundred seventy-
four and one-fourth acres and has a well-improved and profitablv cultivated
farm.

On October 6. 1903, James H. Tate was united in marriage to Hallie
Gertrude Bradburn, who was born in Brookville in the neighboring county
of Franklin, daughter of Albert E. and Mary E. (Stewart) Bradburn, the
former of whom, a lifelong farmer, spent the later years of his life in Fay-
ette county, dying here on August 4, 1909, and the latter of whom is now
making her home with Mr. and Mrs. Tate. Mr. and Mrs. Tate have three
children, Mildred Marguerite, James H., the third, now called "Junior," and
Alma Gladys. Mr. Tate joined the Methodist church on his twentieth birth-
day and he and his wife are both members of that church, taking an active
interest in the various beneficences of the same. Mr. Tate is a member of
the Modern Woodmen and in the affairs of that organization takes a warm
interest.

CURTIS L. TATE.

Curtis L. Tate, one of Fa}'ette county's best-known and most substantial
farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred acres and a com-
fortable home on the Rushville pike, about four miles west of Connersville,
m Connersville township, was born in that same vicinity and has lived there
all his life. He was born on January 17, 1872, son of James H. and Louisa
( Halsted) Tate, well-known residents of that neighborhood and further and
more detailed reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

Reared on the home farm in Connersville township, Curtis L. Tate
received his schooling in the district schools of that neighborhood and
remained at home, a valuable assistant in the labors of developing and improv-
ing the home place, until his marriage in 1902, when he began farming on
his own account. For two years he rented land and then he bought his
present farm of one hundred acres on the Rushville pike, four miles west of

FAYETTE COrNTY, IXniAXA. I 1 59

Connersville. wlicre lie has since rt'sidcd and when.' he and liis faniil\ are
very comfnrtahly and \ery pleasantly situated.

In igoj Curtis T.. Tate was united in niarriai^e tn Marv ('. I'.niwn. who
was horn in Madison county, this state, in 1S83. dausliter of l-~lijali and
Melissa Ellen (\\'hite) Brown, the former of whom was Ixirii in Perry
county, Ohio, and the latter in the state of Iowa, who came to Fayette county
in 1887 and located on a farm alwut four miles ><mth of where the Tates
now live. About 1897 Eli.iah Brt)wn sold that farm and returned to Madison
county, where he si-ent the rest of his life, his death occurring- in i')i,v ;iiid
where his widow is still livint,^

Mr. and Mrs. Tate have four children. Ruby Thelma. Garnet Zelma,
Catherine Curtis and OHia .\rthur. They are members of the Methodist
Episcopal church and take an earnest interest in the affairs of the same, as
well as in the general social activities of the community in which they live,
helpful ill furthering all causes having to do with the advancement of the
common welfare.

^0719

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Full text of "History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions"

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